TNT could potentially sue NBA for opting to go with ‘preferred’ Amazon Prime media rights deal: Report
This week, TNT informed the NBA that the network has decided to match Amazon's media rights deal. In their statement regarding the matter, TNT confirmed that they submitted the necessary paperwork to the league with the intention of continuing their longstanding partnership with the league.
However, according to a report from Front Office Sports' Mike McCarthy, the league still prefers Amazon's offer and is considering rejecting TNT's matching bid. Given the rise in popular streaming services, the league seems to have its sights set on parting ways with TNT.
If the league does wind up accepting Amazon's bid instead of TNT's, the network could then look to take the league to court on the grounds that the league negotiated in bad faith without any real intention of accepting their matching offer.
According to the report, the league could make its decision by the end of the week, just in time for the start of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“The league is considering TNT’s counteroffer and could respond by the end of this week, I hear. The problem for TNT is the league still prefers Prime’s bid," McCarthy wrote.
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While the league isn't obligated to accept TNT's matching bid, considering the support from fans and players, both past and present, it seems clear that the hoops community wants the league to stay on TNT.
Much of this stems from the network's Emmy award-winning show, Inside the NBA, which has been a major talking point throughout the ongoing media rights saga thus far.
The hit show has been praised for its longstanding impact on basketball as a whole, with Steph Curry going so far as to say that most people enjoy Inside the NBA just as much as they enjoy watching games broadcast on TNT.
Curry's endorsement of the show was included in a five-minute video shared on social media by Bleacher Report as part of a social media campaign aimed at putting pressure on the league. The video notably includes basketball stars, as well as pop culture figures, all praising the hit show, as seen below.
Despite that, according to McCarthy's sources, the league seems to be trying to cut ties with TNT, with the next step likely being a lawsuit if the league goes ahead with Amazon's deal.
“I think [the NBA] is going to reject, or do whatever they can, to say no to TNT. This ends up in court.”
With the league reportedly looking to make a decision by the end of the week, it will be interesting to see how things play out between now and then as fan support for Inside the NBA continues to dominate social media.