The best studio show in sports isn’t going away, it’s just changing channels. Rumors over the weekend gave way to an announcement on Monday that Inside the NBA would keep running for the 2025-26 season and beyond, with everything about the show remaining the same but to commence airing on ESPN.
That means we won’t be losing Ernie Johnson Jr., Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O’Neal giving us the same unhinged programming we want, despite TNT losing its rights to the NBA beginning next season.
“Inside the NBA is universally recognized as one of the best and most culturally impactful shows in sports,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement. “We have long admired the immensely talented team and are thrilled to add their chemistry and knowledge to our robust set of NBA studio offerings to super-serve NBA fans like never before. The addition of Inside the NBA further solidifies ESPN as the preeminent destination for sports fans.”
Up to this point the 2024-25 season was seen as the end of an era, of sorts, with there seemingly being no way to resolve all the key guys on the desk having long-term deals with TNT and Warner Bros, while the NBA itself would start a new rights agreement with ESPN, NBCUniversal, and Amazon.
What makes this agreement so unusual is that literally nothing is changing. Inside the NBA will still be produced by TNT, airing out of their Atlanta-based studios, but being broadcast on ESPN and ABC as part of their deal. This means that the tone, feeling, and pacing of the show will be unchanged along with its talent, with the behind-the-scenes crew remaining to be as critical to the success of the show as Ernie, Chuck, Kenny and Shaq.
“At TNT Sports, we take great pride in our Inside the NBA show and know its success is both a reflection of the iconic talent on set and the incredible people behind the scenes who consistently demonstrate the creativity and craft of our great team,” TNT Sports CEO Luis Silberwasser said in a statement. “We are thrilled to continue to produce Inside the NBA for ESPN and ABC, ensuring fans are able to keep enjoying the magic of this show during the NBA season.”
This is unquestionably amazing news for sports fans. Inside the NBA is as iconic as the league itself, bringing a lighthearted, often hilarious approach to the sport that’s unmatched anywhere else.
Unquestionably some of the best sports news this week, we can now resume watching Inside the NBA without feeling like it’s all about to come to an end.
