Nov 18, 2024, 09:26 AM ET
“Inside the NBA,” which features the quartet of Ernie Johnson Jr., Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal, will appear on ESPN and ABC starting with the 2025-26 season via a partnership with TNT Sports and the NBA, it was announced Monday.
TNT Sports will continue to independently produce “Inside the NBA” from its Atlanta-based studios over the term of the agreement. Johnson, Barkley, Smith and O’Neal will remain with the show.
The show, which has won 21 Sports Emmy Awards, will appear on ESPN and ABC surrounding high-profile live events, including ESPN’s pregame, halftime and postgame coverage of the NBA Finals on ABC, Conference Finals, NBA Playoffs, all ABC games after January 1, Christmas Day, opening week, the final week of the season and other marquee live events.
“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.”
The 2025-26 season marks the first of ESPN’s 11-year rights extension with the NBA.
As part of the agreement, which builds on the existing agreement between ESPN and TNT Sports to present the College Football Playoffs, TNT Sports will televise an exclusive slate of Big 12 football and men’s basketball games starting with the 2025 season.
ESPN will continue to produce “NBA Countdown” and “NBA Today.”
“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.”
