News broke over the weekend that “Inside the NBA” will carry on after months of speculation that the new NBA media rights landscape meant the end of the beloved studio show.
On Monday, ESPN announced that it will take over broadcast rights for the show around its coverage of the NBA when the new 11-year media rights deal kicks in next season.
It also filled in details that weren’t clear from the reports — most notably, when fans will be able to watch Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith talk basketball, pop culture and whatever else is on their minds.
Per ESPN, TNT Sports — which has produced and broadcast the show since its inception in 1989 — will continue to produce “Inside the NBA” and license it for broadcast on ESPN and ABC. This, despite TNT losing its long-time rights to broadcast NBA games in the new deal.
Those details are not new from previous reports. But now NBA fans have an idea of when and how often they’ll get to watch the next rendition of “Inside the NBA” — and what it might look like.
What ‘Inside the NBA’ will look like with ESPN
From ESPN:
“TNT Sports will continue to independently produce Inside the NBA from its Atlanta-based studios over the term of the agreement.
“The legendary ‘Inside the NBA’ studio team will appear on ESPN and ABC surrounding high-profile live events, including ESPN’s pregame, halftime and postgame coverage of the NBA Finals on ABC, conference finals, NBA playoffs, all ABC games after January 1, Christmas Day, opening week, the final week of the season and other marquee live events.”
ESPN also announced that its in-house studio shows “NBA Countdown” and “NBA Today” will carry on. So “Inside the NBA” isn’t fully replacing ESPN’s NBA studio coverage.
The good news for “Inside the NBA” fans is that it will be a separate entity from ESPN’s established studio programming and remain Atlanta-based. While cross-promotion appears inevitable, it doesn’t sound like Stephen A. Smith, Kendrick Perkins and Co. will be shoehorned into the show. And it sounds like “Inside the NBA” will carry on largely as we know it.
How often will ‘Inside the NBA’ air?
Which brings us to when. Before the calendar flips to January, it sounds like “Inside the NBA” will be more of a tentpole show around big events rather than the weekly show it’s been on TNT.
The ESPN release mentions just opening week in October and Christmas Day games as broadcast windows for the show prior to January 1. It leaves the door open for “other marquee live events.”
After the new year, “Inside the NBA” will broadcast around games carried on ESPN’s parent network ABC. This season, ABC will host regular-season games on 12 different dates starting on Jan. 25.
It’s unlikely that “Inside the NBA” will have a presence around the annual All-Star game in February. ESPN’s release makes no mention of the All-Star game, which NBC will take over from TNT in its return to NBA coverage for the first time since 2002.
‘Inside the NBA’ to finally cover NBA Finals
More good news for “Inside the NBA” fans is that the show will be a staple during the playoffs, where it shines the brightest. And the biggest win in the new deal is that “Inside the NBA” will broadcast around the NBA Finals for the first time. The show has traditionally bowed out for the most prominent portion of the NBA calendar after the conclusion of the conference finals when TNT’s broadcast rights ended for the season.
Money won’t change hands in the licensing agreement. Instead, TNT Sports will take over exclusive rights to a slate of Big 12 football and men’s basketball games in addition to a pre-existing deal it has with ESPN for rights to College Football Playoff games.
Per The Athletic, the arrangement is the brainchild of ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro, who made a phone call to TNT Sports CEO Luis Silberwasser to get the ball rolling. The report also notes that O’Neal needs a new contract and is expected to sign one to remain with the show alongside Smith, Barkley and Johnson.
While some fans would surely like to see “Inside the NBA” completely take over ESPN’s beleaguered studio coverage, that the show is moving forward an any format after this season is welcome news, indeed.
