COLLEGE Football Playoff games are coming to TNT Sports.
The Warner Bros. Discovery-owned network has reportedly struck a sub-licensing deal with ESPN to add the CFP to its portfolio.
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The agreement is for five years and will start this upcoming season, according to The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand.
TNT Sports and Max — WBD’s streaming platform — will show two first-round games in the first two campaigns, per the report.
During the following three seasons, they will air two first-round matchups as well as two quarterfinals.
Marchand added that the agreement could be expanded to include more games.
The sub-licensed CFP games will reportedly feature TNT Sports branding even though they will be produced by ESPN and announced by ESPN talent.
However, TNT might be able to produce its own programming around them.
WBD’s move for CFP programming is unrelated to the difficult negotiations with the NBA over a new TV rights deal, Marchand reported.
NBC is believed to be nearing an agreement with the league to snatch TNT’s current game package.
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That would mean the end of TNT’s 30-year-plus relationship with the Association after the 2024-25 season — and, likely, the end of the iconic Inside the NBA show.
The situation could end up in a legal battle due to an alleged disagreement between TNT and the NBA on the media giant’s right to match a rival broadcaster’s offer.
NBC is said to be ready to pay about $2.5 billion for a game package.
ESPN is believed to have tentatively agreed a $2.6 billion deal with the league while Amazon Prime Video will reportedly pay about $1.8 billion for the TV rights.
Inside the NBA’s Charles Barkley recently expressed his worry that up to 200 WBD employees could lose their jobs if the NBA leaves TNT.
“It sucks right now, for the people I work with,” Barkley, 61, told Sirius XM.
Inside the NBA’s future?
Inside the NBA’s run on TNT Sports is in doubt due to the NBA’s broadcasting deals.
The Emmy-winning sports show is a fan favorite thanks to the likes of Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley.
But TNT’s broadcast deal with the NBA is up after next season and NBC is lining up a bid to take those rights.
If TNT loses its NBA package, it raises questions over the popular Inside the NBA.
One solution could be to recreate the show on another network, which snaps up the NBA rights.
“There’s nothing I can say – I am worried about all the people I work with.
“I really feel bad, man. Because 200 people are probably going to lose their jobs internally if we lose the NBA.”
Barkley also reiterated that a TNT-NBA breakup would probably spell the end for Inside the NBA because host Ernie Johnson is unlikely to move to another network.
“I don’t want to lie to you, I know Ernie would not go anywhere else – he’s almost 70 years old, I think he’s going to retire sooner than later,” Barkley said.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen to Amazon, ESPN or if we lose it to NBC.
“I’m not sure how to answer that question, honestly. I just don’t know.
“Ernie would not go to another network. I’m damn sure about that. I would listen before I made any decisions.”
