Preserving The Inside: On The Future Of TNT's NBA Rights

[Wammy Giveaway]

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With a "game-time decision" looming for Turner, home of its award-winning sports broadcast Inside The NBA, it is only a matter of time before the network completely loses the NBA rights to NBC. On the bright side, we get back Josh Tesh's legendary opening piece "Roundball Rock" and "Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-basketball!" (I should write some actual lyrics to that...)

Ernie Johnson will stay at Turner. Charles Barkley will depart from TNT. But what of Warner Bros. and its controversially questionable moves ever since their merger with Discovery in 2022. We have seen from this company that they purge content for the sake of tax write-offs. I have a feeling they'll do the same for "Inside The NBA". Videos are still up on their official YouTube account as of this post, but there may come a time when those videos will be removed.

My question to you is this: should their videos be preserved? Don't know if they're eligible for the Wayback Machine's Archive, but there's just too much good stuff from them to be lost to time. I still lament the day when they removed a tiny portion from an EJ's Stat-O-The-Night segment of Kenny "The Jet" Smith making fun of Barkley's shown buttocks during his visit to a wax salon, which I attribute to an oversight by the camera guys. Still it was a funny bit. (Shaq goes, "May I [censored] you a question?" before going off the air, and Kenny's "The slot machine is open!" boast) But seriously, we will miss stuff like Neat-O Stat, Gone Fishin, the Halftime Breaks, and all the funny shenanigans that go on Studio J, especially their chemistry and camaraderie.

[itrsteve]

Man that would be an absolute bummer. I had no idea it was at risk.

[azcatz11]

Ernie is late 60's. Maybe he's thinking this is a good time to exit. I just pray to god that mouth breather lefkoe doesn't get it...because I will never watch again

[Hornet Mania]

It's unfortunate we're likely losing WB (TNT) and not Disney (ABC/ESPN).

I'd love to trade ABC/ESPN for NBC and keep TNT untouched. The Disney networks NBA coverage has always been incredibly poor, at least imo, compared to their peers.

[C3H6N6O6]

I love the show but I would like someone in the role of Kenny who actually knows about Basketball to balance out Barkley and Shaq who clearly know nothing about today's NBA. It has to be a former player because Shaq and Chuck will just talk over anyone else.

It has become a great show for TNT but I'd argue that Inside The NBA doesn't add any fans to the NBA. This would be fine if the NBA was in bad shape but it is the most talented it has ever been.

[TwitterFingers]

To be honest I won’t really care. I don’t listen to the talking heads. I just watch the game.

[dhsilv2]

It's unfortunate we're likely losing WB (TNT) and not Disney (ABC/ESPN).

I'd love to trade ABC/ESPN for NBC and keep TNT untouched. The Disney networks NBA coverage has always been incredibly poor, at least imo, compared to their peers.

You're being nice to Disney!

[dhsilv2]

I love the show but I would like someone in the role of Kenny who actually knows about Basketball to balance out Barkley and Shaq who clearly know nothing about today's NBA. It has to be a former player because Shaq and Chuck will just talk over anyone else.

It has become a great show for TNT but I'd argue that Inside The NBA doesn't add any fans to the NBA. This would be fine if the NBA was in bad shape but it is the most talented it has ever been.

I think Kenny knows a LOT more than he's allowed to say. The problem has always been Shaq. The show was 10x better before him. Kenny and EJ could talk sports while Chuck made great jokes. Then Shaq came....god it's horrible.

[DaGawd]

if i don’t have to listen to anymore shaq analysis it’ll be a good thing

[JustBuzzin]

We will never see a group like this again on tv. They have so many clips on YT of that show its amazing how long they have kept us laughing.

[ropjhk]

Churros



This moment must be saved

[NBA4Lyfe]

it all started going downhill once they brought on shaq.. and then they bring in a disgrace to the league in draymond green

the original 3 is was why we watched.. barkley was the comedic relief, kenny was the x's and o's guy and ernie was the smug moderater that everybody enjoyed clowning

shaq started the nasty trend of bullying nba players who did nothing to him. I remmember the nasty javale mcgee beef that made the league look bad. Then he trashes rudy gobert for no reason, and of course the labasting of james harden. Bullies turn viewers off

[Chuck Everett]

All good things come to an end. If it gets more NBA games on OTA networks, so be it.

[Curmudgeon]

I'd love to see every game streamed on Amazon or Netflix. But that would be the end of NBA League Pass unless it also migrated to one of those services.

[Wingy]

I'd love to see every game streamed on Amazon or Netflix. But that would be the end of NBA League Pass unless it also migrated to one of those services.

Why couldn’t they just do the exact same thing as now where the streaming games (I.e. - the ABC/ESPN/TNT games) are only available on League Pass 3 hours after the broadcast.

The bummer in this for me would be losing not just the Inside crew, but also TNT Overtime. I miss the instant replays, but it’s actually nice not having to listen to some half ass commentator…and not have to pay for cable, YouTube, Sling, etc.

[Bobbymcgee]

Bring back the NBA on NBC!

NBA on TNT has been terrible. Really hoping this is the end.

[sp6r=underrated]

it all started going downhill once they brought on shaq.. and then they bring in a disgrace to the league in draymond green

the original 3 is was why we watched.. barkley was the comedic relief, kenny was the x's and o's guy and ernie was the smug moderater that everybody enjoyed clowning

shaq started the nasty trend of bullying nba players who did nothing to him. I remmember the nasty javale mcgee beef that made the league look bad. Then he trashes rudy gobert for no reason, and of course the labasting of james harden. Bullies turn viewers off

Shaq lowered the quality of the program. The show was always absurd but pre-Shaq had a joyfol quality. I remember Barkley kissing a donkey's ass after Yao got his first 20 ppg. Show is still good but it got worse because it lost a lot with Shaq.

[LeBronSpaghetti]

Barkley and Ernie carry the other two