TNTthrough its parent company Warner Bros. Discovery, has every intention of remaining an NBA broadcaster. As permitted by its current contract, the network has decided to match one of the three offers recently accepted by the league.
“We looked at the offers and decided to match one of them.” explains the group in a press release picked up by ESPN. “This will allow fans to continue to enjoy our unmatched coverage, including the industry’s best live game productions, as well as our iconic studio broadcasts and personalities, while building on our proven 40-year commitment for many more years. Our filing was submitted to the league today. We look forward to the NBA executing our new agreement.”
Amazon pushed out at the last minute?
Even if the press release does not specify it, it is the third lot, that ofAmazonwhich TNT decided to match.
For $1.8 billion a year, Amazon had negotiated to be able to broadcast the NBA Cup, the “play-in”, regular season games and playoffs with a conference final (alternating with NBC), WNBA games as well as international broadcast rights.
ESPN/ABC will retain the first lot for 2.6 billion dollars per year, including the exclusivity of the broadcast of the Finals, a conference final, several prime time matches each week, WNBA matches and a portion of the international rights.
For $2.5 billion a year, NBC has picked up the second prize, with a “Basketball Night in America” show that will replace the equivalent show on American football, every Sunday, at the end of the NFL season. The network, returning as a broadcaster of the basketball league, will also broadcast games on Thursday nights during the regular season, as well as on Mondays on its streaming service, Peacock.
Not the end of the show “Inside The NBA”?
However, it is not certain that the NBA will accept TNT's counter-offer. Because even if the network has the contractual right to match an offer, the Major League believes that it must be equivalent. But Warner Bros. Discovery's streaming service, Max, does not reach as many people as Amazon's, Prime Video. In addition, Jeff Bezos' company had committed to paying a large portion of the contract up front, into an escrow account. With its debt, can Warner Bros. Discovery do the same? The company reportedly assured the NBA that it could.
If the NBA accepts TNT's offer, the broadcasters starting in 2025/26 will be ESPN/ABC, NBC and TNT, for a record total of $76 billion over 11 years. And the “Inside The NBA” show won't stop.
