It's been a whirlwind of emotions for fans amid the NBA's ongoing media rights negotiations. After optimism grew on the prospect of TNT/Turner Sports keeping their broadcast rights, the league officially announced on Wednesday that they will be moving forward with Amazon's offer.
"Warner Bros. Discover's most recent proposal did not match the terms of Amazon Prime Video's offer and, therefore, we have entered into a long-standing arrangement with Amazon," wrote the NBA in an official statement. "Throughout these negotiations, our primary objective has been to maximize the reach and accessibility of our games from fans. Our new arrangement with Amazon supports this goal by completing the broadcast, cable, and streaming rights packages that are already a 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."
Experts were expecting a somewhat mixed reaction from the fans but overall it seems to be mostly negative. Whatever benefits the league might have with their new Amazon deal, fans were desperate for the legendary 'Inside the NBA' Show to live on.
With Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal , and Kenny Smith, the four men became a featured and highlighted part of the NBA viewing experience and millions around the world enjoyed the comedic relief they brought to the program. Needless to say, fans are pretty upset that next season will be the last of the NBA on TNT.
We first knew about this deal months ago, when Amazon formally made their bid to earn the NBA's media rights. While the offer was enormous, Warner Bros. Discovery nearly matched the bid and they could have kept the NBA if they were willing to give up more.
Ultimately, it seems they were either unwilling or unable to outbid Amazon and NBA commissioner Adam Silver made the call to end their arrangement after decades of coverage.
It truly is the end of an era for the NBA and last season will be the last of NBA media coverage as we know it. While Amazon is a massive and very successful company, many are concerned with how the changes will be perceived by the fans.
The entertainment quality of 'Inside the NBA' was one of the few things that fans could agree about and now that the show will be ending people are left wondering how Amazon could possibly do any better.
For many fans, this change will not just cost the NBA one of their best broadcast shows -- it could also cost them the aura and culture they've been building up for decades. A new streaming partner could give a whole new vibe to the viewing experience and it remains to be seen what the feedback will be.
Either way, there's no going back on this now and the 2024-25 season will truly be the last of an iconic era of basketball coverage.
Related: Charles Barkley Blasts The NBA For Prioritizing Money Over Fans
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