{"id":705995,"date":"2026-04-08T22:15:17","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T22:15:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/705995\/"},"modified":"2026-04-08T22:15:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T22:15:17","slug":"nbc-thrilled-with-year-1-of-nba-deal-touts-on-the-bench-as-one-of-the-seasons-successes-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/705995\/","title":{"rendered":"NBC thrilled with Year 1 of NBA deal, touts ‘On The Bench’ as one of the season’s successes"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Expect more of NBC\u2019s \u201cOn The Bench\u201d innovation for NBA games going forward.<\/p>\n

Reflecting on the network\u2019s first season back in the NBA business, NBC Sports executive producer Sam Flood touted many highlights Wednesday \u2013 including bringing the voices of Michael Jordan, Snoop Dogg, Caitlin Clark and Lenny Kravitz to some broadcasts, plus finding ways to combine the past and the present.<\/p>\n

But the big win, in Flood\u2019s eyes, might have been how putting analysts on team benches worked out so well \u2013 probably better than many imagined.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019d love to do more \u2018On The Bench\u2019 games. We think that is something that has redefined to a degree how you can consume a basketball game in the NBA,\u201d Flood said in an interview with The Associated Press. \u201cSo, we want to lean into that a little bit more. We can see adding a few more games of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

NBC\u2019s original plan for \u201cOn The Bench\u201d \u2013 which is just what it sounds like, having an analyst on (or basically one seat from) each team\u2019s bench for the entire game \u2013 was to offer it as part of its Monday night package. A Sunday night game was added, and Flood said teams have cooperated with the format.<\/p>\n

Tonight is the debut of “On the Bench” where our analysts will be calling the game from each team’s bench giving fans a unique viewing experience every Monday on Peacock. \ud83d\udc40 pic.twitter.com\/KhUQuIAZNg<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) October 27, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not a completely new concept; there have been sideline reporters in various sports including the NBA for years, and NBC has had reporters between the benches at NHL games in the past as well. But in the NBA space, presenting \u201ccourtside\u201d reporting in that manner was basically unheard of until this season.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe game that Mike Tirico did in Miami, his one play-by-play for an \u2018On The Bench\u2019 game, he loved it. He just had so much fun doing a different kind of telecast,\u201d Flood said. \u201cAnd again, we found the teams have leaned in and loved it. One of the unwritten benefits for the teams is we don\u2019t ask to speak for those in-game interviews to the head coach. We say: \u2018Who\u2019s your guy? Who\u2019s your assistant that you want to put out there to get an opportunity to get this sort of exposure?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Prime Video has the rights to the play-in tournament that takes place next week. When the playoffs start April 18, games are on Prime, NBC\/Peacock and ABC\/ESPN. The NBA Finals are exclusive to ABC\/ESPN.<\/p>\n

This season \u2013 the first of the league\u2019s 11-year, $76 billion media rights deal \u2013 saw NBC return to the NBA broadcast space and Prime Video become part of it for the first time. NBC and Peacock aired the new U.S. vs. The World All-Star tournament in February, capitalizing on the buzz generated by the Milan Cortina Olympics, and drew All-Star\u2019s biggest viewership audience since 2011.<\/p>\n

Jordan was interviewed by Tirico for a series that NBC called \u201cInsights to Excellence,\u201d and John Tesh\u2019s \u201cRoundball Rock\u201d anthem for NBA on NBC telecasts returned to rave reviews as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur goal was to under-promise and over-deliver,\u201d Flood said. \u201cMy feeling is, and the feedback that we\u2019ve gotten is that we delivered what we promised and perhaps exceeded that.\u201d<\/p>\n