TNT Sports is walking away from NBA TV, as the Warner Bros. Discovery cable unit has elected to close out its oversight of the league-owned network this fall.
Talks that would have seen TNT retain its oversight of NBA TV operations, a role it had held down since the 2008-09 season, did not bear fruit. While financial considerations obviously played a key role in the split, the diminished number of games that will be carried on NBA TV under the league’s new 11-year rights package is said to have undermined TNT’s interest in maintaining the partnership.
The decision to end the alliance was announced Friday morning by TNT Sports Chair and CEO Luis Silberwasser in a memo to employees. In the note, Silberwasser characterized the split as a mutual parting of ways.
“We made several proposals to continue to provide services and operate the NBA TV network and related digital assets,” Silberwasser wrote. “However, we were unable to agree on a path forward that recognized the value of our expertise, quality content and operational excellence that our fans and partners have come to expect from TNT Sports.”
Silberwasser went on to note that day-to-day oversight of the network would revert to the NBA on Oct. 1.
While this marks the end of a 17-year arrangement that was originally brokered by former Turner Sports capo David Levy, TNT will continue to serve as a generator of digital content for the NBA via its Bleacher Report and House of Highlights properties.
TNT’s DNA will also persist care of its Inside the NBA studio show, for which Silberwasser licensed the rights to Disney’s ESPN and ABC. Under the terms of that side deal, the four leads (Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal) will remain locked in behind the desk and TNT will continue to have absolute editorial control of the show.
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