Major NBA Broadcasting Changes Announced Ahead of New Season

New York, NY — The NBA broadcasting landscape is set for a significant change with the announcement that “Inside the NBA,” featuring Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O'Neal, will make its debut on ESPN on October 22, 2025. After 36 years of airing on TNT, Turner Sports will exit the NBA broadcasting scene.

ESPN revealed its lineup for the upcoming 2025-26 season on Thursday, promising a shift for fans of the popular pre- and post-game show. In its new arrangement, “Inside the NBA” will initially only air three times before Christmas, creating mixed reactions from viewers accustomed to the weekly format on TNT.

Despite the limited schedule, the show is set to return more frequently in 2026. From January 24 through mid-April, it will air 15 times, including back-to-back nights from March 6 to March 8, leading up to the end of the regular season.

Barkley expressed concerns in September regarding the show’s format under ESPN, worried that time constraints would limit their ability to provide the in-depth analysis that fans cherish. “Are we going to get any time or are they going to say, ‘You have to go straight to SportsCenter?'” he posed during an interview.

ESPN’s president of content, Burke Magnus, assured fans that the essence of the show will remain unchanged despite the transition. “It’s still produced in Atlanta by the same people that produced it for Turner. It’s in their building,” he noted.

The format for pregame shows will see “Inside the NBA” on ESPN running for one hour, while those on ABC will be shorter at 30 minutes. Postgame coverage for ESPN games will also start immediately after the game concludes.

Fans await October 22 eagerly, hoping for a smooth transition to ESPN as they continue to celebrate one of the most beloved shows in NBA history.