Major Glitch in WBD-ESPN Deal to License ‘Inside the NBA’ Revealed!

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By: Mike

On Saturday, it was announced that Warner Bros. Discovery had reached an agreement with ESPN, allowing WBD to continue producing the renowned Inside the NBA studio show with stars Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O’Neal, and to license this production to ESPN after the current season.

Although TNT will cease broadcasting NBA games after this season, it will retain ownership of Inside the NBA, which will start broadcasting on ESPN from the 2025–26 season onwards.

Currently, there exists a complication concerning the show’s lineup. It’s reported that Shaquille O’Neal’s contract with WBD is set to expire on July 1, 2025.

O’Neal’s contract terms differ from those of his fellow hosts because they engage in additional projects for WBD, such as the NCAA tournament. Shaq’s agreement is exclusively tied to the NBA and expires in roughly eight months.

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Despite the desire to continue with the show, O’Neal is reportedly frustrated by the celebratory announcements and press statements about the show’s continuity, as he currently does not have a contract with the company for the next season.

With the unique arrangement that allows TNT to produce Inside the NBA while it is broadcast on ESPN, O’Neal could find various opportunities. He might remain on the show while negotiating deals with either Amazon or NBC, who are set to become new NBA partners next season. Alternatively, he could secure a contract directly with ESPN besides his agreement with WBD.

There are multiple paths O’Neal could pursue, but for NBA enthusiasts, the most favored outcome would be him re-signing with WBD.

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