NBC has secured the broadcast rights to the NBA, outbidding TNT in the process. This development means that the popular show Inside The NBA will conclude after the upcoming season1. While NBC was reportedly willing to pay as much as $2.5 billion annually for the rights, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), which owns TNT, has matching rights to retain NBA coverage on their network2. Despite the substantial offer from NBC, it’s not a guarantee that they will obtain the package currently held by TNT. WBD is expected to pull out all the stops to keep the NBA, given the significance of NBA contracts to TNT and TBS’s revenue from cable and satellite operators3. Negotiations are still ongoing, but the NBA is likely to announce the new television deals within the next few weeks.
NBA broadcast rights has been intense! While NBC has secured a media rights deal with the NBA, pushing TNT out of NBA coverage for the first time in nearly 40 years1, it’s essential to recognize that the situation was far from straightforward.
Let’s break it down:
NBC’s Aggressive Bid:
- NBCUniversal, under Comcast, was willing to pay an average of about $2.5 billion per year to edge out TNT for the rights to a third NBA package2.
- This package would include both playoff and regular season games, airing on the NBC network and its Peacock streaming service.
- Warner Bros. Discovery (TNT) Fights Back:
- Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), which owns TNT, has been a long-standing NBA partner since the 1980s.
- Their NBA contracts have significantly contributed to TNT and TBS commanding substantial fees from cable and satellite operators.
- WBD prioritizes the NBA, and their history with the league is part of the company’s DNA.
- Importantly, WBD has matching rights for the NBC offer, giving them a fighting chance to keep the NBA on TNT3.
- The Inside the NBA Crew:
- The future of the beloved “Inside the NBA” crew—featuring Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O’Neal—was also at stake during these negotiations.
- While the crew’s fate remained uncertain, the show’s standing as a major national NBA studio program was acknowledged3.
In the end, the NBA finalized media rights deals with Disney (ESPN/ABC), NBC, and Amazon, leaving TNT out of the picture1. The landscape of NBA coverage is evolving, and fans will witness changes in how games are broadcast. As the dust settles, we’ll see how these new deals impact the way we experience NBA basketball!
