TNT Sports will continue to air NBA games as they have decided to match Amazon Prime Video’s 11-year media rights deal. The network expressed their commitment to providing top-notch coverage for basketball fans and their intention to maintain the long-standing partnership with the NBA. Despite the league’s decision to accept offers for the games in their current rights package, TNT Sports opted to exercise their matching rights provision and submitted the paperwork to the NBA.
There are reports suggesting that the NBA may decline TNT Sports’ right to take the agreed-upon Amazon package, leading to a potential legal dispute. In the meantime, NBC is expected to join ABC/ESPN as a new partner for NBA coverage. NBC will air regular-season games exclusively on Peacock on Mondays, with NBC broadcasts scheduled for Tuesdays and Sundays. Additionally, NBC will feature the NBA All-Star Game and playoff games in their lineup.
ESPN will retain the rights to broadcast the NBA Finals each year, along with conference finals matchups under their existing deal. Furthermore, the NBA has secured a $2.2 billion total deal over 11 years for WNBA media rights with ESPN, NBC, and either Amazon or TNT. Amazon’s deal with the NBA is anticipated to include six conference finals games, the NBA Play-In Tournament, a regular-season package, and “Thursday Night Basketball.”
The news of TNT Sports matching Amazon’s deal has sparked excitement among basketball fans, particularly due to the beloved “Inside the NBA” studio show hosted by Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, and Kenny Smith. Barkley, a respected analyst, has previously criticized the league’s focus on maximizing profits rather than considering the accessibility of games for all fans.
As the NBA navigates through negotiations and potential legal challenges regarding media rights deals, fans are eagerly awaiting updates on how the league will proceed. The future of NBA coverage remains uncertain, but the commitment of networks like TNT Sports and the anticipation of new partnerships with NBC signal an exciting chapter in basketball broadcasting. Stay tuned for more developments as the league continues to make decisions that will shape the future of NBA media coverage.
