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NBC Axes Shows Amid $2.5B NBA Deal Shakeup
12 May
Summary
- NBC canceled multiple freshman shows in May 2025.
- An 11-year NBA deal worth nearly $2.5 billion impacts programming.
- Law & Order: Organized Crime faced six showrunner changes before cancellation.
In May 2025, NBC made substantial programming cuts, canceling a slate of freshman series including "Lopez vs. Lopez," "Night Court," "Found," "The Irrational," and "Suits LA." Only "The Hunting Party" and "Brilliant Minds" survived from the new shows.
These network-wide cancellations were largely attributed to an 11-year agreement with the NBA, valued at nearly $2.5 billion per year. This deal requires NBC to broadcast up to 100 regular-season games, impacting the availability of original programming.
Furthermore, the highly anticipated "Law & Order: Organized Crime," which premiered in 2021, was also canceled in April 2026. The series experienced significant turmoil, with six different showrunners taking the helm throughout its five seasons.
The showrunner carousel included Matt Olmstead, Ilene Chaiken, Barry O'Brien, Bryan Goluboff, Sean Jablonski, David Graziano, and John Shiban, highlighting the production instability before its ultimate discontinuation.
