The NBA may not be leaving TNT Sports after all, as the network has announced plans to use its rights to continue airing the league’s games.
According to multiple reports, TNT Sports is set to strike a deal to match Amazon Prime Video’s 11-year media rights deal.
“Throughout our 40-year partnership with the NBA, we are proud to have served basketball fans by providing the finest broadcasts,” TNT Sports said in a statement. “As part of our efforts to continue our longstanding partnership, we have worked in good faith throughout the exclusive and non-exclusive negotiation periods to present a strong bid that was fair to both parties.”
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TNT analysts Brian Anderson, Stan Van Gundy and Reggie Miller watch Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, second round, between the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on May 8, 2024 in New York, New York. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
“Unfortunately, the league has notified us of its intention to accept offers for the games in our current rights package and will proceed pursuant to the matching rights clause, which is an integral part of our current agreement and the rights we have paid thereunder.”
“We considered the offers and matched one of them, allowing our fans to continue to enjoy our unparalleled coverage, including the industry’s best live game production and iconic studio shows and talent, while also building on our proven 40-year commitment for many more years.”
“I submitted contract paperwork to the league today and am hopeful the NBA will enforce the new agreement.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver steps in to league’s TV rights negotiations amid uncertainty: “Still in discussions”
TNT Sports expects the league to honor the contract. Athletic Andrew Marchand reports that “the NBA is expected to reject the network’s rights to accept the agreed-upon Amazon package.”
The NBA reportedly wants to honor its contract with Amazon, worth $1.8 billion a year, which could result in a legal battle.
With TNT targeting Amazon, NBC is expected to join longtime NBA partners ABC/ESPN as a new partner whenever the NBA officially announces a new media rights deal.
According to The Athletic, NBC will broadcast regular season games exclusively on Peacock on Mondays, with NBC coverage available on Tuesdays and Sundays. NBC will also broadcast the NBA All-Star Game and playoff games.
TNT’s Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley speak as part of State Farm All-Star Saturday Night at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, February 17, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Brandon Todd/NBAE via Getty Images)
Under the deal, ESPN will retain the rights to broadcast the NBA Finals every year, as well as the finals of each conference for 11 seasons.
Additionally, ESPN, NBC, Amazon or TNT will pay a combined $2.2 billion over 11 years for the WNBA media rights.
The Amazon-NBA deal will include a full playoff package with the NBA play-in tournament, as well as six conference finals, a regular season package and “Thursday Night Basketball,” which will begin after “Thursday Night Football” ends during the NFL season..
But a battle is likely brewing over how the league will move forward. Basketball fans have been raving on social media about TNT Sports’ deal to rival Amazon’s, especially considering the popular pre- and post-game studio show “Inside the NBA,” which features Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny “The Jet” Smith.
Barkley, a Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer and outspoken analyst, voiced his frustration with the league’s owners earlier this year, taking issue with the structure of the NBA’s media rights contracts.
“Well, I think you have greedy players and greedy owners,” Barkley told CNBC.
The NBA on TNT logo is seen on broadcast cameras before the start of the third quarter of Game 4 of the Western Conference second round playoff series between the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 12, 2024. The Nuggets defeated the Timberwolves, 115-107. (David Berding/Getty Images)
“They don’t care about anything other than making as much money as they can. We shouldn’t put money before the average fan. Not everyone has access to streaming. There’s nothing wrong with streaming, per se, but I think it’s a disservice to the fans when they’re only going to the highest bidder and not appearing on regular TV.”
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“Who knows what’s going to happen,” the NBA commissioner told TMZ when asked about a media rights deal ahead of a state dinner at the White House in May.
The ball is now officially in the league’s court. No joke.
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