The future of ‘Inside The NBA’ has been in serious danger ever since The Wall Street Journal first reported that TNT could lose its NBA rights, which expire after next season.
Things took another grim turn today when Bill Simmons claimed on his podcast that NBC had already succeeded in outbidding TNT for the rights, and that an official announcement would be mere formality.
But there might be a way to save ‘Inside The NBA’, if the parties involved are willing to make it work. One person to float the idea was NBA agent Nate Jones.
“The alternative is for the new broadcast partner just to hire Turner to produce Inside The NBA and nothing else so Ernie can stay with Atlanta and work out of the studio he’s comfortable with and you get the magic of the production team that’s been elite for all these years,” Jones said on Twitter.
It’s a solid idea, and one that addresses the common belief that Ernie Johnson is unlikely to leave TNT to follow Shaq, Charles and Kenny to another network.
decent solution here, because:
1) Ernie is extremely loyal to Turner and it would be stunning to see him leave the network. Especially to one without a HQ in Atlanta.
2) It’s either all-in or all-out. Inside’s production staff is a cornerstone of the show. It wont be the same if… https://t.co/K9PcDsDOYF— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) May 2, 2024
Here’s hoping everyone involved can find a solution, because this show is just too good to get canned.
READ MORE: The Future of ‘Inside the NBA’ Is Under Serious Threat
