Report: TNT Sports Threatens To Sue NBA After New TV Deal Is Announced

Source: David Berding / Getty

TNT Sports Threatens To Sue NBA After New TV Deal Is Announced, Per Report

The NBA has come to terms on an 11-year, $77 billion TV deal with ESPN, NBC and Amazon.

Warner Bros. Discovery, which houses TNT’s Inside The NBA with fan faves Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith and Earnie Johnson, reportedly isn’t too happy about the new agreement.

The new deal with ESPN, NBC and Amazon is set to begin in 2025-26 season. This means Inside The NBA will get at least one more year to cover the league.

The Athletic reports that a potential legal battle between the NBA and Warner Bros. Discovery has been brewing for months. In short, TNT’s current contract with the NBA comes with “backend rights”. TNT feels this allows them to match Amazon’s current offer.

From The Athletic :

When the current agreements were signed a decade ago, streaming was on the horizon, but not part of the deals. This is why the two sides could end up in court.

“Throughout these negotiations, our primary objective has been to maximize the reach and accessibility of our games for our fans,” the NBA said in a statement earlier today. “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.”

The Athletic reports that their sources have claimed that TNT is considering suing the NBA.

Speaking on the Dan Patrick Show in May, Charles Barkley expressed interest in potentially moving the popular NBA show to his production company. The name of the show would have to change, but Barkley claimed that he had already discussed that possibility with his co-hosts.

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