Warner Bros Discovery Sues NBA Over Media Rights Bid Rejection

Warner Bros Discovery and Turner Broadcasting System filed a lawsuit against the NBA, citing a breach of agreement in rejecting their bid to match media rights offers. The NBA awarded rights to Disney's ESPN, NBCUniversal, and Amazon instead. Turner argues their vested interest and significant investment justify their bid.

Warner Bros Discovery and its sports division, Turner Broadcasting System, filed a lawsuit on Friday against the National Basketball Association in New York. The lawsuit comes after the NBA rejected Turner's matching bid for media rights, which the media company claims breaches their existing agreement.

In a statement, TNT Sports said, 'We strongly believe this is not just our contractual right, but also in the best interest of fans who want to keep watching our industry-leading NBA content.' However, NBA spokesman Mike Bass rebutted, saying Warner Bros Discovery's claims are 'without merit.'

Earlier this week, the NBA announced an 11-year deal valued at $77 billion, awarding media rights to Walt Disney's ESPN, Comcast-owned NBCUniversal, and Amazon. This decision ends nearly four decades of partnership with Turner. Turner argues it has a vested interest and considerable investments tied to NBA games, which significantly impact their advertising and competitive positioning.

(With inputs from agencies.)