NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has yet to announce the winner of the league’s media rights race. TNT’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is in danger of losing its broadcasting rights contract to a competitor.
TNT and the NBA have been partners for decades, but a new media deal could include Disney/ESPN, NBC and Amazon, leaving TNT on the outside looking in.
Earlier this week, Sports Business Journal The NBA is reportedly set to formalize deals with Disney, Amazon and NBC, but before the deals are finalized, WBD executives will have the opportunity to match the “total amount” of other offers, the paper said.
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NBA Commissioner Adam Silver speaks to the media prior to kickoff of Game 4 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals of the 2014 NBA Playoffs between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee on April 26, 2014. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
There has been no official announcement about the future home of NBA games, and Silver cautioned that negotiations over a broadcast package are ongoing and the outcome is unclear.
Charles Barkley slams TNT executives as they risk losing NBA rights
“Who knows,” Silver told TMZ ahead of a state dinner at the White House. “It’s still in discussions. Who knows what’s going to happen.”
A basketball rests on the court next to the NBA logo during a break in the first half of a game in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The current state of the NBA’s television rights has become a hot topic due in part to the popularity of “Inside the NBA,” a long-running studio show featuring Ernie Johnson and former NBA greats Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith.
Johnson had previously said he would stay with the network regardless of what happens to the NBA’s media rights. The terms of his contract This would allow him to move on to another team if TNT is unable to acquire the NBA package.
Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal announce the game between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat during Game 6 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals at the Caseya Center on May 27, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Eric Espada/NBAE via Getty Images)
Silver expressed confidence that at least two of the show’s stars will continue covering the NBA for years to come, regardless of which network owns the rights.
“We’re not going to lose Charles and Kenny,” Silver said. “They’re going to always be covering the NBA. [on ‘Inside the NBA’] Although they will no longer be performing or announcing together, we all love them.”
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The league’s current media rights deal expires at the end of the 2024-25 season.
Meanwhile, WBD recently strengthened its overall sports programming with a five-year sublicensing agreement with Disney/ESPN, which gives WBD the rights to broadcast the first round and quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff starting with the upcoming postseason.
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