NBA’s Return Sparks Changes: NBC Revamps Scripted Lineup for Exciting Roundball Season

Recently, NBC made headlines by canceling five series, marking its biggest cut since the 2020-21 season. The shows affected were Lopez vs. Lopez, Night Court, Found, The Irrational, and Suits LA. Interestingly, Warner Bros., which produced Night Court, is looking for another platform to continue the show.

While NBC has been cautious about cancellations in the past, this wave wasn’t unexpected. The network is preparing for a significant shift, as its new $2.5 billion deal with the NBA kicks in. This deal will likely require NBC to dedicate more primetime slots to basketball games.

As of now, NBC has only six hours of scripted programming planned for next fall, compared to 13 hours at the start of the current season. This includes three returning Chicago dramas and two Law & Order series, along with a couple of new comedies. They also renewed The Voice for its 28th season, which will take up additional time slots.

NBC’s strategy seems focused on attracting large audiences through live sports. For example, NBA games averaged 1.53 million viewers across various networks last season, with some primetime games reaching nearly 3 million viewers. This suggests a greater potential audience than many of the canceled series attracted.

For instance, none of the canceled shows drew more than 2.2 million same-day viewers. Though Found and The Irrational had reasonable performances in streaming, most NBA viewers will be tuning in live, making advertising more lucrative for the network.

Changes like these highlight the shifting landscape of television. NBC is betting heavily on sports to draw in viewers, which risks leaving many beloved scripted shows behind. The stakes are high, and while this may frustrate fans and creators, the pull of live sports remains a strong factor in shaping programming choices.

For more insights on television trends and programming shifts, you can read about it on trusted sources like The Hollywood Reporter.

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