Even at just 23 years old, Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo is already among the most marketable players in the NBA. He’s a dominant force on the offensive side of the ball, having averaged 26.9 points per game last season.
The Greek Freak’s importance to his Bucks has shown up on the basketball court in recent seasons with the team coming off its second consecutive playoff appearance.
It now looks like Giannis’ importance to the Bucks has translated into a whole lot of cash for the organization.
According to the SportsBusiness Journal, The Bucks have signed a mega seven-year deal worth north of $200 million with Fox Sports Wisconsin for the station to continue broadcasting their games.
“As part of the deal, which still needs to be approved by the league, Fox will pay the Bucks $26 million for their rights next year, up from a payout that was in the low $20 million range last season,” the report read.
That’s a financial coup for a Bucks squad that had fallen on hard times prior to Antetokounmpo’s arrival back in 2013-14.
Increased interest in the team and a competitive on-court product led to the Bucks ranking within the top half of the NBA in local television ratings last season. It’s now going to set the team up nicely in its local market moving forward.