TNT Sports has revealed that it will be releasing a special delineating a behind-the-scenes look at Inside the NBA next month amid the final season of the show in its current structure. Consisting of host Ernie Johnson with analysts Charles Barkley, Kenny “The Jet” Smith and Shaquille O’Neal, Going Inside will provide consumers with insights and perspectives surrounding how the show is compiled and instances within the final year. Several league events and celebrities are featured within the 30-second trailer posted on social media Wednesday in addition to footage from meetings, makeup rooms and the control room.
Johnson has been the host of the studio show since its debut in 1990, and he has been working with the full team of analysts as currently constructed for the last 14 years. Furthermore, the award-winning program was recently nominated for a Sports Emmy Award given by The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in the outstanding studio show categories recognizing weekly programs and those with limited runs. There have not been more details revealed about the new special ahead of the final Thursday regular-season episode of the show on TNT airing Thursday beginning at 6 p.m. EST.
Although Inside the NBA will continue next season under a sublicensing agreement with The Walt Disney Company, this year marks the last in which the program will air on TNT in its current iteration. Warner Bros. Discovery will not have live game broadcast rights for the NBA next season, with the league opting to ink new 11-year media rights contracts with The Walt Disney Company, Comcast Corporation and Amazon reportedly worth a combined $76 billion.
After it had sued the NBA alleging that its expiring contract contained a provision allowing for a match to one of the offers, Warner Bros. Discovery settled the suit with the league. Within the settlement, the company received rights to show league content on Bleacher Report and House of Highlights, along with the ability to distribute games in some overseas markets and free access to league highlights for the next 11 years.
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