TNT sports to take legal action against the NBA over breach of contract
The NBA announced that Warner Bros. Discovery didn't match the media offer Amazon put on the table to telecast games for 11 years. This means they will move forward with Amazon, NBC and Disney as the companies with TV rights for over a decade.
Earlier today (Jul. 24), it was reported that TNT could take legal action against the association, citing that the league negotiated in bad faith and was never interested in giving a fair chance to TNT.
After the league officially announced that they picked Amazon over TNT, the company released a statement rejecting this decision, saying they would take 'appropriate action.'
"We have matched the Amazon offer, as we have a contractual right to do, and do not believe the NBA can reject it.
"In doing so, they are rejecting the many fans who continue to show their unwavering support for our best-in-class coverage, delivered through the full combined reach of WBD's video-first distribution platforms including TNT, home to our four-decade partnership with the league, and Max, our leading streaming service.
"We think they have grossly misinterpreted our contractual rights with respect to the 2025-26 season and beyond, and we will take appropriate action. We look forward, however, to another great season on TNT and Max including our iconic Inside the NBA."
Who will broadcast NBA games with TNT out of the picture?
With this decision, which could still be subject to change, The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal and Amazon, composed of ABC/ESPN, NBC/Peacock and Prime Video, will be in charge of telecasting games from the 2025-26 season.
The league's app will be used as an access point that will help fans find the right option to watch games on Disney, NBCU and Amazon streaming platforms.
TNT has held NBA media rights for 35 years, earning a lot of fans around the world, especially with their iconic show, Inside the NBA. The program featured legends Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smith as their regular cast, alongside Ernie Johnson.
With this decision, the show will live its final season next campaign, with plenty of fans losing one of the most iconic shows in the world of sports.
Charles Barkley is retiring and it's unclear what will happen with Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smith after the show ends, while Ernie Johnson could continue his broadcasting career in different sports.
We have to wait and see which path these legends take and if TNT and the league can come to some sort of agreement.