Any sports fan of the 1990s can tell you that John Tesh’s “Roundball Rock” is synonymous with “The NBA on NBC.” The song gained a fan following big enough to warrant its own “SNL” sketch in 2013 – more than a decade after NBC stopped carrying NBA games. A few years ago, The Ringer published an oral history of the song's origins.
So it was no surprise when NBC Sports announced the song would be returning as part of the company’s big $2.45 billion-per-year deal with the league to broadcast games once again. That deal begins next season.
Now, here’s the surprise: I’m told NBC Sports still doesn’t have a deal to bring back Tesh’s tune. While NBC Sports promised the song would be returning, executives have only assured Tesh they will negotiate with him for the rights in good faith.
There have been some talks between the sides, which are ongoing, but Tesh is asking for a lot, and NBC Sports isn’t wedded to the theme at all costs, I’m told. Tesh already re-recorded the theme with a symphony orchestra in Nashville earlier this year.
Tesh has even considered licensing the song to another media company, according to people familiar with the matter. Still, it's unlikely the NBA's other media partners, Disney and Amazon, could or would want “Roundball," according to people familiar with the matter. Redacted language from the NBA’s most recent deal with Amazon (which is still being challenged by Warner Bros. Discovery) includes a provision that Amazon has to create a new theme song for its NBA package.
Given the restrictions, Tesh has sent Amazon two other theme songs to potentially use for its broadcast, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Tesh has also held talks with a venture capital firm that could acquire the rights from him, said the person. That firm would then decide the song’s fate, rather than Tesh.
Tesh, NBC Sports, Disney and Amazon all declined to comment.
“Roundball” hasn’t been totally off the airwaves for the last two decades. Fox Sports has licensed the theme to use for its Big East basketball games.
But for the vast majority of basketball fans, the song will always be tied to the 1990s Chicago Bulls and the voices of Marv Albert and Bob Costas. The NBA hasn’t been on NBC since 2002. When it returns next year, there’s no doubt that millions of NBA fans will want to hear Tesh’s theme for that first NBC game.
This is probably all just part of the negotiation process between Tesh and NBC Sports. Tesh realizes he’s got fan support on his side, while NBC Sports doesn’t want to be held over the barrel. NBC Sports still expects to come to a deal with Tesh, according to a person familiar with the matter.
But it does shine a light on the challenges of music licensing – a small but meaningful part of the sports media business.
A typical sports theme song for a major broadcast event costs about $100,000 a year, according to people familiar with the industry. NBC went from spending nothing on the NBA to nearly $2.5 billion a year. Ballooning budgets may mean trimming costs around the edges.
How to value a theme song like “Roundball Rock” is nebulous at best. At some point, NBC Sports might decide the cost isn’t worth it — but it could come with major fan blowback the company doesn't need.
It’s a developing story – but don’t worry, if I find out any more news, I’ll report it here first. In other words, gimme gimme gimme the ball, because I’m gonna DUNK IT.
