ESPN has revealed the initial broadcast schedule for Inside the NBA. In a press release. the legendary studio show's new network called the schedule "robust," but a closer look at the number of shows seems to indicate it is... not.
The Inside the NBA crew of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smith will appear together for the first time on Oct. 22 as ESPN airs a double-header on the first full night of the NBA schedule. (NBC and Peacock will air a stand-alone double-header on opening night.)
The Inside crew will then be back in their familiar Thursday time slot on Oct. 23 as ESPN airs another double-header. If you've missed the show then you better get your fill in the opening days of the season because after that the show will air exactly four times over the next three months.
Inside the NBA is scheduled to run on Oct. 29, Nov. 12, Dec. 25 and Jan. 24. There will be nine total shows before the All-Star break.
The good news is that ESPN will rely on the show much more during the stretch run of the season as there are scheduled broadcasts the first three nights coming out of the All-Star break and there will be 10 shows between Feb. 20 and March 14.
Then they have four weeks off and come back for the final night of the regular season on April 12.
Overall this schedule consists of 20 shows over 25 weeks. And in 15 of those weeks the show will be completely dark.
According to the press release the pregame coverage will begin an hour before tip-off on ESPN and 30 minutes before the games on ABC. The only specifics about the postgame show, which traditionally ran around an hour on TNT, would follow NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC and would begin "immediately after the game on ABC and continue on the ESPN App."
We will continue to monitor this situation.
More NBA on Sports Illustrated