With TNT losing the NBA’s media rights at the end of the 2024-25 season, many feared it was the end for ‘Inside the NBA’ as well, but it turns out that’s not the case. According to Joe Flint from The Wall Street Journal, Warner Bros. Discovery has decided to license the show to ESPN and ABC.
“Separately, Warner Bros. Discovery struck a deal with Disney to license the TNT show ‘Inside the NBA’ to ESPN and ABC starting next season, according to the people familiar with the matter. The show, which features the former players Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal, has an enthusiastic and large following. The show will air throughout the course of the season.”
That’s great news. It’s not an overstatement to say that ‘Inside the NBA’ is by far the most popular basketball show around. The chemistry between Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny Smith is unmatched and they will continue to grace our screens for the foreseeable future.
When Barkley announced in August that he was staying with TNT, it seemed like a split was almost inevitable, but fortunately, that won’t be the case. I think this is a good deal for both networks, the four men, and, of course, for the fans.
As part of this agreement, ESPN will sublicense Big 12 conference college football and basketball games to Warner Bros. Discovery that it can TNT. The two sides had come to a similar agreement with regard to College Football Playoff games in March.
To go with this agreement, Warner Bros. Discovery has also settled its breach of contract lawsuit against the NBA. The two sides will reportedly continue to work together for another decade, but TNT won’t be airing any games.
Tensions between the two sides rose during the NBA’s media rights race, which ESPN, NBC, and Amazon eventually won. TNT had the right to match another offer to keep the rights and they had reportedly matched Amazon’s.
The NBA, however, claimed TNT did not match Amazon’s offer and formally accepted the latter’s bid. That led to a lawsuit being filed but the two sides have now settled matters.
This settlement gives Warners Bros. Discovery the right to develop new shows with NBA content in the U.S. and abroad. The company will also continue to run the NBA’s digital operations for the next several years and their digital platforms Bleacher Report and House of Highlights will have access to NBA content as well.
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