News broke over the weekend that “Inside the NBA” would continue after months of speculation that the new NBA media rights landscape meant the end of the beloved studio show.
On Monday, ESPN confirmed reports that it will take over broadcast rights for the show around its NBA coverage when the league’s new 11-year media deal begins with the 2025-26 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.
Via ESPNTNT 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-standing 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 be watching the next “Inside the NBA” performance — and what it might look like.
What ‘Inside the NBA’ will look like with ESPN
From ESPN:
“TNT Sports continues to independently produce Inside the NBA from its Atlanta-based studios during the term of the agreement.
“The legendary ‘Inside the NBA’ studio team will appear on ESPN and ABC around high-profile live events, including ESPN’s pregame, halftime and postgame coverage of the NBA Finals on ABC, conference finals, NBA Finals, all ABC games after January 1st, 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 continue. So “Inside the NBA” doesn’t fully replace 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 will remain Atlanta-based. While cross-promotion seems inevitable, it doesn’t sound like Stephen A. Smith, Kendrick Perkins and Co. will be shoehorned into the show. And it looks like “Inside the NBA” will continue largely as we know it.
How often does ‘Inside the NBA’ air?
Which brings us to when. Before the calendar turns to January, it looks like “Inside the NBA” will be more of a tentpole show around big events rather than the weekly show it was on TNT.
The ESPN release mentions just opening week in October and Christmas Day games as broadcast windows for the show before January 1. It leaves the door open for “other marquee live events.”
After the new year, “Inside the NBA” will air around games carried on ESPN’s parent network ABC. this season, ABC will host regular-season games on 12 different dates from January 25 on Saturdays and Sundays.
It’s unlikely that “Inside the NBA” will have a presence around the annual All-Star game in February. ESPN’s release does not mention 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 brightest. And the biggest win in the new deal is that “Inside the NBA” will air around the NBA Finals for the first time. The show has traditionally bowed out for the most prominent part of the NBA calendar after the conclusion of the conference finals when TNT’s broadcast rights ended for the season.
No money will change hands in the license agreement. Instead, TNT Sports will take over exclusive rights to slate Big 12 football and men’s basketball games from ESPN in addition to a pre-existing deal it has with the network for rights to College Football Playoff games.
For The Athleticsthe arrangement is the brainchild of ESPN president 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 stay with the show along with Smith, Barkley and Johnson.
While some fans would definitely like to see “Inside the NBA” take over completely ESPN’s beleaguered studio coveragethat the show is moving forward in any form after this season is welcome news, indeed.
