Title: Turner Sports Matches Amazon's $1.8 Billion Offer to Retain NBA Broadcasting Rights

Turner Sports, a longstanding partner of the NBA, has announced its intention to match Amazon Prime Video's offer of $1.8 billion per year for the broadcasting rights. The decision comes after Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of Turner Sports, informed the league of its matching bid on Monday.

Having held an NBA package since 1984, Turner's games have been broadcasted on TNT since the network's launch in 1988. In a statement, Warner Bros. Discovery expressed their excitement to continue providing fans with unparalleled coverage, including top-notch live game productions and iconic studio shows and talent. They further emphasized their commitment to the NBA, which spans over 40 years, stating that the matching paperwork was submitted to the league on Monday.

The NBA's board of governors approved 11-year media rights deals with Disney, NBC, and Amazon Prime Video during their recent meeting in Las Vegas. Warner Bros. Discovery received all three contracts last Wednesday, initiating a five-day countdown within which they could exercise their right to match. The collective worth of these new deals amounts to a staggering $76 billion and is set to take effect from the 2025-26 season. As part of the agreements, the NBA aims to have a nationally aired or streamed game every night during the second half of the season.

Initially, Amazon Prime Video's package would have included Thursday night games, following the completion of NFL broadcasts. Its other allocated nights were Friday and Saturday. In contrast, Turner Sports' TNT would likely continue airing games on Thursday, with the remaining nights being streamed on the network's streaming service, Max.

While the NBA is currently reviewing Warner Bros. Discovery's matching offer, Amazon Prime Video has chosen to remain silent on the matter. The final announcement of the media deals is expected to be made by the NBA sometime this week.

The negotiations between Warner Bros. Discovery and the NBA had faced challenges, with Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav expressing in November 2022 that Turner and WBD "don't have to have the NBA." However, both Turner and WBD had consistently stated their intention to match one of the offers during the exclusive negotiation period, which expired in April.

Warner Bros. Discovery, in their statement, expressed pride in their longstanding partnership with the NBA, noting their efforts to present fair bids during both the exclusive and non-exclusive negotiation periods. They regretfully acknowledged that the league had chosen to explore other offers for the games under their current rights package, leading them to proceed under the matching rights provision that is part of their agreement.

Under the new media rights deals, NBC and Warner Bros. Discovery will alternate carrying one of the conference finals series, while ESPN and ABC will retain the league's top package and broadcast a conference finals series every year, along with the NBA Finals.

Although Amazon's offer included a provision to pay multiple years upfront into an escrow account, Warner Bros. Discovery assured the NBA that they have the financial resources to match those terms. It should be noted that the Amazon provision was first mentioned by Bill Simmons on "The Town" podcast.

Currently, Warner Bros. Discovery pays $1.4 billion per season under the current nine-year deal, which is set to expire after the upcoming season. While this significant financial commitment is necessary for Warner Bros. Discovery, as it ensures the NBA's presence, it also guarantees the continuation of the popular "Inside the NBA" show. Charles Barkley, who had expressed skepticism about the company matching a deal, announced his intent to retire after the upcoming season.

With Turner Sports matching Amazon's offer, the NBA and its fans can eagerly anticipate continued comprehensive coverage of the league's games and events.