The NBA is in a bit of a legal battle at the moment, but they are looking to close the case before it even gets off the ground. In a lengthy filing this week, the NBA has asked the courts to dismiss the lawsuit against them, which alleges the league breached its contract by not allowing Warner Bros. Discovery to match the offer made by Amazon and its partners for the new media rights deal.
“TBS chose not to match NBC Universal’s offer, which would have enabled TBS to continue distributing games via its TNT linear cable network,” the league wrote. “Instead, TBS purported to match the less-expensive Amazon offer, but only after revising it to include traditional distribution rights and making numerous other substantive changes. Far from accepting each term of Amazon’s offer, TBS’s revisions constituted a counteroffer that the NBA was free to reject.”
As one of the most popular leagues in American sports, the NBA is extremely valuable right now and it’s no surprise that there was an intense bidding war for their media rights. After decades of working with TNT and Warner Bros. Discovery, the contract is set to expire at the end of next season and it’s a major opportunity for Adam Silver and the NBA.
That’s why, earlier this year, the NBA Commissioner announced plans to partner with Amazon and NBC Universal to broadcast their games on a lucrative new media rights agreement. The deal is a step up for the NBA and features extensive plans to not only enhance the viewing experience for fans but also drive up revenue by attracting a broader audience around the world.
Unfortunately, it also means the end of “Inside the NBA,” which is the community’s favorite broadcast show. The outcry from the public is what initially pushed Warner Bros. Discovery to match Amazon’s offer and they believed the NBA had no choice but to accept as part of the conditions of their ongoing contract. However, when the league still denied an agreement, WBD pursued legal action and filed an official motion to force the NBA’s compliance. While the fans initially supported this move, it doesn’t appear that the case will stand.
The lawsuit is technically still active in the courts today but the NBA has solid grounds for dismissal and it’s only a matter of time before it gets thrown out. According to the league, Warner Bros. did not actually match the contract and the 27 revisions they made to the deal make it more of a counter-offer than a direct match to Amazon’s package. For that reason, the NBA is not bound to TNT or Warner Bros. Discovery.
With the NBA free to choose their media partner, nobody can blame them for going with the better deal. With this new contract, the league aims to drive up revenue, increase its fanbase, and move forward with a vision of the future. Next season will almost surely be the last for “Inside the NBA” and after that, it will be a whole new chapter of NBA media coverage.
It’s truly the end of an era for the NBA and no matter how much the fans or TNT might protest, there’s no going back now. Adam Silver is always going to make decisions based on what he thinks is best for the future of the league.
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