by Cedric ‘BIG CED’ Thornton
July 25, 2024
The league’s deal with Warner Bros. Discovery ends after the upcoming season due to unsuccessful last-minute negotiations.
The NBA has renewed its partnership with The Walt Disney Company and signed new contracts with NBCUniversal and Amazon. However, the league’s deal with Warner Bros. Discovery will conclude after the upcoming basketball season, following unsuccessful last-minute negotiations.
“Our new global media agreements with Disney, NBCUniversal, and Amazon will maximize the reach and accessibility of NBA games for fans in the United States and around the world,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a written statement. “These partners will distribute our content across a wide range of platforms and help transform the fan experience over the next decade.”
With the 2025-2026 NBA season, fans will be able to view games through ABC/ESPN, NBC/Peacock, and Prime Video until the 2035-36 season.
This marks the end of the popular “NBA on TNT” series that included the show Inside the NBA. The show features talking heads Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson. The show has been on TNT since its inception in 1988. One of the most-watched sports programs, it has taken home 18 Sports Emmy Awards in over 30 years on the air.
ESPN reported that Warner Bros. Discovery let the NBA know earlier this week that they intended to match the $1.8 billion per year offered by Amazon Prime Video.
“We have reviewed the offers and matched one of them. This will allow fans to keep enjoying our unparalleled coverage, including the best live game productions in the industry and our iconic studio shows and talent, while building on our proven 40-year commitment for many more years,” Warner Bros. Discovery said. “Our matching paperwork was submitted to the league today. We look forward to the NBA executing our new contract.”
Yet, that offer was rejected by the league.
“Warner Bros. Discovery’s most recent proposal did not match the terms of Amazon Prime Video’s offer and, therefore, we have entered into a long-term arrangement with Amazon,” the NBA said on July 24. “Throughout these negotiations, our primary objective has been to maximize the reach and accessibility of our games for our fans. 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.”
After getting word that the NBA is moving on with Amazon Prime Video replacing the TNT package, Warner Bros. Discovery stated they “will take appropriate action.”
“We have matched the Amazon offer, as we have a contractual right to do, and do not believe the NBA can reject it,” TNT Sports said in a statement. “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. … We will take appropriate action.”
TNT Sports’ statement on NBA media rights: pic.twitter.com/9L3fiFXoDH
— TNT Sports U.S. PR (@TNTSportsUS) July 24, 2024
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