TNT Sports are considering taking legal action against the NBA after the network lost the TV rights to the league for the next 11 years.
In a staggering deal worth $77 billion in total, ESPN were retained as an incumbent broadcaster, while the NBC and Amazon both were included as newcomers.
The two new networks will only commence broadcasting the NBA from the start of the 2025-26 season, with TNT still contracted for another season.
It means there is a very real chance TNT could be suing the league it is broadcasting during the upcoming season.
It's understood Amazon's deal - worth $1.8 billion per year as a streaming-only agreement - is what has left TNT baffled, with the network having a clause in its current deal that allowed it to match Amazon's.
โWe have matched the Amazon offer, as we have a contractual right to do, and do not believe the NBA can reject it,โ TNT said in a statement posted on X.
โWe think they have grossly misinterpreted our contractual rights with respect to the 2025-26 season and beyond, and we will take appropriate action. We look forward, however, to another great season of the NBA on TNT and Max including our iconic Inside the NBA.โ
It's believed, according to the New York Times, that streaming wasn't part of the last deal signed a decade ago, which is why the two sides could ultimately end up in court.
It's understood the NBA told TNT that it was rejecting the bid due to Amazon being a streaming only service, that Amazon's reach is greater, and that Amazon had offered to pay in full its first three years.
It's understood Warner Bros Discovery disagrees with the NBA's assessment of the issue, and will now proceed with legal action over the future of the league's TV rights deal.
In a statement, the NBA said the TNT bid simply didn't reach the terms presented by Amazon.
โWarner Bros. Discovery's most recent proposal did not match the terms of Amazon Prime Video's offer and, therefore, we have entered into a long-term arrangement with Amazon,โ the NBA said in a statement.
โThroughout these negotiations, our primary objective has been to maximize the reach and accessibility of our games for our fans,โ the statement continued. โOur new arrangement with Amazon supports this goal by complementing the broadcast, cable and streaming packages that are already part of our new Disney and NBCUniversal arrangements.
"All three partners have also committed substantial resources to promote the league and enhance the fan experience.โ
