After TNT announced Monday that it had submitted a corresponding offer to retain its NBA broadcast rights and its intention to continue producing the beloved studio show “Inside the NBA,” the NBA responded Wednesday.
The league said in a statement that TNT parent Warner Bros. Discovery, failed to fulfill the new 11-year, $1.8 billion annual contract the NBA agreed to with Amazon.
“Warner Bros.’ latest proposal Discovery did not match the terms of the Amazon Prime Video offering and therefore we entered into a long-term agreement with Amazon,” the statement said.
“Throughout these negotiations, our primary goal has been to maximize the reach and accessibility of our games for our fans. Our new agreement with Amazon supports this goal, complementing the broadcast, cable and streaming bundles that are already part of our new Disney and NBCUniversal bundles. All three partners have also committed substantial resources to promoting the league and improving the fan experience.
“We are grateful to Turner Sports for their award-winning NBA coverage and look forward to another NBA season on TNT.”
TNT promises to fight NBA decision
TNT Sports issued a response to the NBA on Wednesday afternoon, saying in a statement that he does not “believe the NBA can reject” his offer. He promised to “take appropriate action.”
“We responded to Amazon’s offer, as we have the contractual right to do, and do not believe the NBA could reject it,” the statement said. “In doing so, they are rejecting the many fans who continue to show their unwavering support for our best-in-class coverage, delivered through the combined full reach of WBD’s video distribution platforms – including TNT, home of our four- decades of partnership with the league and Max, our leading streaming service.
“We believe they misinterpreted our contractual rights in relation to the 2025-26 season and beyond, and we will take appropriate action. We look forward, however, to another great season of the NBA on TNT and Max, including our iconic Inside the NBA.”
What comes next is unclear.
The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reported On Monday, TNT was matching the contract the NBA has with Amazon, an agreement the NBA preferred to honor, according to the report. The league was expected to decline TNT’s offer to claim the rights to the Amazon package, setting up a potential showdown between the three entities, according to the report.
TNT has owned the broadcast rights to the NBA for 35 years. ESPN, NBC and Amazon have reached deals with the NBA for the next round of broadcast rights starting with the 2025-26 season. Under the leadership of parent company Warner Bros. Discovery and CEO David Zaslav, TNT did not reach a new agreement during an exclusive negotiation window, but retained the right to match offers from competing entities, which it enacted on Monday.
With this development, the way is clear for NBC’s return to NBA coverage. NBC previously broadcast NBA games from 1990-2002. ESPN and ABC will maintain the league’s main package that includes coverage of the NBA Finals.
NBC Sports and Amazon promoted their new packages shortly after the NBA’s statement on Wednesday.
The package agreed between Amazon and the NBA does not directly reflect TNT’s existing package. TNT currently offers games on Tuesday and Thursday nights during the regular season, All-Star Weekend and playoff games through the Western Conference Finals.
Amazon’s deal includes the rights to six conference finals over the 11-year term of the deal, the NBA Cup (formerly the season’s tournament), play-in games and Thursday games during the regular season at its conclusion. of the streamer’s Thursday night broadcast. NFL coverage.
The NBA’s current broadcast deals run through next season, meaning TNT will continue to broadcast the league’s games through the 2025 Western Conference Finals.
Hosted by Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal, “Inside the NBA” is synonymous with the league and enjoyed by players and fans alike. Johnson reportedly said he would not leave TNT if the network loses the NBA rights. Barkley’s stance has been a moving target. He suggested his own production company could take over the show and promised to retire from broadcasting at the end of next season in separate statements.
Along with the NBA’s statement on Wednesday, the WNBA announced the renewal of its partnerships with Disney and Amazon Prime, as well as a new deal with NBCUniversal. From 2026-36, the three broadcasters will distribute more than 125 regular season and playoff games nationally.
