Warner Bros. Discovery, TNT's parent company, spared no expense, splurging $2.8 billion to secure victory in the bidding war against NBC. Additionally, NBC had reportedly set aside $2.5 billion to snag the NBA broadcasting rights. In a recent episode of “The Bill Simmons Podcast,” the influential host hinted that NBC may have emerged as the winner. However, should Inside the NBA relocate to NBC, it's clear that the dynamics would undergo substantial changes, leaving fans to speculate about the future of their beloved show.
The NBA has yet to officially announce the winner of the bidding war for broadcasting league games. However, Bill Simmons' remarks strongly suggest that NBC has secured the victory. As a result, it's likely that Inside the NBA will conclude. Turner Sports was faced with the challenge of matching or surpassing NBC's bid. Consequently, fans of the iconic late-night basketball program are already expressing sorrow. If these reports hold true, viewers will undoubtedly feel the absence of Shaq, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson together on screen.
Bill Simmons, a reliable NBA insider, confirms that the agreement has been settled for the past fortnight. Bill mentioned that he doesn't understand why make the announcement at the end of the season if the deal could be done already.
Inside The NBA won sports fans over with it's unique ability to have a more unfiltered feel being that it was treat as a late-night show.
NBC has been without NBA game broadcasts since 2002, but it's currently plotting a return, aligning with a renewed emphasis on live sports rights in the media sector. Back then the network could not compete with the combined broadcast and cable deal that Disney had with ESPN and NBC. So has streaming and the change in how media is consumed could have helped NBC in the duel over the NBA?
What are your thoughts on the NBA potentially moving to NBC network from TNT? Do you feel that "Inside The NBA" should be canceled once the NBA moves to NBC?