DAZN is making a bold move to crack the American sports market, and they're setting their sights on the NBA. The London-based streaming giant has confirmed its ambition to become the go-to hub for local NBA broadcasts, both for the upcoming season and far into the future. This isn't just a short-term play—DAZN wants to be the league's long-term partner once the NBA launches its highly anticipated centralized streaming platform for the 2027-28 season.

Here's the big picture: 13 NBA teams are suddenly on the market for local broadcast deals after being left in the lurch by Main Street Sports Group, the owner of the FanDuel-branded regional sports networks. These teams—including the Hawks, Cavaliers, Clippers, Heat, and Spurs, among others—need a quick solution for next season. DAZN is stepping up to the plate, offering flexible, short-term contracts that could include exit options after just one year. That way, teams can jump to the NBA's future centralized platform without being locked in.

Pete Oliver, DAZN's CEO of Growth Markets, didn't mince words when speaking to Sports Business Journal. "We want to be in that space," he said, acknowledging that the NBA will ultimately choose its long-term partner. For now, DAZN is focused on winning over teams with deals reportedly worth between $8 million and $15 million per season. Subscribers would get access to local broadcasts through DAZN's streaming service, with an option to simulcast 10 to 15 games on local over-the-air networks or keep them behind the paywall.

DAZN isn't alone in this race. Fubo is emerging as its biggest competitor for the upcoming season, setting the stage for an exciting showdown in the local sports streaming arena. For fans, this could mean more ways to catch their favorite teams—and for the teams themselves, a potential lifeline to a wider audience. Whether DAZN can slam dunk this opportunity remains to be seen, but one thing's clear: the game is changing.