The NBA may not be leaving TNT Sports after all, as the network announced its plans to use its matching rights to continue airing the league’s games.
According to multiple reports, TNT Sports will be matching Amazon Prime Video’s 11-year media rights deal.
"We’re proud of how we have delivered for basketball fans by providing best-in-class coverage throughout our four-decade partnership with the NBA," TNT Sports said in its statement. "In an effort to continue our long-standing partnership, during both exclusive and non-exclusive negotiation periods, we acted in good faith to present strong bids that were fair to both parties.
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"Regrettably, the league notified us of its intention to accept offers for the games in our current rights package, leaving us to proceed under the matching rights provision, which is an integral part of our current agreement and the rights we have paid for under it.
"We have reviewed the offers and matched one of them. This will allow fans to keep enjoying our unparalleled coverage, including the best live game productions in the industry and our iconic studio shows and talent, while building on our proven 40-year commitment for many more years.
"Our matching paperwork was submitted to the league today. We look forward to the NBA executing our new contract."
While TNT Sports expects the league to execute the contract, The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reports "the NBA is expected to decline the network’s right to take the agreed-upon Amazon package."
The report adds that the NBA prefers to honor the agreement with Amazon, which was valued at $1.8 billion per year. In turn, a legal battle could ensue.
With TNT targeting Amazon, NBC is expected to join ABC/ESPN, which has been partnered with the NBA for years, as a new partner whenever the league officially announces new media rights deals.
NBC will be getting regular-season games to air exclusively on Peacock on Mondays, while NBC broadcasts will be seen on Tuesday and Sundays, per The Athletic. NBC will also have the NBA All-Star Game as well as playoff games.
Meanwhile, ESPN will retain its rights to the NBA Finals each year under its deal, as well as conference finals matchups in each of the 11 seasons.
Furthermore, ESPN, NBC and either Amazon or TNT will be paying $2.2 billion total over 11 years for WNBA media rights.
Amazon’s deal with the NBA is expected to have six conference finals among its full playoff package, which includes the NBA Play-In Tournament. It also features a regular-season package and "Thursday Night Basketball," which would start after "Thursday Night Football" concludes during the NFL season.
But a battle is looming to see how the league proceeds. Basketball fans were raving on social media about TNT Sports matching Amazon’s deal, especially considering the popular pre- and post-game "Inside the NBA" studio show, featuring Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny "The Jet" Smith.
Barkley, a Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer and outspoken analyst, took issue earlier this year with the structure of the NBA’s media rights deal, where he expressed his displeasure with the league’s owners.
"Well, I think that you got greedy players and greedy owners," Barkley told CNBC.
"They don’t really care about anything but how to make the most money possible. We should never put money above the regular fan. Everybody can’t afford streaming. There’s nothing wrong with streaming, but when you start just going to the highest bidder and you’re not on regular television, I think you do a disservice to the fan."
NBA commissioner told TMZ ahead of a White House state dinner in May, "Who knows how it’s gonna work out?" when asked about the media rights deals.
The ball is officially in the league’s court now — no pun intended.
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