NBC is excited about the first year of its NBA contract and is touting “On The Bench” as one of the hits of the season

Expect more of NBC’s “On The Bench” innovation for NBA games in the future.

Reflecting on the network’s first season in the NBA business, NBC Sports executive producer Sam Flood touted many highlights Wednesday, including bringing the voices of Michael Jordan, Snoop Dogg, Caitlin Clark and Lenny Kravitz into some broadcasts, as well as finding ways to combine the past and present.

Announcement

But the big win, in Flood’s eyes, may have been how putting analysts on team benches worked so well, probably better than many imagined.

“We would love to do more ‘On The Bench’ games. We think it’s something that has redefined to some extent how you can consume a basketball game in the NBA,” Flood said in an interview with The Associated Press. “So, we want to delve into this a little more. We may see a few more games added.”

NBC’s original plan for “On The Bench” — which is just what it sounds like, having an analyst on (or essentially a seat from) each team’s bench for the entire game — was to offer it as part of its Monday night package. A Sunday night game was added, and Flood said the teams collaborated on the format.

It’s not a completely new concept; there have been sideline reporters in various sports, including the NBA, for years, and NBC has also had reporters on the benches at NHL games in the past. But in the NBA, presenting “courtside” reports like that was virtually unheard of until this season.

Announcement

“The game Mike Tirico did in Miami, his only play-by-play for an ‘On The Bench’ game, he loved it. He had so much fun doing a different kind of telecast,” Flood said. “And once again, we found that teams leaned in and appreciated it. One of the unwritten benefits for teams is that we don’t ask to speak for those in-game coaching interviews. We say, ‘Who’s your guy? Who’s your assistant that you want to put on the field to have the opportunity to get this kind of exposure?'”

Prime Video has the rights to the play-in tournament taking place next week. When the playoffs begin on April 18, games will be on Prime, NBC/Peacock and ABC/ESPN. The NBA Finals are exclusive to ABC/ESPN.

This season — the first of the league’s 11-year, $76 billion media rights deal — saw NBC return to the NBA television space and Prime Video join it for the first time. NBC and Peacock broadcast the new US vs. The World All-Star in February, capitalizing on the buzz generated by the Milan Cortina Olympics, and attracted the largest All-Star viewing audience since 2011.

Jordan was interviewed by Tirico for a series NBC titled “Insights to Excellence,” and John Tesh’s NBA anthem “Roundball Rock” on NBC also earned rave reviews.

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“Our goal was to underpromise and overdeliver,” Flood said. “My feeling is, and the feedback we got, is that we delivered what we promised and maybe exceeded it.”

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA