NBC Sports could buy back rights to 'Roundball Rock' if it airs NBA games again, composer John Tesh says
In the pantheon of theme songs for TV sports, “Roundball Rock,” John Tesh’s anthem that accompanied National Basketball Association games on NBC until 2002, is arguably the greatest.
In the pantheon of theme songs for TV sports, “Roundball Rock,” John Tesh’s anthem that accompanied National Basketball Association games on NBC until 2002, is arguably the greatest.
If NBCUniversal wins the rights to air the NBA again, it would have a chance to bring back the iconic tune, the composer told CNBC in an email.
Comcast’s NBCUniversal has made an offer that averages $2.5 billion per year to once again acquire NBA rights after losing them 22 years ago to Disney, according to people familiar with the matter. The Wall Street Journal first reported the details of NBC’s bid. Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal, which owns NBC News and CNBC.
The NBA wants three media partners this time around, and is close to deals with both Disney and Amazon for two of the packages. The third one will likely go to Warner Bros. Discovery or NBCUniversal, but not both, said the people, who asked not to be named because the talks are private.
Warner Bros. Discovery continues to be in talks with the league to keep the rights. Still, NBCUniversal’s offer more than doubles the $1.2 billion that Warner Bros. Discovery currently pays. That may be too pricey for Warner Bros. Discovery, whose market capitalization of $18 billion is dwarfed by Comcast’s $150 billion.
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