It is rumored that NBA executives plan to negotiate $7.4 billion annual broadcast deals with ESPN, NBC, and Amazon. Furthermore, this would be a serious setback for TNT. As talks go into the "final stage," rumors state that the NBA is formalizing written contracts with each of the three corporations this week. Inside the NBA, fans who watch TNT are sure to be outraged by the news. The show, featuring Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson as commentators, is reportedly set to end.
If these negotiations go through, the upcoming season of the program will be its last. There are currently rumors that Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of TNT, may file a lawsuit. The league's most valuable series of games, which include the NBA Finals, a Conference Final, weekly primetime matchups, and the WNBA, are reportedly worth $2.8 billion to ESPN annually. NBC is expected to pay $2.6 billion a year for the "B" package. The package is expected to feature a program named Basketball Night in America that will run on Sunday nights following the NFL season. Additionally, the report says that NBC will guarantee two primetime spots each week, a conference semifinal and a conference final.
Inside The NBA Is Likely At It's End
The WNBA, first-round playoff games, and the In-Season Tournaments would all be included in Amazon's contract. Furthermore, their deal is reportedly valued at up to $2 billion. It is anticipated that the deal's final details will be worked out throughout the coming week. Charles Barkley has said of TNT potentially losing the NBA, "Barkley was a little less certain, adding: 'It'd be sad (if the show ended). We don't know... I hope it does (continue). Not just for me and Kenny, Ernie, and Shaq, but for the real people who work there, it sucks right now to be stressful."
Fans have been grieving the iconic show's likely demise by posting clips of their favorite moments on social media. When TNT's contract runs out next season, it will definitely be the end of an era. Overall, this is sad news for NBA fans. Ultimately, Inside The NBA will continue to cover the NBA throughout the next season, so fans should be sure to cherish the iconic show while it's still on.
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