Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs For months, the clock appeared to be winding down on TNT’s bid to extend its broadcast rights deal with the NBA.Wednesday, the final buzzer sounded.The NBA announced in a statement that Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of TNT, did not match the terms of the final offer proposed by Amazon Prime. The upshot: the 2024-25 season will be the NBA’s last on TNT, and presumably mark the final run of TNT’s signature studio show, Inside the NBA.
SANTA MONICA, CA – JUNE 25: (L-R) Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson Jr., Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley speak onstage at the 2018 NBA Awards at Barkar Hangar on June 25, 2018 in Santa Monica, California….
SANTA MONICA, CA – JUNE 25: (L-R) Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson Jr., Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley speak onstage at the 2018 NBA Awards at Barkar Hangar on June 25, 2018 in Santa Monica, California. TNT will not be part of the NBA rights package beginning in 2025-26.
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“Warner Bros. Discovery’s most recent proposal did not match the terms of Amazon Prime Video’s offer and, therefore, we have entered into a long-term arrangement with Amazon,” the statement read. “Throughout these negotiations, our primary objective has been to maximize the reach and accessibility of our games for our fans. Our new arrangement with Amazon supports this goal by complementing the broadcast, cable and streaming packages that are already part of our new Disney and NBCUniversal arrangements. All three partners have also committed substantial resources to promote the league and enhance the fan experience.””We are grateful to Turner Sports for its award-winning coverage of the NBA and look forward to another season of the NBA on TNT,” the statement continued.The NBA today announced the renewal of its partnership with The Walt Disney Company and new agreements with NBCUniversal (NBCU) and Amazon under which ABC/ESPN, NBC/Peacock and Prime Video will telecast NBA games beginning with the 2025-26 season and running through the 2035-36…— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) July 24, 2024
The WNBA today announced the renewal of its partnerships with The Walt Disney Company and Amazon Prime Video, as well as a new agreement with NBCUniversal (NBCU). Beginning with the 2026 season and running through the 2036 season, the partners will distribute more than 125…— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) July 24, 2024
The 11-year agreements with Disney, Amazon Prime and NBCUniversal also covers WNBA broadcast rights beginning with the 2026 season.The NBA’s announcement comes two days after TNT Sports announced it submitted a bid that matched Amazon’s, under the terms of its negotiating rights with the league. The NBA had the right to decline TNT’s offer.More news: TNT Matches Amazon’s NBA Bid, Expects ‘Inside the NBA’ to Return in 2025-26While TNT’s statement asserted it matched the Amazon bid, the NBA’s statement suggests the exact details did not line up. Could that lead to a lawsuit in the future? TNT Sports said in a statement:”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 statement 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 of the NBA on TNT and Max including our iconic Inside the NBA.”According to The Athletic, Amazon is paying $1.8 billion per year for its share of the package.Among the reported highlights of the package for the other networks:• Disney and ESPN will get exclusive rights to all NBA Finals and five WNBA Finals.• Prime Video will present exclusive global coverage of 66 regular-season NBA games, including an opening week doubleheader, a new Black Friday NBA game, and all games from the Knockout Rounds of the Emirates NBA Cup, including the in-season tournament’s Semifinals and Finals.• NBC Universal will be able to show 100 regular-season games on NBC and Peacock, including 50 Peacock-exclusive national regular-season and postseason games.
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