The NBA's eye-watering $76 billion broadcast deal will change how fans watch and engage with the world's top basketball league over the next few years.

Coverage will be divided between Disney (ABC and ESPN), Comcast (NBC and Peacock) and Amazon. The deal runs for the next 11 years. The partnerships with NBCUniversal and Amazon will give fans new ways to consume NBA content, with more streaming options available via Peacock and Prime Video.

The existing broadcasts will continue on ESPN and ABC, but the addition of massive streaming platforms into the mix shows the NBA is eager to make their content digitally accessible.

The move will undoubtedly benefit the gambling industry, which already offers extensive coverage of the NBA to punters worldwide.

The NBA's decision to bring streaming services on board will help to attract a new wave of digitally savvy fans to the world's best basketball league.

This will open the door for betting sites such as Vegasino Online to capitalize by offering a vast array of markets on NBA games throughout the season.

Amazon's addition to the ranks will also help the NBA broaden their global horizons. They are scheduled to stream 66 games each season, including side events such as the Emirates NBA Cup.

The company has committed to making significant investment into women's basketball, which has been gaining more traction following the emergence of collegiate phenom Caitlin Clark.

Australia and New Zealand recently had their first look at the new streaming landscape as ESPN launched on Disney+ towards the end of March.

Disney has been keen to get more sports content on their streaming platform, allowing subscribers to enjoy live NBA games, studio shows and other exciting sports programs without paying additional subscriptions on top of their traditional cable services.

As part of ESPN's 30th anniversary in Australia and New Zealand, they committed to making sporting content more accessible.

The launch includes the NBA Play-offs in April, NCAA March Madness and Major League Baseball's Opening Day, giving sports fans an excellent choice of thrilling coverage.

The Walt Disney Company Australia and New Zealand Senior Vice President and Managing Director, and Head of ESPN Asia-Pacific, Kylie Watson-Wheeler, said: "We're thrilled in the year of ESPN's 30th Anniversary in Australia and New Zealand to bring our compelling sports offering to Disney+ subscribers in addition to the expansive and beloved entertainment already available on platform. We're excited to be further broadening ESPN's audience across major international sports, kicking off with all the action of the NBA Play-offs as the league's champions battle it out."

The launch is excellent news for the sizable Australian market. They have an established sports broadcasting structure, making it an easy fit for the NBA expansion.

The Australian-dominated National Basketball League (NBL) has strong ties with the NBA having produced several players who have subsequently starred in North America. However, New Zealand has just one team competing in the NBL -- the New Zealand Breakers. They have not produced as many players who have progressed into the NBA.

It does not help that many Kiwis are obsessed with other sports. Rugby in New Zealand has forged strong links with the betting industry, which serves to significantly raise its profile.

Gambling companies are falling over themselves to link-up with Kiwi rugby teams, but basketball does not garner the same interest.

Super Rugby and the domestic National Provincial Championship enjoy national attention, which has forced basketball to work much harder to establish itself in New Zealand.

Broader coverage of the NBA could be a game-changer. NBL bosses will be hoping it helps to create a new generate of fans and sports bettors for basketball.
If more Kiwis start wagering on NBA games, betting companies may show more interest in the NBL by broadening their markets and increasing the sponsorship of the competition.

Having just one professional basketball team in New Zealand limits grassroots development, as players cannot see a clear pathway to competing at the top level.

Improved funding could transform the landscape, highlighting the crucial role the NBA has in developing the sport in overseas markets.

While the incorporation of streaming services into the coverage has several advantages for the NBA, there are some downsides to the move.

Younger fans will happily embrace the changes as they are already familiar with consuming streaming content across a range of digital devices.

However, many older customers are not keen on changes to their regular scheduled programming, having been accustomed to traditional broadcast outlets.

Splitting NBA content across several platforms means fans will require multiple subscriptions to access every available game, which may not be financially viable for some people.

Despite this, the NBA's decision to agree an 11-year deal demonstrates its unwavering commitment to embracing the new broadcast landscape in professional sports.