American Legend Claims Shaq & TNT’s Chemistry Can’t Be Manufactured as $2.5 Billion Stands to Threaten NBA Future

The modern NBA media landscape is rife with competition. Several major media networks, including ESPN, TNT, ABC, and Amazon, are eyeing a slice of the NBA’s lucrative pie. However, if there’s a network that knows its audience’s pulse, it is TNT. And their flagship studio show, Inside the NBA, has become one of the highest-rated in the USA. The chemistry between the four analysts, Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley, has grown to be unmatched, making way for impressive numbers. But will it be enough to sustain?

Many have fallen in love with Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley’s hilarious banter on the show. Even famous comedians have given props to the cast and producers for the show’s humor. Veteran comedian Tom Segura recently made an appearance on the Big Podcast with Shaq. During a segment, he couldn’t stop praising the chemistry among the Inside the NBA crew. He said, “It’s perfect (Inside the NBA). I wouldn’t say a word. That’s chemistry… I wouldn’t change about their dynamic. It works perfectly. That’s why people love to watch the show.”

Inside the NBA has helped TNT gain a foothold in a fiercely competitive market. TNT’s studio shows have become part of the viewing experience for fans. In fact, during the 2023 playoffs, TNT owned the top six places on MVP Index’s rankings, averaging 1.43 million viewers for its NBA Tip-Off broadcast. Meanwhile, ESPN’s biggest audience was 1.32 million viewers, that too on the opening day of the postseason. Moreover, ESPN could only manage an average viewership of 890,757.

However, it looks like the long-standing partnership between TNT and the NBA might be ending sooner than expected. Their contract with the NBA is due to expire after the 2024-25 season, and TNT is now locked in a bidding war with another major media company.

Will the NBA air on TNT in the future?

TNT and the NBA have been in business with each other for almost 40 years. But, in light of the NBA’s impending media rights deal, TNT’s future with the NBA remains uncertain. With their deal set to expire after the 2024-25 season, TNT have offered around $1.2 billion per year for the NBA’s media rights. However, they have been outbid by NBC, who are willing to offer approximately $2.5 billion per year.

Although TNT has the right to match NBC’s offer, the CEO of Warner Bros., David Zaslav, has claimed that the network doesn’t “have to have the NBA.” This could indicate that TNT might not be eager to engage in a bidding war against NBC, jeopardizing the future of Inside the NBA. The most beloved NBA show could go off the floor as soon as 2025.

However, Charles Barkley was prepared if TNT lost the NBA’s media rights. Two years ago, he inked a decade-long deal with TNT, but it included an opt-out clause in case TNT lost the NBA’s media rights. It still remains to be seen if Barkley’s other co-hosts had a similar clause inserted within their contracts. However, Ernie Johnson has stated that he won’t leave TNT, even if they lose NBA’s media rights.