NBA and Warner Bros. Discovery Reach Settlement, Ending Legal Disputes
In a major development, Warner Bros. Discovery has agreed to end its pursuit of a package of live National Basketball Association games in the U.S. for the 2025-26 season and beyond, settling all legal disputes with the league.
A New Chapter for NBA Broadcasting
The NBA had selected Disney, Comcast’s NBCUniversal, and Amazon Prime Video as its U.S. distributors of live games for 11 years beginning next season, with a total value of around $77 billion. While Warner Bros. Discovery will no longer be a primary media partner, the settlement ensures the company remains involved with some NBA content, production partnerships, and licensing deals.
The End of an Era for Turner Sports
The agreement marks the end of Turner Sports’ 40-year relationship with the NBA as a carrier of live games in the U.S. after this season. Turner Sports has had an NBA package since 1984, with games airing on cable network TNT since 1988.
Why the NBA Moved Away from Warner Bros. Discovery
The NBA decided to move away from Warner Bros. Discovery due to concerns about the long-term future of cable TV as a method for reaching a younger audience. Disney and Comcast have broadcast networks to showcase NBA games, and Amazon’s package is exclusively streaming.
Key Terms of the Settlement
The settlement grants WBD’s TNT Sports free access to highlights for the company’s Bleacher Report digital news site and its social media platform House of Highlights for the next 11 years. The deal also allows Warner Bros. Discovery to license, create, and distribute new and existing NBA content across its media assets, including live game rights in the Nordic countries, Poland, and Latin America, excluding Brazil and Mexico.
A New Home for “Inside the NBA”
TNT’s popular “Inside the NBA” studio show will be licensed to Disney’s ESPN and ABC for premier NBA games in the regular season and the playoffs, including the finals. The four hosts – Ernie Johnson Jr., Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O’Neal – will stay with the show for the durations of their contracts and may develop other new content for Warner Bros. Discovery’s cable and streaming platforms.
What’s Next for Warner Bros. Discovery
The settlement gives Warner Bros. Discovery years of guaranteed revenue from the NBA. CEO David Zaslav stated, “Together these agreements ensure fans will continue to enjoy TNT’s ‘Inside the NBA’ and create tremendous value for our entire portfolio as we accelerate the growth of TNT Sports, Bleacher Report, House of Highlights, and our global sports business.”
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