The NBA finds itself in a tricky spot as the cost of following the season climbs. Commissioner Adam Silver recently described the league as a “highlight-based sport,” suggesting that fans can engage through free clips rather than full games. Critics quickly pointed out the implications: regular-season contests, painstakingly made meaningful over the years, now seem almost secondary. Sacramento Kings analyst Matt George called the remarks “embarrassing,” adding, “This comes off as telling the priced-out consumer “I don’t care if you can’t afford to watch”.”

Amid this controversy, the NBA released a 31-second promotional video featuring Taylor Rooks, Luka Doncic, Blake Griffin, and others. The short clip is part of the league’s partnership with Amazon Prime Video, designed to showcase the breadth of NBA streaming content, including the regular season, playoffs, and special tournaments.

In the video, Rooks and Blake Griffin appear in Amazon delivery uniforms, arriving at a customer’s doorstep with oversized boxes labeled with NBA stars. Doncic and Donovan Mitchell appear from the boxes, while Griffin states, “Prime is bringing you the NBA,” and Rooks adds, “Regular season, Emirates NBA Cup, SoFi play-in tournament, playoffs, League Pass.” The ad highlights the NBA’s new broadcasting partnership with Amazon Prime Video, showcasing the ability to stream all major league content through the platform. Its release comes at a sensitive moment, with fans already voicing frustration over rising streaming costs.

This new broadcasting deal represents a massive shift in how the NBA distributes its games. Beginning in 2025–26 under an 11-year, $19.8 billion media rights agreement, Prime will exclusively stream 66 regular-season matchups, including opening week games and a Black Friday showcase, plus all Knockout Round games of the Emirates NBA Cup, the SoFi Play-In Tournament, first- and second-round playoff series, and the Conference Finals during six of the eleven years.

While the partnership modernizes broadcast options and broadens reach, its rollout amid affordability concerns has only intensified scrutiny on Silver, highlighting the challenge of balancing revenue growth with fan accessibility.

Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban was one of the people who came to Adam Silver’s defense and framed the issue in stark business terms. “If a streamer pays $2.6 billion for 100 games…that’s $17.3 million per game. Seems huge, right? Compare that to the cost + risk for scripted programming.” The takeaway is clear: live NBA games aren’t just sports but safe content. Unlike expensive TV series that can flop after a season, basketball guarantees an audience every night and the chance to hook new subscribers.

The model streaming services are chasing is Peacock’s exclusive NFL playoff broadcast, which pulled in over 2.3 million sign-ups and kept about 70% of them. However, Cuban added the caveat: whether the NBA can replicate that success at scale is “the $11 billion a year question.” In other words, the league is walking a tightrope. The financial upside of streaming is enormous, but so is the risk if audiences don’t follow, leaving both streamers and the NBA exposed.

The timing of the Rooks-Doncic ad highlights the NBA’s delicate position. Promoting the new Amazon deal while audiences voice concerns about affordability risks reinforces the perception that monetization is prioritized over access. Moving forward, the league must show that digital innovation can coexist with reasonable pricing, or it may face further backlash from a fan base increasingly sensitive to rising streaming expenses.

Media and Analysts Slam Silver’s “Highlight-Based Sport” Remarks

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver’s controversial comments have drawn sharp criticism from various media personalities. Jon Krawczynski, a Timberwolves reporter for ESPN, emphasized the importance of accessibility, stating, “Not a fan of this answer. Accessibility to games — REAL games — is a real issue for the league right now, both in ticket prices for in person and in what it costs to watch from home. The way to cultivate a new generation of fans is to make sure they see the games in full.”

These responses highlight a growing disconnect between the NBA’s leadership and fanbase. While Silver framed highlights and free platforms as accessible alternatives, it can’t be stressed enough that full-game access remains crucial for engagement and growth.

This predicament is proving to be the league’s pinnacle challenge in balancing innovative streaming partnerships, such as Prime Video, with affordability and maintaining loyalty among casuals and diehards.