The 2025–26 NBA season has tipped off, but instead of excitement, a lot of NBA fans are grumbling about what it now costs to actually watch the games.
As Sportico broke down this week, an average fan would need to shell out roughly $650 just to see all the action this year. That’s because games are scattered across multiple platforms — Amazon Prime, ESPN, NBA League Pass, Peacock, and various regional sports networks — and no single subscription covers everything.
With that setup, plenty of fans say it’s not worth it. Many are choosing to skip full games altogether and just catch the free highlights online.
It’ll cost a total of $650 this season to watch every NBA game across all services, per @Sportico pic.twitter.com/vM8XYHkRe1
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 21, 2025
“Meanwhile we are planning to save $650.”
“$650 for 1 year and you still get spammed with 3 minutes of ads every 6 minutes, entire court is layered with 30 ads, they announce jack in the box ads during freethrows.”
“Meanwhile, the NBA is still trying to figure out why illegal streaming is at an all time high.”
For viewers willing to pay that amount, the cost might not sting much. But for everyone else, it’s easy to see why many are turning to less official ways to keep up with their favorite teams.
“I Will Just Pony Up”: Some NBA fans Understand the league’s move
While plenty have blamed commissioner Adam Silver for the ballooning viewership costs, others see why it’s happening.
“This is a biproduct of Private Equity entering ownership in the NBA and the requirement for revenue to increase. It is a for-profit business, so if they can make more money they will. I will just pony up. Some won’t.”
I think it was @mcuban who explained it…
This is a biproduct of Private Equity entering ownership in the NBA and the requirement for revenue to increase. It is a for-profit business, so if they can make more money they will.
I will just pony up. Some won’t. pic.twitter.com/id84F6Ha2p
— Mavs TPS Report (@MavsTPSReport) October 21, 2025
“As crazy as that sounds, it seems cheaper than it was. It’s a mess how many channels they’re on but considering how shit league pass is, the ‘main’ options are plentiful.”
The league is in the middle of a major shift — its biggest since the cable era — after parting ways with TNT’s $77 billion broadcast deal and bringing in new partners NBC/Peacock and Amazon’s Prime Video.
Whether fans adapt to the new setup or seek other options, one thing’s clear: following the NBA this season isn’t just a commitment — it’s an investment.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
