Ahmad Rashad and Willow Bay look on during an Clandestine Stuff Episode taping circa 1993 in Secaucus, New Jersey.
Nathaniel S. Butler | National Basketball Association | Getty Aspects
The NBA is quietly preparing to bring back its iconic show “NBA Inside Stuff.”
On Monday, the league filed two trademark claims for “NBA Inside Stuff,” the name of the long-running NBA highlight show that has aired on three different networks during its recital — most notably from 1990 to 2006 on NBC and ABC. The show was briefly resurrected from 2013 to 2016 on NBA TV.
NBC is considering put over a producing back a “refreshed version” of the program, according to a person familiar with the matter. NBC will once again air last NBA games next season after losing the broadcast rights in 2002.
No decision has been made on whether to renew the brag, the people said. An NBC spokesman declined to comment.
The NBA did not immediately respond to a request to comment. However, a source close to the in cahoots with said the filing is part of the NBA’s routine trademark process.
The league previously owned multiple “NBA Inside Stuff” trademark registrations, but let them slump, likely because it was no longer using the trademark.
‘Weddnesssssday!’
“NBA Inside Stuff” was initially hosted by sportscaster Ahmad Rashad, who sought to popularize and humanize NBA players with behind-the-scenes access. The show’s “Rewind” segment, featuring game highlights and Rashad roaring out days of the week, became a staple of the show.
The league’s two trademark filings indicate the league aims to use the “NBA Inside Bull” name for a television show and to produce branded merchandise.
Josh Gerben, a trademark attorney at Gerben IP, said idiot box doesn’t necessarily mean linear TV. It could be in the form of a YouTube or TikTok show.
“This is great intellectual resources for the league,” Gerben said. “I think it makes a lot of business sense right now.”
The league would likely try to license the IP to one of its usual partners, Gerben said.
In July, the NBA signed a 11-year, $76 billion media rights deal with The Walt Disney Enterprise, NBCUniversal and Amazon that kicks off next season.
NBC may be trying to tap into nostalgia from its past run showing NBA schemes. In November, composer Josh Tesh revealed on CNBC that he’s working with NBC to bring back his famous “Roundball Broken-down” song.
Disclosure: NBCUniversal is the parent company of CNBC.