The NBA is set to undergo big changes next season as with their new media deal, TNT will no longer be broadcasting games with ESPN, ABC, NBA and Amazon taking over the right to nationally televised games.
For a while, that appeared to mean that TNT’s ‘Inside the NBA’ pre and postgame shows featuring Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Los Angeles Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal would be no more.
Some new details have emerged, however, and Joe Flint of the Wall Street Journal reported some of the key details, including ‘Inside the NBA’ being licensed to ESPN starting next season so the show can continue:
Warner Bros. Discovery WBD -6.49%decrease; red down pointing triangle has settled its breach of contract lawsuit against the National Basketball Association, an agreement that will keep the company in business with the league for at least the next decade, people familiar with the matter said.
The accord gives Warner Bros. Discovery the ability to develop new shows with NBA content in the U.S. and abroad, and international NBA rights in parts of Northern Europe and Latin America excluding Mexico and Brazil.
The deal is expected to be announced early next week.
The new rights deals go into effect next year and would end TNT’s more than three decades as a home for NBA games. Warner Bros. Discovery’s settlement runs 11 years, which is the same term as the league’s rights deals with Disney, Amazon and NBCUniversal.
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.
This is great news for NBA fans everywhere as ‘Inside the NBA’ is the most entertaining show on television. It remains to be seen how often ESPN will utilize them considering they have their own pre and postgame show with the network’s talent, but the fact that Johnson, Barkley, Smith and O’Neal will get to keep talking basketball on TV is a win for the NBA and everyone who follows it.
Shaquille O’Neal hoped this wasn’t last season for ‘Inside the NBA’
Earlier this year, Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal spoke about how he hoped this wasn’t the final season for ‘Inside the NBA’ and it appears he has gotten his wish with this new deal.
“I have to be a consummate professional, so we definitely have one year left. And they’re working on some things, that’s all I’m at liberty to say… In a perfect world, I would love for us to stay together forever, but it’s in the hands of the powers right now. But this last year is gonna be a phenomenal year, you know Chuck is gonna go crazy, I’m gonna go crazy. It’s gonna be fun. Hopefully this is not the last year.”
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