Short answer: NBA League Pass is the league's own streaming package, and it's the only licensed way to watch almost every game. The non-obvious catch in the US is that it's built for fans who live away from their team: your local team's games are blacked out, as are the national games on ESPN, ABC, NBC, Peacock and Prime Video. Pick the tier by how many games and screens you need, and check your blackout zone before you pay.
At a glance
NBA League Pass, 2026-27
| Season starts | 20 October 2026 |
| Tiers | Team Pass, League Pass, Premium |
| Screens | One, or three on Premium |
| US blackouts | Local team and national TV games |
| Where to buy | NBA app, or as a Prime Video channel |
The three tiers
League Pass comes in three levels. The figures below are the published prices from the 2025-26 season. The NBA often adjusts them before the new season, so confirm the current price in the NBA app.
| Tier | Monthly | Season | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team Pass | $13.99 | $89.99 | One team's out-of-market games, one screen |
| League Pass | $16.99 | $109.99 | All out-of-market games, one screen, with adverts |
| League Pass Premium | $24.99 | $159.99 | All out-of-market games, three screens, in-arena feed during breaks |
Team Pass suits a fan who follows one team from another market. League Pass suits anyone who wants to dip into games across the league. Premium is worth it for households where two or three people watch at once, or for anyone who dislikes adverts in the breaks.
All tiers include a 7-day free trial in most years and let you watch games on demand after they finish.
Blackouts, explained
In the US and Canada, League Pass shows out-of-market games. Two kinds of game are blacked out.
Local games. Every team has a home television territory, based on your location. If you live inside it, that team's games are shown by its local broadcaster, usually a regional sports network or, increasingly, a team streaming service or local TV station, and League Pass blacks them out live. They become available on demand after the game.
National games. Games shown nationally by ESPN, ABC, NBC, Peacock or Prime Video are blacked out on League Pass everywhere in the US.
Your blackout zone is set by your location, not just your billing address. The NBA app has a tool to check which teams are local to your ZIP code. Use it before paying, especially if you live between two markets, where you may find two teams blacked out.
The regional picture has shifted a lot recently as regional sports networks have collapsed and teams have moved games to local broadcast stations and their own apps. Our guide to regional sports streaming explains where local games have gone.
What League Pass won't show you
The 2026-27 season is the second year of the NBA's new national deals, and those games sit elsewhere:
ESPN and ABC on Wednesday nights, Saturday primetime, Sunday afternoons and Christmas Day.
NBC and Peacock with the opening-night tripleheader on 20 October, Tuesday doubleheaders, Sunday Night Basketball and the All-Star Game.
Prime Video with Friday doubleheaders, the NBA Cup knockout rounds and some Thursday and Saturday games.
The NBA Cup runs from 30 October to 11 December 2026. The playoffs are entirely national too, so League Pass has no live playoff games in the US. Our night-by-night NBA guide covers all of it.
For many fans, the realistic setup is League Pass for out-of-market regular-season games, plus whichever national services carry the nights they care about.
NBA app or Prime Video channel?
League Pass is sold directly through the NBA app and NBA.com, and also as an add-on channel inside Prime Video.
Buying through Prime Video puts League Pass games alongside Prime Video's own NBA games in one app, and billing goes through Amazon. It requires a Prime or Prime Video membership.
Buying directly gives you the NBA app's full feature set and doesn't require Amazon. It's the version most feature announcements refer to.
Blackouts apply either way. Before choosing, check which features you care about, such as multiview or alternative commentary, are available in the version you're buying on your device.
Devices and viewing features
The NBA app runs on the main platforms: Google TV and Android TV, Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, Samsung and LG smart TVs, games consoles, phones, tablets and browsers.
Streams. Team Pass and League Pass allow one stream at a time. Premium allows three. If two people want to watch different games at once, only Premium works.
Multiview. The NBA app has offered multiview on supported devices, useful on busy nights with a dozen games. Check support on your device.
Downloads. Games can be downloaded for offline viewing on mobile, handy for travel.
Condensed games and replays are included, and are one of the best features for fans in awkward time zones.
A wired or strong 5 GHz connection helps, since basketball is fast and broadcast at 60 frames per second.
League Pass outside the US
Outside the US and Canada, League Pass works differently and usually better. In most countries it shows every regular-season and playoff game, including national US games and the Finals, without the US blackouts.
There are local exceptions. Where a broadcaster in your country has exclusive rights to certain games, those can be blacked out on League Pass, and in a few countries League Pass is sold through a local partner rather than directly. Prices are set in local currency. Our guide to the NBA outside the US covers the international picture.
League Pass checks your location. Using a VPN to change the games you see breaches the terms of service and can get an account suspended.
Paying less
Buy for the season, not monthly, if you'll watch from October to April: the season price is roughly six or seven months' fees.
Buy late. The NBA has historically cut prices during the season, sometimes sharply after the All-Star break.
Look for bundles. League Pass has been offered through mobile carriers and other partners, and student discounts have been available in some seasons.
Match the tier to your habits. If you only follow one out-of-market team, Team Pass saves money.
Unlicensed streams offering every NBA game for a few dollars aren't authorised, and they tend to fail during big games. League Pass's free trial is the legitimate way to test it.
Quick answers
How much is NBA League Pass? In 2025-26 it was $16.99 a month or $109.99 a season, with Team Pass and Premium tiers either side. Check the NBA app for 2026-27 prices.
Why is my local team blacked out on League Pass? In the US and Canada, local games belong to the team's local broadcaster, so League Pass shows them only on demand afterwards.
Does League Pass include national TV games? Not in the US. Games on ESPN, ABC, NBC, Peacock and Prime Video are blacked out.
Can two people watch League Pass at once? Only on League Pass Premium, which allows three streams.
Is League Pass on Prime Video? Yes, as an add-on channel, alongside direct sales in the NBA app.
Does League Pass show the playoffs? Outside the US, generally yes. In the US, playoff games are on national TV and blacked out.
League Pass prices, tiers and features are set season by season, and local blackout territories change as teams move their local broadcasts. Check the NBA app for current terms before buying. Checked September 2026.