GAME OVER
Major blow for TNT Sport customers as ‘irreplaceable’ sporting event to air on rivals Sky and Amazon Prime Video instead
It was only in October last year that TNT Sports and the NBA announced a "multi-year" broadcast deal
SKY and Amazon Prime TV customers are set to receive a big sports boost next year with 100 more season games at no extra cost.
But it comes as a major blow for TNT Sports which previously had exclusive rights to air these live matches in the UK and Ireland.
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Those already paying for Sky Sports and Prime Video packages will be able to watch fresh content from the National Basketball Association (NBA) beginning next year.
Next season's NBA games will air on Sky Sports, with Prime Video offering additional coverage.
It's all thanks to a new 11-year rights deal that has just been inked between NBA and Sky's sister company NBCUniversal, which are both owned by Comcast.
Amazon Prime Video has secured additional rights to air behind the scenes content.
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NBCUniversal will distribute all USA Basketball Senior Men’s and Women’s National Team games internationally.
It means live NBA broadcasts will cease airing in the UK via Warner Bros Discovery (WBD)'s TNT Sports after just two seasons.
While TNT Sports had aired just one season of the NBA in Ireland.
TNT Sports had hinted at the move earlier this week.
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In a statement on Monday, the broadcaster said: "Regrettably, the league notified us of its intention to accept other offers for the games in our current rights package.
"We have reviewed and matched one of them."
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It was only in October last year that TNT Sports and the NBA announced a "multi-year" broadcast deal, just weeks before the season started.
Sky Sports was the previous rights holder for the UK and Ireland, which now looks to be the case for the next decade.
This sucks… Inside the NBA is irreplaceable!!
TNT Sports subscriber via X
"When TNT Sports launched in July, we reaffirmed that premium rights were a priority for us, and the NBA falls squarely into that category," Trojan Paillot, Vice President of Sports Rights Acquisitions and Syndication as WBD said at the time.
Sky customers were previously able to sign up to TNT Sports content through the Discovery+ Premium plan.
"Shame on you @NBA," one furious customer wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
"NBA on TNT is the best show in sports and it’s not even close. #keepNBAonTNT."
Another wrote: "This sucks… Inside the NBA is irreplaceable!!"
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