Shaquille O’Neal is “very confident” that “Inside the NBA” will remain on TNT next season, despite rumors that NBC is about to pull TNT’s TV rights for the league.
The Wall Street Journal reported last month that Comcast Universal (NBC’s parent company) was willing to offer $2.5 billion a year for the rights, more than double what Warner Bros. Discovery (TNT’s parent company) currently spends an average of $1.2 billion. .
NBC getting the rights would likely mean the end of “Inside the NBA,” the beloved studio show featuring O’Neal, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and host Ernie Johnson, but O’Neal won’t doesn’t seem to sweat.
“I don’t know (about the future of the series), but I hope (Warner Bros. Discovery CEO) David Zaslav takes care of business, I’m sure of that,” he said to journalist Adam Glyn.
“I think we’re in a great situation right now.”
Shaquille O’Neal said he was ‘very confident’ about the future of his beloved ‘Inside the NBA’
His colleague Charles Barkley, however, seemed less certain that the show would continue.
O’Neal’s friend and colleague Barkley was a little less confident.
” We do not know. I mean, it would be sad (if the show ended). We don’t know,” he said.
“I hope that’s the case (continue). Not just for me and Kenny and Ernie and Shaq, but for the real people who work there, it sucks right now to be stressed.
The two men’s comments come after longtime sports journalist and Ringer founder Bill Simmons said the deal was “done” on his eponymous podcast.
“One of the funniest things is we’re all pretending the TV deal wasn’t done a week and a half ago,” Simmons said earlier this week.
“I think it’s done. I think Warner (Bros. Discovery) has already lost it,” he continued.
TNT’s parent company, Warner Bros., paid less than half of the $2.5 billion per year fee reportedly offered by Comcast Universal (NBC’s parent company).
“And I don’t know why we’re waiting until the playoffs are over, maybe that’s the way they have to do it.” But it’s over. NBC gets it. I’m just telling you.
Warner, which began broadcasting games in 1984, paid the league an average of $1.2 billion a year, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The network was unable to reach a new deal with the NBA before an exclusive negotiating window expired last week.