Inside the NBA has long been a cornerstone of NBA coverage, captivating fans as a pregame, halftime, and post-game show. The chemistry of the dynamic and entertaining group—Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Ernie Johnson, and Shaquille O’Neal—has made the show a fan favorite, with their candid discussions, humor, and deep basketball knowledge drawing a loyal audience. However, the future of the show became uncertain when the NBA signed an 11-year television rights extension with ESPN in 2022, but did not include TNT in the deal.
As a result, TNT would lose its NBA broadcasting rights, leading many to worry that Inside the NBA would end after the 2024-2025 season, leaving fans without their beloved pregame and post-game analysis. Fortunately, a new agreement was reached that guarantees the continuation of Inside the NBA. ESPN and TNT came together to form a partnership that allows the show to remain on air. Under the terms of the deal, TNT will continue to produce Inside the NBA, but it will now be broadcast on ESPN and ABC channels during NBA game coverage.
Photo Cred: Inside the NBA
Despite the change in networks, Barkley, Shaq, Ernie, and Kenny will remain in their familiar Atlanta-based studio, delivering the same pregame, halftime, and post-game analysis that fans have come to love. ESPN already airs NBA Countdown, but the two shows will now run concurrently, providing fans with more basketball coverage and analysis than ever before. While it may seem that ESPN is the primary beneficiary of this agreement, TNT has also secured valuable broadcasting rights, including 13 Big 12 football games and 15 college basketball games, which would otherwise have been shown on ESPN.
This move is part of a broader trend of collaboration between the two media giants. For example, in May 2023, ESPN and TNT agreed to a deal that will see two College Football Playoff games aired on TNT each year, but still featuring ESPN’s announcers and production. Television deals in the modern sports landscape have become increasingly complex, with games spread across a growing number of platforms, forcing fans to subscribe to multiple streaming services to keep up with their favorite teams.
However, the deal between ESPN and TNT stands out as a rare win for fans, as it ensures that Inside the NBA—one of the most beloved sports pregame shows on television—will continue to bring joy to its audience for the foreseeable future. While both networks are set to benefit financially from the agreement, the true winners are the fans, who get to keep enjoying the unique chemistry and expert analysis of Barkley, Smith, O’Neal, and Johnson. Inside the NBA will remain on TNT throughout the 2024-2025 NBA season before officially transitioning to ESPN for the 2025-2026 season.
