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Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What's next for TNT's 'Inside the NBA' as it transitions to ESPN? Will there be changes to the landmark show?
"Inside the NBA" will no longer air on TNT, but it's not going away for good. (Photo by Andrew Burke-Stevenson/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) After 35 seasons, "Inside the NBA" as we know will be no more. The iconic studio show will sign off for the last time on TNT at the conclusion of the Eastern Conference Finals series between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks. Advertisement It's the end of an era that's significant to NBA fans of all ages. But fret not, loyal viewers. "Inside the NBA" isn't going away. It's just moving to a new location at ESPN. ESPN acquired the rights to "Inside the NBA" in a landmark November deal with Warner Bros. Discovery to broadcast the show on its networks. In return, TNT Sports will take over exclusive rights to a slate of Big 12 football and men's college basketball games from ESPN in addition to a deal that it previously had in place with the network for rights to College Football Playoff games. In short, "Inside the NBA" will carry on next season despite the end of TNT's 35-year run covering the NBA. Is ESPN going to mess with Inside the NBA? Probably/hopefully not? Advertisement ESPN and chairman Jimmy Pitaro wanted "Inside the NBA" for a reason. ESPN's not very good at producing NBA studio shows. For pretty much its entire existence as an NBA partner, ESPN has failed to produce a show that's compelling, much less one that captures the zeitgeist like "Inside the NBA." Instead, the quality of the ESPN product has generally ranged from functional to must-mute. "Inside the NBA" is so iconic, it was parodied on "Saturday Night Live" in 2022. (Photo by Will Heath/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images) (NBC via Getty Images) The struggles aren't from a lack of trying. ESPN's rotated in and out a cast of hosts, analysts and reporters while trying to find the right formula. None of the efforts has produced more than moderate success, despite significant high-level talent in the rotation. Advertisement So Pitaro reached a reasonable conclusion. If you can't beat 'em, buy 'em. Or trade for 'em, at least. Once it became clear that TNT was, in fact, getting out of the NBA business for the first time since 1989, Pitaro came up with one of the more brilliant, yet obvious ideas in recent sports media: obtain the rights to "Inside the NBA" and put it on the air as is. It was an idea with two significant impacts: Upgrade the product around ESPN's NBA broadcasts. And, more importantly in the grand scheme, give a lifeline to "Inside the NBA," which was previously on track to become an all-too unfortunate casualty of the latest NBA media rights shuffle. TNT 'will continue to independently produce Inside the NBA' By all accounts — including directly from ESPN — it sounds like "Inside the NBA" will continue to run largely as is. In its announcement about acquiring the rights to the show, ESPN made clear that "Inside the NBA" will continue to be produced by TNT Sports. "TNT Sports will continue to independently produce Inside the NBA from its Atlanta-based studios over the term of the agreement," ESPN's announcement from November reads. Advertisement It will feature the same cast and production team and will continue to be produced out of Turner's Studio J in Atlanta. ESPN and ABC will simply license the show for broadcast on its own networks. But surely ESPN will want to put its own fingerprints on the show, right? There's no way the "worldwide leader" won't want to tinker with it, at least a little bit. The Athletic's media reporter Andrew Marchand, who's covered the show's transition from TNT to ESPN, doesn't think so. Here's what he told "The Dan Patrick Show" in November. "I don't think that's gonna happen," Marchand said of ESPN tinkering with the show. Advertisement Marchand went on to cite other high-profile acquisitions under Pitaro like "The Pat McAfee Show" that runs largely untouched by ESPN management, and the network's decision to allow Peyton Manning to broadcast his "Monday Night Football" "ManningCast" out of his garage in Denver. "I think that's the Pitaro playbook," Marchand continued. "If I'm a producer there, I'm kind of saying, if I'm in Bristol, 'what are we doing? We can't get this right. The big boss keeps outsourcing our programming. That's not a good sign.' "But it's not the same Bristol. ... [Pitaro's] going out and getting what he wants, especially in terms of the on-air people." Barkley, Johnson, Smith, O'Neal reportedly all on board The people Pitaro wanted, in this instance, were Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O'Neal. And he's got them. Johnson was reportedly staying at TNT whether or not "Inside the NBA" continued. Barkley was signed to a long-term deal with TNT before the ESPN acquisition and has since reaffirmed his commitment to the network. Advertisement O'Neal has signed a new deal to remain with the network since ESPN licensed the show. And Smith is expected to remain on the show on a multiyear deal, according to CNBC. So what will be different? When exactly and for how long "Inside the NBA" will air isn't entirely clear. But some important details are, including the "Inside the NBA" crew covering the NBA Finals for the first time. ESPN provided a framework of a schedule in its acquisition announcement: "The legendary 'Inside the NBA' studio team will appear on ESPN and ABC surrounding high-profile live events, including ESPN's pregame, halftime and postgame coverage of the NBA Finals on ABC, conference finals, NBA playoffs, all ABC games after January 1, Christmas Day, opening week, the final week of the season and other marquee live events." ESPN also announced that its in-house studio shows "NBA Countdown" and "NBA Today" will continue to air. So "Inside the NBA" isn't fully replacing ESPN's NBA studio coverage. Advertisement So does this mean that "Inside the NBA" won't air before Christmas outside of opening week? That wouldn't make much sense given the October start to the NBA's regular season. It's possible that some of those early-season broadcasts could fall under the umbrella of "other marquee live events" and potentially include the NBA Cup that runs from mid-November through mid-December. But none of that is confirmed as of yet. Smith recently raised concerns about giving up schedule control to ESPN in an interview with the New Yorker. "We have the same crew of people doing the show," Smith said. "But the timing: are we a half hour now? Are we forty-five minutes? Fifteen minutes? "Those are the things that you can control when you own your I.P. But we don't. That was the only part that made me uncomfortable and disheartened, because I felt that the four of us should have went into ABC to negotiate that deal. I'm not saying that our executives don't know how to do that, but we are the I.P. now." So not everything will remain the same. And there will inevitably be some unexpected surprises given all the new moving parts. But the big picture is clear. We're not mourning the end of "Inside the NBA" this week with the conclusion of the Eastern Conference finals. We're just welcoming a new chapter. And that's great news for those of us who love the NBA.
Boston Globe
13-02-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
In New Hampshire, Manchester works to remake its reputation
Lang is part of a growing movement of city leaders, Get N.H. Morning Report A weekday newsletter delivering the N.H. news you need to know right to your inbox. Enter Email Sign Up In recent years, Manchester-Boston Regional Airport last year recently ranked Manchester as the Advertisement But it is unclear how long it might take to wash away decades of bad feelings about Manchester. The battle over the city's reputation was highlighted in New Hampshire's recent gubernatorial race when former mayor of Manchester Joyce Craig, a Democrat, ran against now-Governor Kelly Ayotte, a Republican. Ayotte and Advertisement 'Manchester took it on the chin in the election cycle,' said Scott Spradling, a longtime political reporter for WMUR who now runs a PR consulting business. He said Ayotte's attacks were not a fair depiction of the city where he works and has lived. 'The challenges that we face are not unique to a city of this size,' he said, voicing a common refrain among the city's cheerleaders. On a recent afternoon, even in the dead of winter, the major business district on Elm Street was lively – a significant change from just a few decades ago when locals said many storefronts on the street were boarded up. Families ambled around with kids in tow, people squeezed in a workout at a local gym, and workers clutched plastic bags of takeout gyros, Thai, and Halal food as they headed back to their jobs after a lunch break. Manchester, NH. 01/09/25 - At Dishon Bakery, owner Evan Lang (cq) pops loaves of bread into the oven. Manchester leaders hope to improve the reputation of their city with a rebranding effort. (Lane Turner/Globe Staff) Reporter: (Amanda Gokee) Topic: (xxnhmanchester) Lane Turner/Globe Staff Manchester, NH. 01/09/25 - The colorful paint of Margaritas Mexican Restaurant brightens Elm Street. Manchester leaders hope to improve the reputation of their city with a rebranding effort. (Lane Turner/Globe Staff) Reporter: (Amanda Gokee) Topic: (xxnhmanchester) Lane Turner/Globe Staff There were still some signs of hardship. A group of weather-worn men huddled near a shopping cart piled with possessions. The homeless rate in Manchester was three times higher than in other parts of New Hampshire, a With $1.5 million in federal COVID relief funds, city officials renewed marketing efforts that had been dormant since the mid-2000s. In 2023, they launched a survey to see what people's perceptions of Manchester were, and discovered those within the community held the worst views of the city. 'Dangerous,' 'unsafe," 'run-down,' and 'outdated' were among top responses from community members describing Manchester in the survey. Asked how others from the region would describe the city, crime and bad news topped the list, followed by the large unhoused population. Advertisement A homeless person in Veteran's Memorial Park on April 22, 2023, in Manchester, N.H. Andrew Burke-Stevenson for The Boston Globe Andrew Burke-Stevenson/Andrew Burke-Stevenson for The Boston Globe 'One of the things we struggled with was our civic pride, despite The city is also using its marketing budget on branding efforts such as developing a The stereotype they're working to undo has been around for a long time. In the late 18th and 19th centuries, New Hampshire was mostly farm and forest. Emily C. Walton, a sociology professor at Dartmouth College, said there has long been a stigma against cities among residents of more-rural areas, who associate them with vices and crime. Manchester, NH. 01/09/25 - Long buildings stretch out on Commercial Street. Manchester leaders hope to improve the reputation of their city with a rebranding effort. (Lane Turner/Globe Staff) Reporter: (Amanda Gokee) Topic: (xxnhmanchester) Lane Turner/Globe Staff Manchester, NH. 01/09/25 - Traffic flows on I-293 past the Merrimack River and the Manchester skyline. Manchester leaders hope to improve the reputation of their city with a rebranding effort. (Lane Turner/Globe Staff) Reporter: (Amanda Gokee) Topic: (xxnhmanchester) Lane Turner/Globe Staff Manchester was also a manufacturing city that attracted immigrants like the Irish and French Canadians, whose accents and religions were different from other residents. The tensions were so severe that a violent mob of American-born citizens 'It's a huge culture clash,' said Mark Hayward, a Manchester resident and former longtime Union Leader reporter. 'The rest of the state is white and old and rich,' he said, while Manchester is diverse, young, energetic, and home to Advertisement Anna Brown, a resident, remembers derogatory nicknames for Manchester from her childhood. Growing up in the neighboring town of Londonderry, 'We absolutely called it 'Manchvegas' all the time,' she said. Londonderry is significantly whiter, with a median income almost twice that of Manchester. Now, Brown finds herself coming to the city's defense. 'There's this, like, hostility toward Manchester that I really feel is unwarranted.' Local leaders are concerned that a negative perception could deter visitors, new residents, or investors. Residents and officials say the focus on the city's shortcomings ignores the city's progress. 'By every objective measure Manchester, NH. 01/09/25 - Sandwich Boards line Elm Street. Manchester leaders hope to improve the reputation of their city with a rebranding effort. (Lane Turner/Globe Staff) Reporter: (Amanda Gokee) Topic: (xxnhmanchester) Lane Turner/Globe Staff Manchester, NH. 01/09/25 - City Hall. Manchester leaders hope to improve the reputation of their city with a rebranding effort. (Lane Turner/Globe Staff) Reporter: (Amanda Gokee) Topic: (xxnhmanchester) Lane Turner/Globe Staff During the year he has been in office, Ruais said, he focused on the big issues: homelessness, addiction, mental health, the cleanliness of the downtown. He believes there's evidence the city is turning things around: he noted that 707 housing units are under active construction, there has been a housing through a city effort called the Engagement Center. But the city's negative image persists, according to Spradling, the business consultant. 'You still hear some of that stereotypical kind of attack on the city: Don't go downtown. It's super dangerous. There's too many homeless… It's a violent city,' he said. 'Honestly, I don't think it's fair.' Looking back, Ayotte insists her campaign messaging was in-bounds, focused on her opponent's record, rather than the city of Manchester itself. 'Manchester is obviously, as our largest city, such an important city. I believe in Manchester. I have a lot of pride,' she said. 'I was pretty clear about that on the campaign trail, but the things we discussed were really about the failure of leadership of my opponent on those issues in the city, and that was, I think, a fair discussion.' Advertisement For Lang, opening his bakery downtown was ultimately the right move. He said he already has a loyal customer base of people who enjoy his gluten-free treats. And he said the negative chatter has done little to tarnish his perception of Manchester, a city he believes is only getting better. 'We absolutely love it here,' he said. 'I think we got here at the right time.' The Merrimack River flows through Manchester, N.H. Lane Turner/Globe Staff Amanda Gokee can be reached at
