Considering the National Basketball Association (NBA) contract with Warner Bros, TNT Network and Disney’s ESPN (DIS) is set to expire at the end of next season, the question of the games’ future platforms remains something that is up in the air and a point of concern for many connected to the league.
Following months of negotiation, Warner Bros. Discovery made an offer in April to pay billions of dollars to the league for the rights to continue showing its games on TNT, as well as its Max streaming service.
Despite the corporation’s attempts to negotiate a deal with the league, the NBA has been hesitant to reach a new deal, insisting on changing the package of games the company initially offered.
In recent weeks, some have speculated that Warner Bros Discovery could lose the media rights to its portion of games to Comcast’s NBCUniversal (CMCSA). Amazon (AMZN) is also currently in talks for an exclusive streaming deal through its Prime Video service.
However, many have pushed back against the possibility of the league leaving the TNT network, as it has shown NBA games since the 1980s, and its “Inside the NBA” is a widely popular sports studio and commentary shows.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has expressed that he is leaning on the company’s other assets as it remains at risk of losing its deal with the NBA.
“We continue to talk to the NBA,” Zaslav said while speaking at a Bernstein conference in May. “We love our experience with the NBA. But in general, we’re a leader in sports… [with] a full buffet of content around the world.”
Charles Barkley, a former NBA MVP and one of sport’s highest paid announcers, said he will retire from broadcasting after the next season during NBA TV’s post-game coverage of the Dallas Mavericks’ 122-84 win over the Boston Celtics in game four of the league’s finals on Friday night, which adds to the uncertainty of “Inside the NBA” and its future as it may leave TNT.
Barkley, 61, said he is “going nowhere other than TNT,” where he reportedly landed a 10-year, $100 million contract extension just two years ago. He has also publicly criticized Warner Bros.’ executives, calling them “clowns” last month following reports TNT could lose its thirty-year plus agreement with the NBA.
