"No other beast like it": Dan Patrick explains what makes 'Inside the NBA' a special show amid TNT matching Amazon's $1.8 billion NBA offer
As the 2023–2024 NBA season comes to a close, there is uncertainty surrounding the beloved show “Inside the NBA.” The show will be returning next season but if TNT’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, cannot bag the media rights, it is time to say goodbye to the show.
One of the show’s fans and American broadcaster Dan Patrick expressed his admiration for the show in a special sit-down talk.
“The only way I take from ‘Inside the NBA’ is what a normal viewer would take: entertainment. I don’t analyze it, because there’s no other beast like it,” said Patrick.
The veteran radio show host described his feelings every time he watched the show and why it's special to him.
“All the other shows if I’m watching is like ‘How does this show serve my audience my show?’ For ‘Inside the NBA’, I just tune in, prop my feet up, have a beer, and say, ‘entertain me boys.’” he added.
Last Monday, TNT Sports reportedly matched Amazon's $1.8 billion deal for NBA media rights. The NBA and commissioner have remained silent on the topic as discussions and negotiations continue.
TNT’s deal comes under threat after Disney, Amazon, and NBC have all been negotiating media deals with the NBA. ESPN and NBC have been the top bidders so far, with ESPN reportedly fielding $2.8 billion for the league's "A" package and NBC offering $2.6 billion for the "B" package.
According to Sports Business Journal, the "A" package features the NBA Finals, a conference final, weekly primetime games, and the WNBA. Meanwhile, the "B' package includes "Basketball Night in America" or "Sunday Night Basketball" following the NFL season, a total of two primetime windows a week, conference semifinals and a conference final.
"Inside the NBA" has been running on TNT since 1989, with Ernie Johnson hosting the show since its second year. The show’s crew has since been graced by basketball legends Kenny Smith, Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley.
Charles Barkley expresses frustration in Inside the NBA limbo in Dan Patrick Show
Talking to "The Dan Patrick Show," Charles Barkley expressed the current limbo the Inside the NBA crew is experiencing amid the negotiating battle between broadcasting companies.
"Morale s**ks, plain and simple," Barkley said. “These people I work with, they screwed this thing up, clearly… We don't have zero idea what's going to happen. I don't feel good, I'm not going to lie."
Barkley feels bad about all the jobs that would be lost when the show gets canceled. Barkley also wishes he could do something to salvage the show.
"I just feel so bad for the people I work with, Dan," Barkley said. "These people have families. I just really feel bad for them right now."
The league's new media deal wouldn't start until the 2025–26 season, giving TNT and ‘Inside the NBA’ one more season at least. With the storied history of the show, fans hope next season will not be the last of 'Inside the NBA.'