Shaq Has Landed New Lucrative Media Contract
The TV landscape for NBA coverage is undergoing a significant shift, with TNT finding itself on the outside looking in after the league’s latest broadcast rights negotiations. While NBC and Amazon secured deals alongside ESPN, TNT’s exclusion raised questions about the future of its renowned basketball programming. Yet amid this uncertainty, a bright spot […] The post Shaq Has Landed New Lucrative Media Contract appeared first on The Cold Wire.
The TV landscape for NBA coverage is undergoing a significant shift, with TNT finding itself on the outside looking in after the league’s latest broadcast rights negotiations.
While NBC and Amazon secured deals alongside ESPN, TNT’s exclusion raised questions about the future of its renowned basketball programming.
Yet amid this uncertainty, a bright spot has emerged for one of basketball’s most beloved shows.
Shaquille O’Neal has committed to staying with Inside the NBA as it makes its transition to ESPN next season, signing a lucrative deal worth $15 million annually.
Though this figure falls short of Charles Barkley’s $21 million salary, it reflects O’Neal’s enduring value to the show’s success since joining the broadcast team in 2011.
Yahoo Sports confirmed the news on X, stating,
“Shaquille O’Neal has agreed to a deal for a reported $15 million per year to remain on Inside the NBA, per @FOS. The show will be licensed to ESPN from TNT starting next season.”
Shaquille O'Neal has agreed to a deal for a reported $15 million per year to remain on Inside the NBA, per @FOS.
The show will be licensed to ESPN from TNT starting next season. pic.twitter.com/JXQtcRaW7l
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) February 14, 2025
The development comes after Warner Bros., TNT and TBS’s parent company, failed to retain its NBA broadcasting rights.
However, the immense popularity of Inside the NBA made it too valuable to disappear entirely, prompting ESPN to incorporate the Emmy-winning program into its coverage.
The league’s new media landscape will see broadcasts distributed across ESPN/ABC (Disney), Amazon Prime, and NBC, reshaping how fans consume NBA content.
O’Neal’s journey with Inside the NBA is particularly noteworthy. Despite initial growing pains alongside Charles Barkley, Kenny “The Jet” Smith, and Ernie Johnson, he has evolved into an integral part of the show’s chemistry.
This natural rapport between hosts has created a viewing experience that ESPN’s own programming has struggled to match, making the show’s preservation all the more significant for NBA fans.
The post Shaq Has Landed New Lucrative Media Contract appeared first on The Cold Wire.
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