GAME OVER?
Inside the NBA’s end is near as league claims TNT ‘did not match terms’ of Amazon’s $1.8b offer in shocking plot twist
TNT will continue to broadcast the NBA through the 2024 season
INSIDE The NBA's fate appears to have been sealed after TNT and the league could not reach an agreement on a new broadcast deal.
The NBA announced on Wednesday that after the offer from TNT's parent company Warner Bros. Discovery, they had decided to decline.
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The NBA explained in a statement that WBD's "proposal did not match the terms of Amazon Prime Video's offer."
As such, they have instead signed a new 11-year deal with the streaming service, to start after the upcoming season.
Amazon will be one of three NBA broadcasters moving forward, together with Disney and NBC, with the deals reportedly worth a combined $77 billion, as per Axios.
This news came just a day after The U.S. Sun revealed that TNT had matched Amazon's monetary offer, which is reportedly in the region of $1.8 billion.
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As per their existing deal, WBD/TNT had the right to match any offer that would supplant them.
"Throughout these negotiations, our primary objective has been to maximize the reach and accessibility of our games for our fans," the NBA stated.
"Our new arrangement with Amazon supports this goal by complementing the broadcast, cable and streaming packages that are already part of our new Disney and NBCUniversal arrangements.
"All three partners have also committed substantial resources to promote the league and enhance the fan experience.
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"We are grateful to Turner Sports for its award-winning coverage of the NBA and look forward to another season of the NBA on TNT."
Shortly afterward, TNT replied to the news with a strongly worded statement condemning the NBA's decision.
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"We have matched the Amazon offer, as we have a contractual right to do, and do not believe the NBA can reject it," it 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 full combined reach of WBD's video-first distribution platforms — including TNT, home to our four-decade partnership with the league, and Max, our leading streaming service.
"We think they have grossly misinterpreted our contractual rights with respect 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."
Since first hitting the air in 1989, Inside The NBA has become a favorite of fans for its insightful commentary and hilarious team dynamic.
Hosted by Ernie Johnson since 1990, the show has starred Kenny Smith since 1998, Charles Barkley since 2000, and Shaquille O'Neal since 2011.
Johnson reportedly intends to remain with TNT, regardless of the future of Inside The NBA.
As for Barkley, he announced during the NBA Finals that he plans to retire following the upcoming season.
Where O'Neal and Smith's futures lie remains unclear.
Amazon's deal consists of 66 regular season games per year, along with doubleheaders on both Thursday and Friday nights from January onward, as revealed in a separate press release.
The quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final of the NBA Cup will also be heading to Prime Video, as well as all Play-In Tournament games.
Come the 2026 season, Amazon and NBC will alternate as the broadcasters of a Conference Finals game.
Disney, via ESPN and ABC, will broadcast 80 regular season games a year.
This will include the five games held on Christmas as well as all games on the final day of the season.
They will also have the rights to around 18 first and second-round games during the playoffs, along with one Conference Final.
The NBA Final will continue to be broadcast on ABC, as it has since 2003.
NBC will receive the rights to 100 regular season games, including the league opening doubleheader and a minimum of two games on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Two games every Monday night along with every Tuesday game will be available to watch on NBC's streaming service Peacock.
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It was also revealed in a separate press release that not only did these deals include the rights to the NBA, but also the WNBA.
While the specifics of these agreements have yet to be announced, the NBA did state that the networks had "secured the right to distribute an unprecedented number of WNBA live game telecasts, with a significant increase in the reach of WNBA games across broadcast, cable and streaming."
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