Rival networks want a piece of the lucrative NBA pie when it becomes available again in 2016, but current media rights holders Walt Disney Co. and Time Warner Inc. expect their respective contracts with the league to be renewed.

At Disney‘s fiscal year Q3 earnings call, CEO Bob Iger said the NBA is a major part of his company’s ESPN lineup, and that “we’re reasonably confident that we will be able to extend that relationship.” Iger would not predict how much Disney might pay for a new deal. Currently, Disney pays $485 million per year to air NBA games and some analysts estimate that figure could nearly double if the company’s deal is renewed.

Time Warner, the parent company of NBA broadcaster TNT, echoed Iger’s sentiments at its second quarter earning call, during which CEO Jeff Bewkes said the league presents “one of the longest and strongest partnerships we’ve had with any league. We not only license the content but we manage both NBA TV and the NBA Digital properties for the league. We’re confident this relationship will continue, for many years to come.”

For its part, analysts estimate Time Warner could pay as much as $780 million per season to keep the NBA on TNT. Fox Sports 1 and NBC Sports Network will be looking to being the NBA on board as well, and it’s possible the legacy partners could retain their deals, but bring in a third media rights holder.

Read more about it at Adweek.

Brief Take: The NBA represents amazing ratings for both ESPN and TNT, especially around playoff time. Unless of course whatever games they have scheduled fail to provide great narrative tension, as happened last summer for ESPN when San Antonio swept Memphis in four games in May, and Miami trounced Chicago in five. Even the NBA isn’t a sure thing, and close to a billion dollars to air it is a lot of money.

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