“I mean, this is very much a highlights-based sport.” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver’s words, delivered in the recent Board of Governors meeting amid mounting fan frustration, were meant to soothe concerns over skyrocketing costs to watch full games. Instead, they landed like a poorly officiated foul call—tone-deaf and sparking instant backlash. Silver pointed fans toward free clips on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube as a silver lining, but for die-hards craving the full 48 minutes of drama, it’s no consolation. The NBA’s new media rights deal has changed the way basketball fans will consume the sport moving forward. Gone are the days when a single cable subscription gave access to most games.

For fans already juggling multiple subscriptions, the shift is more of a burden than an upgrade. N

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