{"id":64533,"date":"2025-08-13T07:34:09","date_gmt":"2025-08-13T07:34:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/64533\/"},"modified":"2025-08-13T07:34:09","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T07:34:09","slug":"inside-the-nba-fans-receive-early-blow-as-schedule-reveals-huge-change-to-show-ahead-of-espn-switch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/64533\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Inside the NBA’ fans receive early blow as schedule reveals huge change to show ahead of ESPN switch"},"content":{"rendered":"

By JAKE FENNER, US SPORTS WRITER<\/a> <\/p>\n

Published: 18:46 EDT, 12 August 2025 | Updated: 19:00 EDT, 12 August 2025 <\/p>\n

If the preliminary schedule for ESPN’s NBA<\/a> coverage is to be believed, fans of ‘Inside the NBA’ may be headed for disappointment for the program’s new home.<\/p>\n

Last year, ESPN agreed to a sublicensing deal with Turner Sports for the rights to air the popular NBA halftime and post-game show starring Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny ‘The Jet’ Smith, and Charles Barkley.<\/p>\n

The deal was reached after Turner’s network – TNT – lost the rights to air NBA games for the 2025-26 season and onward.<\/p>\n

But even though the show is set to still hit the airwaves, the possibility for ESPN altering the program remained.<\/p>\n

According to Jon Lewis of Sports Media Watch<\/a>, ESPN’s advance calendar lists the debut of the award-winning show set for ESPN’s first NBA doubleheader of the season on October 22. However, it appears the network has only a half-hour block for the show.<\/p>\n

‘The show would run from 12:05-12:35am ET, leading to a Bristol-based SportsCenter at 12:35,’ Lewis reported.<\/p>\n

\"Fans <\/p>\n

Fans of the popular show ‘Inside the NBA’ may be concerned by a recent report on scheduling<\/p>\n

\"A <\/p>\n

A report from Sports Media Watch indicates ESPN will restrict the show to half-an-hour after the network broadcasts its first doubleheader of the season on October 22<\/p>\n

Daily Mail Sport has reached out to ESPN for comment on this report.<\/p>\n

The programming decision has notably not been announced by the ‘Worldwide Leader in Sports’ and is likely subject to change.<\/p>\n

But Lewis reports that after that half-hour show leading out of the doubleheader, the schedule doesn’t list ‘Inside’ to appear until Christmas Day.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A report from last November <\/a>noted that the show would air ‘during key moments on the league’s calendar: opening night, Christmas Day, the playoffs and the NBA Finals.’<\/p>\n

That report also added that it was ‘also likely it will be on during Saturday nights in the second half of the season, when ABC has a prime-time package of games.’\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fans and those appearing on the show have shared concerns for the rigidity of the company’s programming windows as they transition to the new network.<\/p>\n

Last month, Barkley even joked about those concerns, saying, ‘Are they gonna say we gotta go to the SportsCenter?’<\/p>\n

‘Inside’ has been no the air since 1989 – debuting on TNT and going through multiple different analysts before arriving at the main roster of four stars.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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