For many NBA fans, Inside the NBA on TNT is a show they look forward to watching. It’s an entertaining half hour before the game where we get analysis from a beloved panel. The crew features host Ernie Johnson, along with former NBA players and now analysts, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley.
Recently, we’ve heard rumblings that Inside the NBA could be approaching their final season. The award-winning show is on the TNT network, which is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. They are currently $40 billion in debt and do not have the finances to renew their contract with the NBA. With that, Disney, NBC, and Amazon are formalizing written contracts with the NBA for the 2025-26 season. Next year, the 2024-25 season, will be Inside the NBA on TNT’s final run.
Coverage of the NBA will not be the same without the Inside the NBA on TNY crew
BREAKING: The 2024-2025 NBA season will mark the final run for TNT’s ‘INSIDE THE NBA’ featuring Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley, per @screentime pic.twitter.com/UbxFqxQf3f
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 22, 2024
Since the 1989-90 season, TNT has had Inside the NBA after they acquired the rights for league games. Ernie Johnson has been the host every year of the show. Kenny Smith joined in 1998, Charles Barkley joined in 2000, and Shaquille O’Neal joined in 2011. Over the years, Johnson, Smith, Barkley, and O’Neal have grown to be favorites of NBA fans all around the world. Despite their popularity, Warner Bros. Discovery was in serious debt and could not afford to pay another contract.
The 2024-25 season will be the final season that TNT has rights to NBA games and will be able to air inside the NBA. ESPN will be paying $2.8 billion annually for the A-package. That includes the NBA Finals, a conference final. weekly primetime games, the WNBA, and shared international rights. NBC is paying $2.6 billion annually for the B-package. It will include “Basketball Night in America” on Sundays following the end of the NFL season. Additionally, NBC will have two primetime windows a week, a conference semi-final, and conference final.
The NBA has reached a deal with ESPN, NBC & Amazon.
The 2024-25 season will be the last of the inside the NBA. One last dance. 💔 pic.twitter.com/GC9ZWZGBOU
— NBA World (@NBAW0RLD24) May 22, 2024
Finally, Amazon will have the C-package in this new deal, projected to be somewhere between $1.8 and $2.0 billion. They will have coverage of the Emirates In-Season Tournament, the SoFi Play-In Tournament, first-round playoff games, the WNBA, and international rights. Tweaks are still being made to the deal for ESPN, NBC, and Amazon. It’s only a matter of time until these contracts are finalized. Leaving TNT in the rearview and ushering in a new era of NBA coverage.
