The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) have reached a deal that ends WBD’s lawsuit against the league and extends their long-standing media partnership for an additional 11 years.
Earlier this year, WBD lost out in the bidding for a new round of rights to NBA games that begins in 2025 and sued the league, citing its right of first refusal on a new TV deal. Disney, Amazon and Comcast acquired the rights for $77bn.
The new deal does not include rights to live games on WBD sports platform TNT Sports in the US, but it does include a package of international and digital rights for NBA content for TNT Sports and its sports digital brands Bleacher Report and House of Highlights.
WBD has been granted live NBA game telecast rights in the Nordics (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden), along with Poland and Latin America (excluding Brazil and Mexico) for the next 11 years.
TNT Sports will also continue to fully create and produce the Emmy Award winning studio show Inside the NBA.
Beginning with the 2025-26 season, Inside the NBA will air on ESPN and ABC throughout the regular season and NBA Playoffs.
TNT Sports will also continue to develop new content for air on its WBD platforms featuring TNT’s Inside the NBA studio talent.
“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,” said David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery.
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