Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) have settled their breach of contract lawsuit, resulting in multi-year agreements that extend WBD’s TNT Sports’ partnership with the NBA. The deal secures the continuation of Inside the NBA, a popular studio show and grants WBD select international media rights for the next 11 years, covering regions such as the Nordics, Poland, and Latin America (excluding Mexico and Brazil).
This agreement allows WBD to distribute 100 regular-season games and playoffs annually, preserving its 35-year relationship with the NBA while expanding its ability to produce and distribute NBA content across platforms.
The legal dispute began when the NBA awarded domestic broadcast rights to Amazon, ESPN, and NBC in deals worth $76 billion starting in 2025, excluding TNT Sports. WBD, citing a matching-rights clause, took legal action after the NBA rejected its offer, but the settlement resolves the matter without going to court. The agreement allows WBD to maintain access to NBA content through digital platforms like Bleacher Report and House of Highlights, which are considered valuable tools for global audience engagement.
Under the terms, WBD will partner with the NBA on digital operations, a collaboration expected to generate $350 million over the deal’s duration. WBD will also promote NBA League Pass and air NBA-related advertising on its linear channels and digital platforms. Separately, Disney has been granted licensing rights for Inside the NBA to air select episodes on ESPN and ABC. In return, WBD gains sublicensing rights to college football and basketball games from ESPN, bolstering its sports programming lineup.
The settlement provides WBD with new avenues to engage basketball fans despite losing domestic live broadcast rights. Alongside the continuation of Inside the NBA, WBD plans to create new content featuring the show’s talent, such as the upcoming Inside Sports. The company has also broadened its sports portfolio with recent acquisitions, including Nascar, Roland Garros, and a women’s basketball league, ensuring diverse offerings for its viewers.
For the NBA, the resolution restores a collaborative relationship with WBD and ensures the iconic Inside the NBA remains a fixture for fans. This agreement enables the NBA to focus on its new partnerships with Amazon, ESPN, and NBC while leveraging WBD’s platforms to promote its content. Both organizations have emerged with strategic benefits, strengthening their positions in the competitive sports media industry.
