TNT Issues Statement About Latest Effort to Maintain NBA Coverage

The network claims it will match NBA rights deal.

May 19, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Detailed view of a TNT court broadcast camera before game seven between the Minnesota Timberwolves against the Denver Nuggets in the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports / Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

TNT has announced its intention to match one of the offers the NBA has received from other broadcasters in an attempt to hold on to a share of the league's broadcast rights. While the equation might not be that easy, the network appears ready to fight to keep the NBA on its airwaves.

A statement issued by TNT Sports Monday afternoon goes as follows:

We're proud of how we have delivered for basketball fans by providing best-in-class coverage throughout our four-decade partnership with the NBA. In an effort to continue our long-standing partnership, during both exclusive and non-exclusive negotiation periods, we acted in good faith to present strong bids that were fair to both parties.

Regrettably, the league notified us of its intention to accept other offers for the games in our current rights package, leaving us to proceed under the matching rights provision, which is an integral part of our current agreement and the rights we have paid for under it.

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 paperwork was submitted to the league today. We look forward to the NBA executing our new contract.

The Athletic's Andrew Marchand reports TNT is planning to match Amazon's $1.8 billion per year deal. This is where things get complicated. According to Marchand, the NBA prefers to keep the Amazon deal and plans to decline TNT's right to take the package away. The New York Post's Ryan Glasspiegel further adds that the NBA is likely to say TNT can't match the Amazon deal "because it doesn't have the same global reach."

That could trigger a legal fight. As of right now, the ABC/ESPN family of networks and NBC are set as the league's other media partners.