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Warner Bros. Discovery and the NBA are set to settle their lawsuit over broadcasting rights. The settlement was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
WBD will receive rights to show league content on Bleacher Report and House of Highlights and the opportunity to distribute games in some overseas markets. WBD will get free access to league highlights for the next 11 years.
Over the summer, after the NBA announced it had reached agreements with Disney, NBCUniversal and Amazon on 11-year broadcasting rights agreements, WBD filed suit alleging its expiring contract gave them the right to match one of the offers. The terms of the new agreements the NBA secured are reportedly worth a total of $76 billion.
“Together these agreements ensure fans will continue to enjoy TNT’s Inside the NBA and create tremendous value for our entire portfolio as we accelerate the growth of TNT Sports, Bleacher Report, House of Highlights and our global sports business,” said David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery. “We are pleased to partner with the NBA and Disney/ESPN, and to have solidified long-term rights and revenue for WBD.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver added, “The opportunity to continue the iconic and Emmy Award-winning Inside the NBA is a huge win for basketball fans everywhere. We look forward to building on our longstanding partnership with TNT Sports and working together to promote NBA content across key WBD and NBA platforms.”
Additionally, Warner Bros. Discovery is expected to license Inside the NBA to ESPN and ABC starting next season in a separate agreement. The popular show featuring Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley will continue to be produced by WBD with the potential for additional versions of the show being made. Meanwhile, the hosts would remain employees of WBD.
Inside the NBA will appear on ESPN and ABC surrounding high-profile live events, including ESPN’s pregame, halftime and postgame coverage of the NBA Finals on ABC, Conference Finals, NBA Playoffs, all ABC games after January 1, Christmas Day, opening week, the final week of the season and other marquee live events.
Additionally, WBD would receive some rights to show Big 12 football and men’s basketball as part of the agreement with Disney. The games are expected to air on TNT and to be streamed by Max.
In a release, ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said, “Inside the NBA is universally recognized as one of the best and most culturally impactful shows in sports. We have long-admired the immensely talented team and are thrilled to add their chemistry and knowledge to our robust set of NBA studio offerings to super-serve NBA fans like never before. The addition of Inside the NBA further solidifies ESPN as the preeminent destination for sports fans.”
Luis Silberwasser, CEO & Chairman, TNT Sports added, “At TNT Sports, we take great pride in our Inside the NBA show and know its success is both a reflection of the iconic talent on set and the incredible people behind the scenes who consistently demonstrate the creativity and craft of our great team. We are thrilled to continue to produce Inside the NBA for ESPN and ABC, ensuring fans are able to keep enjoying the magic of this show during the NBA season.”
ESPN says it will continue to produce NBA Countdown and NBA Today in addition to having Inside the NBA.
WBD and TNT Sports had recently worked an agreement with ESPN to air some College Football Playoff games. Additionally, TNT Sports has signed media rights deals with the French Open and Big East basketball to go along with the other sports it carries such as MLB, NHL and wrestling.
