The popular show “Inside the NBA” is set to transition to ESPN and ABC starting next season as a result of a legal settlement between Warner Bros. Discovery and the NBA.
Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns TNT Sports, had initiated a lawsuit in a New York state court after the NBA declined to accept their matching bid for a media rights package in an extensive 11-year deal slated to start in the 2025-26 season.
Insiders revealed that this settlement is expected to be officially disclosed on Monday, although the sources wished to remain unnamed due to the ongoing legal proceedings. The deadline for the lawsuit’s dismissal is Tuesday.
The Wall Street Journal was the first to report on this settlement news.
Despite the move of “Inside the NBA” to ESPN and ABC, TNT Sports will still oversee the production of the popular show, which will be broadcast from Atlanta, except when it goes on location for special events.
The beloved quartet of Ernie Johnson Jr., Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O’Neal are set to continue hosting the show. Notably, Barkley had signed a contract extension with Warner Bros. Discovery in August, regardless of the company’s loss of NBA broadcasting rights.
“Inside the NBA” is anticipated to air during significant events in the NBA calendar, including opening night, Christmas Day, the playoffs, and the NBA Finals. Additionally, it is likely to feature during Saturday nights in the latter half of the season when ABC will be showcasing a prime-time game package.
The settlement permits TNT Sports, Bleacher Report, and House of Highlights to hold a global content license for NBA material without an associated rights fee for the next 11 years.
Furthermore, Warner Bros. Discovery will continue managing the league’s digital platforms, like NBA.com and NBA TV, for five more seasons.
Beginning next season, while TNT Sports will not broadcast games within the United States, they retain the rights to show a full range of games in specific international markets, including Latin America and Poland.
In addition, starting next season, TNT Sports will also broadcast Big 12 football and men’s basketball games through a sublicense agreement with ESPN.
Turner Sports has been affiliated with NBA broadcasting since 1984, and games have been aired on TNT since the network’s inception in 1988. This longstanding association will conclude after the current season.