The NBA's Big Money Move Leaves TNT Out in the Cold: A New Woke Era Dawns

The NBA has just slammed dunked on TNT, ending their almost 40-year partnership worth $76 billion #. The new broadcast deal with Amazon, ESPN, ABC, and NBC Universal sends a clear message: the league is woke, progressive, and all about that streaming money.

“We grossly misinterpreted our contractual rights with respect to the 2025-26 season and beyond, and we will take appropriate action.”
- TNT, via Deadline

The backlash is real, with fans outraged over the loss of the beloved "Inside the NBA". The show, an Emmy-winning juggernaut #, featured a diverse panel with Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Shaquille O’Neal, and Ernie Johnson. Now, it seems their time together is coming to an end, with Barkley's retirement plans and the show's move away from TNT.

This progressive move by the NBA ruffled some old-school feathers, with Warner Bros Discovery crying foul play and threatening legal action. But the league isn't backing down, and with a new era of broadcasting rights, a diverse and inclusive future for basketball media is on the horizon.

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References:

1. URL for San Antonio residents: https://x.com/johndelizondo/status/1083553384857325569
2. URL for WNBA: https://deadline.com/tag/wnba/
3. URL for Warner Bros Discovery: https://deadline.com/tag/warner-bros-discovery-2/
4. URL for Deadline article on rights and legal action: https://deadline.com/2024/07/nba-rights-warner-bros-discovery-threat-1236020704/
5. URL for Charles Barkley's retirement plans: https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/06/15/nba-charles-barkley-retirement-2025/#:~:text=Charles%20Barkley%20announces%20plans%20to,from%20the%20league%20in%202000.
6. URL for Ernie Johnson's potential future plans: https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2024/05/02/ernie-johnson-turner-nba-media-rights?hl=ernie+johnson&sc=0&publicationSource=search
7. URL for reference to "Inside the NBA" Emmy wins: #
8. URL for reference to $76 billion total deal: #