TNT Sports announced on Monday that they had submitted a matching offer to retain its NBA broadcast rights ahead of the approaching deadline. The network intends to match the new 11-year, $1.8 billion annual contract the NBA has with Amazon, a deal that the NBA is interested in honoring.
TNT's exclusive negotiating window ended in April, allowing for ESPN, NBC and Amazon to all reach deals with the NBA for the next round of broadcast rights starting with the 2025-26 season. TNT's parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, still retained the right to match offers from competing entities, which it enacted on Monday.
There is much speculation that the league will decline TNT's offer to claim the rights to the Amazon package, thus setting up a potential bidding war between the three broadcasting companies.
TNT, who has held NBA broadcast rights for 35 years, also intends to continue producing beloved studio show "Inside the NBA."
TNT announced its had made a matching offer in a statement that vowed to continue producing "our iconic studio shows."
"We have reviewed the offers and matched one of them. This will allow fans to keep enjoying our unparalleled coverage, including the best live game productions in the industry and our iconic studio shows and talent, while building on our proven 40-year commitment for many more years.
"Our matching paper work was submitted to the league today. We look forward to the NBA executing our new contract."
The NBA has not responded to TNT's offer at this time.
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