Reports: ‘Inside the NBA’ to air on ESPN/ABC next season

“Inside the NBA” will appear on ESPN and ABC beginning next season as part of a settlement between Warner Bros. Discovery and the NBA, according to multiple reports. 

Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of TNT Sports, sued the NBA in New York state court after the league did not accept the company’s matching offer for one of the packages in its new 11-year media rights deal, which will begin with the 2025-26 season. 

The deadline to have the lawsuit dismissed is Tuesday.

Even though “Inside the NBA” will be on ESPN and ABC beginning with the 2025-26 season, TNT Sports will continue to produce the popular studio show, and it will air from Atlanta, except when the show goes on the road.

The quartet of Ernie Johnson Jr., Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal will remain with the show. Barkley signed an extension with WBD in August despite the fact that the company lost its rights to air NBA games in the United States starting next season. TNT Sports will still have rights to air a full package of games in select countries, including many in Latin America and Poland.
ABC/ESPN, Comcast (NBC/Peacock) and Amazon will air the NBA’s nationally televised games from the 2025-26 season through 2035-36 through an  11-year agreement that will net the NBA roughly $76 billion.

“Inside the NBA” is expected to air during key moments on the league’s calendar: opening night, Christmas Day, the playoffs and the NBA Finals. It is also likely it will be on during Saturday nights in the second half of the season, when ABC has a prime-time package of games.

The settlement gives TNT Sports, Bleacher Report and House of Highlights a global content license for NBA content with no rights fee for the next 11 years.

Warner Bros. Discovery will also continue its relationship with the league’s digital operations, including NBA.com, for five seasons.

Even though TNT Sports will not be airing games in the United States beginning next season, it does have rights to air a full package of games in select countries, including Latin America (excluding Brazil) and Poland.

ESPN, TNT Sports and the NBA declined comment when contacted by The Athletic.

Turner Sports has had an NBA package since 1984, and games have been on TNT since the network launched in 1988. That will end after this season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.