The future of a legendary sports television show may depend on Amazon, according to Bill Simmons.
It was widely reported that Warner Bros. Discovery will lose its NBA broadcast rights, meaning TNT’s much-loved show “Inside The NBA” now has an uncertain future.
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ESPN is expected to retain its rights, with NBC and Amazon also involved in a major new deal.
Speaking on “The Bill Simmons Podcast,” Ringer editor-at-large Bryan Curtis pointed out that a key element of the show was how late it aired.
This will clearly be a big factor in whichever network, if any, decides to air the show.
On ESPN, coverage of the game ends and “SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt” takes over.
And Simmons pointed out that if NBC wanted the show, it would have to air it on the Peacock streaming service.
“They’d have to do it on Peacock, right?” Simmons said.
“It would be like, ‘Next step on Peacock.’ It’s different when you make viewers work for any part of what they’re watching.”
It’s because of these difficulties that Simmons believes Amazon Prime could very well be the new home for “Inside The NBA” when the new rights deal goes into effect for the 2025-26 season.
“That’s why Amazon probably makes the most sense,” Simmons said.
Whatever happens with “Inside the NBA,” it’s likely the famous quartet of hosts — Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal — will split up anyway.
Barkley has said publicly that he will explore his options while Johnson remains with Turner.
Simmons believes Barkley is one of the best talents on television.
He even compared his potential departure from TNT to David Letterman joining CBS after years at NBC.
“This is the show (Inside the NBA) that figured this out, and Barkley is at least what? 85 percent of it?” Simmons said.
“Because he’s the best TV talent we’ve ever had in the sport. So wherever it goes, when you talk about that shiny new toy, and if it’s worth it, what’s the price?
Inside the future of the NBA?
The operation of the NBA on TNT Sports is in great doubt due to the NBA’s broadcast agreements.
The Emmy-winning sports show is a fan favorite thanks to the likes of Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley.
But TNT’s broadcast deal with the NBA ends after next season and NBC appears poised to take over those rights in a $2.6 billion deal.
If TNT loses its NBA package, it will raise serious questions about the popular Inside the NBA.
One solution could be to recreate the show on another network, which would snatch the rights from the NBA.
“It’s worth it if you’re NBC or Amazon, because you have Barkley.
“You have this face that you can put anywhere, you can trot away. It’s like buying the biggest, shiniest yacht in St. Bart’s, and I don’t even know what he’s going to get.
“But it’s going to be a crazy number. Because you get the legacy. Basically, you’re still getting into the NBA because of it.”
“It’s like a Letterman going into a CBS-type situation, where you’re getting the show, but you’re also having this personality that you put at the forefront of all these different things you’re doing.
“You could argue that TNT/HBO/Warner maybe didn’t leverage that enough.”
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