In a rather surprising development, it was announced on Monday that TNT’s Iconic “Inside the NBA,” studio show will appear on ESPN and ABC networks, beginning next year with the 2025-26 NBA season.
With news of the deal, which will run concurrently with the 11-year deal, $76 billion deal that the NBA reached earlier with ESPN/ABC, NBC and Amazon; news of which first leaked last Saturday night, Warner Bros. Discovery/TNT will remain involved in televised coverage of the NBA, more importantly for fans of the league in the US, this deal ensures that the popular quartet of Ernie Johnson Jr, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal will remain on the air, bringing their own one-of-a-kind commentary and analysis of all things NBA.
Warner Bros/ Discovery settled its lawsuit against the Association, and now the league and both it’s new- and old– partners can subsequently move on, sans any ongoing drama surrounding its broadcasting rights deals.
The legendary show- which has already been the recipient of an amazing 21 Sports Emmy Awards during its iconic run- and which famously features the on-air foursome of Ernie Johnson Jr., Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal; will be broadcast on ESPN and ABC air surrounding high-profile live events, such as ESPN’s pregame, halftime and postgame coverage of the NBA Finals on ABC, conference finals, NBA playoffs, all ABC games airing after New Year’s Day, Christmas Day; and the opening and final week of the season, as well as select other marquee live events.
The new broadcast deal comes by way of a partnership with TNT Sports and the NBA. The league’s relationship with TNT, which had already spanned no less than four decades, was not without contentious moments, especially of late.
However as new partner, ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro stated in response to the new deal being brokered, “Inside the NBA is universally recognized as one of the best and most culturally impactful shows in sports. We have long admired the immensely talented team and are thrilled to add their chemistry and knowledge to our robust set of NBA studio offerings to super-serve NBA fans like never before. The addition of Inside the NBA further solidifies ESPN as the preeminent destination for sports fans.”
Except when the show goes on the road, TNT Sports will continue to independently produce “Inside the NBA” from its Atlanta-based studios over the term of the agreement.
However one interesting point to note regarding the new deal is that while the two sides mutually agreed to dismiss the lawsuit, and reach this new settlement the agreement came without granting the network any rights to further broadcast actual games, and Pitaro inexplicably stated his outfits intention to continue their own pregame NBA Countdown production.
still and all, the deal was one that will surely be appreciated and celebrated by round all fans throughout the cosmos for at least the foreseeable future.
