Thank you! Your submission has been received!
closeOops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Reports are emerging that the NBA is nearing an agreement with NBC to televise NBA games, potentially marking the end of the best studio show in television history, "Inside the NBA." This situation is disastrous on all fronts. Whether you want to call 911, smash the panic button, or whatever else, this is a disaster. If Adam Silver agrees to the NBC deal, it will confirm two things:
The NBA regular season is already dull, but TNT has discovered a way to keep people tuned in during an era dominated by TikTok and social media. People sit through blowouts and commercials just to hear what Ernie, Chuck, and Shaq will say postgame. If Silver accepts the NBC deal, it's merely a blind money grab—yes, I understand that's how sports work; I'm an ACC fan, I get it.
Ninety-five percent of people get their NBA coverage via social media. Very few are actually watching mid-January Tuesday night NBA TV games. Most people see highlights on YouTube, House of Highlights, or X, and check box scores; that's how the majority consumes the NBA. I'm not pretending to be Ryen Russillo, grinding Wizards games on my couch in January, but I tune into almost every big game or when the Hornets are not actively tanking (which isn't often lately).
It's remarkable that the NBA has stumbled into the greatest studio show in television history, yet it seems like Silver couldn't care less. TV networks are spending millions hoping to replicate what "Inside the NBA" has created. ESPN is the latest example by adding Jason Kelce to their Monday Night Football crew.
If you're asking, "Well, how is this a disaster?" have you watched an NBA game on ESPN lately? It's genuinely awful. The studio show is terrible, and the commentators (exception of a couple) are subpar compared to their previous crews.
When you watch a game on ESPN, you never intentionally sit through the studio show or tune into the pre/post game shows. When you do, you almost always either change the channel or use it as background noise while scrolling on your phone. That's why "Inside the NBA" is different; you actually tune in for the studio show.
This is the reaction of every NBA fan when they tune into "Players Only" night on TNT.
That's what will happen if we lose this show. I think NBC will have far superior coverage than ESPN. If NBC is smart, they would hire the Van Gundy brothers and have a three-man crew for their best games. They're going to try and recreate Inside the NBA for their studio show and it's just not going to work, at least for many years.
There are still many details to be worked out, and there's a tiny chance Warner Bros somehow wins the NBA but as of now, it doesn't seem likely.
It's a shame we are likely losing Inside the NBA. If this is the end of the show, it sucks. No other show will ever replicate what they did.
