John Tesh, the composer, suggests that if NBC Sports broadcasts NBA games once more, they may have the opportunity to repurchase the rights to the beloved theme song ‘Roundball Rock’.

In the world of TV sports theme songs, there is one that stands above the rest: “Roundball Rock” by John Tesh. This iconic anthem accompanied National Basketball Association (NBA) games on NBC until 2002 and became synonymous with the league’s golden era, featuring the likes of Michael Jordan and the dominance of the Chicago Bulls. Now, there is a possibility that this beloved tune may make a comeback.

NBCUniversal, owned by Comcast, has made a bid to regain the rights to air the NBA, offering an average of $2.5 billion per year. If successful, NBCUniversal would have the opportunity to bring back “Roundball Rock,” as confirmed by Tesh himself in an email to CNBC. The NBA is looking for three media partners this time around, and it is already close to deals with Disney and Amazon for two of the packages. The third package may go to either Warner Bros. Discovery or NBCUniversal.

Warner Bros. Discovery has been in talks with the NBA to retain the rights, but NBCUniversal’s offer exceeds what Warner Bros. Discovery currently pays. Warner Bros. Discovery’s CEO, David Zaslav, has emphasized financial discipline since taking over the company and has been cautious about investing in licensing sports rights. However, he has expressed optimism about retaining the NBA rights. At this point, neither Warner Bros. Discovery, NBC, nor the NBA have commented on the situation.

“Roundball Rock” holds a special place in the hearts of nostalgic NBA fans. It was voted as the greatest sports TV theme song by USA Today in 2017 and has been celebrated through various articles and even an “Saturday Night Live” sketch. The song has not been used for NBA games since NBC broadcast its last league contest in 2002, but it found a new home with Fox Sports for college basketball in 2018-19.

If NBC Sports wins the rights to the NBA, they would have the freedom to license “Roundball Rock” from John Tesh, who owns the song. Tesh explained that media companies typically buy the rights to the song in three-year increments, and he receives compensation through royalties based on the number of times it gets played. The song gained immense popularity during its time on “NBA on NBC,” with an estimated 12,000 airings between 1990 and 2002.

It’s remarkable how this theme song has transcended its original purpose and become a cultural phenomenon. Tesh mentioned that people now play the song on various instruments and there are countless YouTube videos of fans performing it. If the NBA returns to NBC, the song will once again be heard by millions of viewers.

The fate of “Roundball Rock” and the NBA’s broadcasting rights is still uncertain. The decision will have a significant impact on both NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery, as well as the millions of fans who hold this iconic tune close to their hearts. As the negotiations continue, fans eagerly await the outcome, hoping to hear “Roundball Rock” once again as they cheer for their favorite NBA teams.