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lite.cnn.com - on gopher - inofficial
ARTICLE VIEW:
/
WBD to settle NBA broadcast rights suit, move ‘Inside the NBA’ to
ESPN and ABC
By Liam Reilly, CNN
Updated:
12:14 AM EST, Sun November 17, 2024
Source: CNN
Warner Bros. Discovery will settle its lawsuit against the NBA and
announce it has struck a deal with Disney to exclusively license its
beloved TNT show “Inside the NBA” starting next season, a person
familiar with the matter told CNN.
WBD filed the against the NBA in July after the league signed new
broadcast rights deals with Disney, Amazon and NBC collectively worth
$76 billion. WBD, the parent company of CNN, alleged that the media
giant had a contractual right to match any offers that came before the
league but that its bid had been rejected.
Under the terms of the settlement expected to be announced Monday, the
2024-25 NBA season will be the last on the TNT cable network, but the
NBA will allow WBD to use its content for the next decade to create a
variety of programs, including talk and variety shows or docuseries.
WBD will also receive the rights to broadcast live NBA games in
northern Europe and Latin America for the next 11 years, the person
said. WBD’s online outlets, Bleacher Report and House of Highlights,
will also have global rights to the league’s content.
The news was by The Wall Street Journal. WBD declined to comment for
this story. The NBA could not immediately be reached for comment.
WBD is also expected to announce it has signed a multi-year licensing
deal with Disney, the person familiar with the matter said. Under the
agreement, “Inside the NBA” will air exclusively on ESPN and ABC
starting next season.
The show will still be produced by TNT Sports and existing contracts
with the hosts — Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and
Shaquille O’Neal — will remain valid, the person said. WBD also
plans to develop a sports spin-off of the “Inside the NBA” program,
they said.
As streaming services like Netflix have continued to attract and
further carve up audiences, live sporting events have continuously
proved impervious to declines in viewership felt across traditional
television.
As part of its deal with Disney, TNT Sports will receive a slate of
college football rights to Big 12 conference and men’s basketball
games that WBD can air on TNT and its Max streaming service. Earlier
this year, WBD inked a five-year deal with ESPN to air College Football
Playoff games this season and two additional quarterfinal matchups
beginning in 2026, adding to the company’s live sports offerings.
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