NBA rejects TNT’s attempt to match media rights proposal, will stick with Amazon

NBA rejects TNT’s attempt to match media rights proposal, will stick with Amazon

Roughly 48 hours after Warner Bros. Discovery and TNT matched Amazon’s media rights deal with the NBA ahead of their new TV deal, the league announced Wednesday that it’s rejecting TNT’s attempt to match the proposal and that it will be sticking with Prime Video for the new TV deal, which is expected to begin in 2025-26.

Here is the statement that the league released:

“Warner Bros. Discovery’s most recent proposal did not match the terms of Amazon Prime Video’s offer and, therefore, we have entered into a long-term arrangement with Amazon,” the statement reads. “Throughout these negotiations, our primary objective has been to maximize the reach and accessibility of our games for our fans. Our new arrangement with Amazon supports this goal by complementing the broadcast, cable and streaming packages that are already part of our new Disney and NBCUniversal arrangements. All three partners have also committed substantial resources to promote the league and enhance the fan experience.

“We are grateful to Turner Sports for its award-winning coverage of the NBA and look forward to another season of the NBA on TNT.”

As a response, TNT released its own statement regarding the news Wednesday:

“We have matched the Amazon offer, as we have a contractual right to do, and do not believe the NBA can reject it,” the statement read. “In doing so, they are rejecting the many fans who continue to show their unwavering support for our best-in-class coverage, delivered through the full combined reach of WBD’s video-first distribution platforms–including TNT, home to our four-decade partnership with the league, and Max, our leading streaming service.

“We think they have grossly misinterpreted our contractual rights with respect to the 2025-26 season and beyond, and we will take appropriate action. We look forward, however, to another great season of the NBA on TNT and Max including our iconic Inside the NBA.”

It was reported by Andrew Marchand of The Athletic Monday that the NBA was essentially leaning toward accepting Amazon’s offer anyway, so it was only a matter of time before the rejection was official.

The 11-year media rights deal will have Amazon Prime Video broadcasting games on Thursday nights after the NFL season, in addition to Friday and Saturday throughout the season. It will also host multiple playoff games and be home for the In-Season Tournament, which was implemented as part of the new CBA at the start of the 2023-24 season.

Prime Video is one of the premier streaming services the public has to offer; TNT, while highly respected for its pre- and postgame NBA coverage with Inside the NBA, does not necessarily have that luxury. In the day and age where streaming services–Netflix, Hulu, ESPN+, Paramount, etc.–are becoming far more powerful than actual cable, TNT did not have enough juice to truly match what Amazon offered.

The longstanding partnership between Amazon and TNT has been in existence since 1989, so it’s disappointing to see it come to an end. It’s outlasted three NBA franchises–the Toronto Raptors (founded in 1995), Memphis Grizzlies (1995) and New Orleans Pelicans (2002)–while being the same age as two others (Orlando Magic, Minnesota Timberwolves). Think about that for a second.

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