NBA reportedly finalizes new media deals with ESPN, NBC, Amazon

After months of discussion and back-and-forth, it appears the saga of the NBA’s next media rights deals might be coming to a head.

Andrew Marchand of The Athletic is reporting that the league has finalized contracts with its new media partners, including ESPN, NBC and Amazon Prime, set to take effect after next season and will run for 11 years worth $76 billion.

Notably, that list does NOT include TNT, which has been a league TV rights holder since 1989 and is the home of the influential Inside the NBA studio show. However, Marchand reports that Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav is expected to attempt to use language in the current contract that allows for the network to match an offer to keep the NBA on TNT. Marchand says that Zaslav and WBD would likely target the Amazon package.

NBC is, of course, no stranger to the NBA, having served as a league TV partner from 1990 to 2002, with the famed “Roundball Rock” serving as a soundtrack for the Michael Jordan era which has become so nostalgic for so many these days.

Marchand reports that under the new contracts there would national TV games almost every day of the week, including NBC creating a Sunday showcase similar to its popular Sunday Night Foobtall franchise during NFL season. Games would also appear on streaming through NBC’s Peacock service as well as Amazon’s Prime Video and all three media outlets would carry playoff games, with ESPN/ABC remaining the home of the NBA Finals and one conference final every season, per Marchand.

Of course, if TNT is unable to stay in the game through legal maneuvering that would mean the end of the iconic Inside The NBA. Moderator Ernie Johnson is said to be disinterested in moving on from TNT Sports and to a new home, although David Samson said on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz last month that there are ways for the show to continue on another platform.

David says we’re all replaceable and Shaq, Charles and Kenny won’t be off the air just because a deal couldn’t be reached with Ernie. The show will go on with somebody else, David says. However, it should be noted that Barkley caused a stir last month when he said that no matter what happened with the future of the NBA on TNT, this upcoming season would be his last on TV.

Will he follow through on his threat to retire? Only time will tell, but no matter what this appears to mark a new chapter in NBA coverage.