Roughly an hour after the NBA officially announced that Amazon Prime would serve as the new home of the association for the 2025-36 seasons after TNT and its parent company, Warner Brothers Discovery, did not match their media rights offer, TNT Sports took to social media to fire back at the association, letting it be known that the initial announcement isn't correct.
“We have matched the Amazon offer, as we have a contractual right to do, and do not believe the NBA can reject it. 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,” TNT Sports shared. “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.”
Did Warner Brothers Discovery just decide to match the Amazon offer after social media quickly turned on the company for potentially depriving them of their favorite show, Inside the NBA? Or was this offer already presented to Adam Silver, with the commissioner opting to go with Jeff Bezos and his company instead? Based on the NBA's own statement, that is a very good question indeed.
The NBA's press release differs greatly from TNT Sport's statement
Though TNT Sport's statement, as pointed as it may be, is pretty definitive, it does fly directly in the face of what the NBA's official PR stated in their own statement earlier in the day, which accused TNT of not presenting a matching offer.
“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 NBA wrote via The Hollywood Reporter. “Throughout these negotiations, our primary objective has been to maximize the reach and accessibility of our games for our fans,” the statement continued. “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.”
What does this mean for the future of the NBA? It's impossible to know, but for now, it's safe to say this story is a developing one, with plenty more drama potentially on the horizon.
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