MEDIA LANDSCAPE

Upon entering the league, there are many different members of the media who you will interact with on a regular basis. It’s important to remember that these are relationships – they can be forged, developed and deepened throughout your careers.

Media members have a job to do, but the more you get to know them, the better your relationship can be and the better you can utilize media to tell the story YOU want to tell!

It’s also valuable to understand that not all media are the same. There are beat reporters, who cover your team day in and day out, will fly from city to city with you and be at every practice and every game. There are national NBA reporters who cover the league at large who you’ll see from time to time and even some larger sports reporters or columnists who you might never see. And there are national and local broadcasters, who are tasked with covering the game, play-by-play, sidelines and more. These are the media who are credentialed for NBA games and events – and of course there are media you might interact with outside of your role on the team who cover topics unrelated to sports based on areas you have interest in pursuing.

Below is meant to be a quick breakdown of the different types of media to highlight that not all media are the same:

Beat Reporters

Reporters from local publications or newspapers whose role is to cover a specific team throughout the season, postseason and offseason. They cover EVERYTHING – from draft, to free agency, trades, front office changes, every game and anything that impacts the team. They typically cover every game and practice throughout the year, and you will become very familiar with them..

National NBA Reporters

This group of media covers the league as a whole, as opposed to specific teams. Based throughout the country, they often will come to various games throughout the season as well as major tentpoles. They cover overarching league themes and major news, like the MVP race, monthly and annual awards, team performance, rising stars and so much more.

Podcasts

A growing medium in the NBA media landscape, many broadcasters, beat reporters and even players host their own podcasts across various platforms such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartMedia and more. Podcasts are typically less structured and feature more naturally-flowing conversations between hosts and their guests – something that is usually beneficial for listeners  looking for raw and natural content – but can also present a challenge for players who have to react on the spot during the recording.

National Broadcasters

The NBA’s two national broadcast partners – ABC/ESPN and Turner/TNT/NBA TV – broadcast games multiple games each week that are available to NBA fans nationwide. Games that are not on ESPN or TNT are available to fans on your local Regional Sports Networks (RSNs) or NBA League Pass. Both ESPN and TNT have full broadcast teams that both call the game, provide color commentary and conduct sideline reporting. They also have teams in studio who host pre- and post-game shows to discuss the games, matchups and outcomes – these shows include NBA Countdown and Inside the NBA.

As part of their coverage, these broadcast teams and reporters conduct regular interviews with the teams, coaches and players they’re covering. This might happen before or after the game or practice, but also in postgame press conferences so they can report on your live reactions and commentary.While most of their reporting happens on TV, many of these individuals will still come to press conferences, shoot arounds and more to ask questions and gain insight to inform their reporting.

TV Pundits / Personalities

In addition to the national broadcast coverage of the games, there are national TV shows across various networks that discuss the NBA and other topics throughout the day. These shows feature debate and “hot takes” and the personalities on the show are often boisterous for the purpose of entertainment. Some of these shows include ESPN’s First Take and NBA Today, and FOX Sports’ First Things First. It’s important to note that while these hosts and personalities might not interview directly or be present at your games and practices, they still have access to your media availabilities and will likely report or opine on what you say or do.

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