Saturday, October 24, 2026

AT&T Gets Q2 Lift From NBA

  • AT&T bounced back from a pandemic dip with a strong second quarter, buoyed by the return of the NBA on WarnerMedia’s TNT and TBS.
  • The company is in the process of selling off its media properties.
Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports/Design: Alex Brooks

Want more from Front Office Sports
in your search results?

Add Front Office Sports on Google

AT&T is offloading its media assets — but for now, those properties are paying dividends.

The company posted $44 billion in Q2 revenues on Thursday, a year-over-year boost of 7.6%, and only 2.2% below the pre-pandemic Q2 2019.

The company got a timely assist from the return of the NBA, which is key for WarnerMedia’s TNT and TBS. 

  • WarnerMedia’s revenues rose to $8.8 billion, up 30.7% from Q2 2020.
  • The NBA’s impact was reflected in WarnerMedia’s 48.5% growth in advertising revenue to $1.7 billion. 
  • AT&T is in the process of spinning off WarnerMedia in a $43 billion merger with Discovery. DirecTV is selling $3.1 billion in junk bonds to expedite its own split from AT&T.

While the telecommunications giant is stepping away from owning media properties, it’s more than happy to be the support system for other major media players. AT&T is replacing T-Mobile as the Dish Network’s primary network services provider in a deal worth at least $5 billion. 

AT&T showed the strength of its core offering, adding 1.16 million regular wireless customers in the quarter. That figure nearly quadrupled the 300,000 expected by analysts.

Download the FOS App

The business of sports, in your pocket.

QR code to download the app

Scan the QR code to get the app now.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Mat Ishbia

Suns Owner Mat Ishbia: Steve Ballmer Is a ‘Great Owner’

“That was a misstep by Steve,” Ishbia told FOS about the situation.

NBC: NBA Opening Night Tip-Off Most-Watched Ever

The Sixers-Knicks game drew 7.7 million viewers.

LSU Won’t Roster Ex-NBA Player As SEC Legal Battle Continues

Louisiana AG Liz Murrill called again for the SEC’s lawsuit to be dismissed.

Adam Silver on LeBron Helicopter: ‘Perfectly Appropriate’

A source tells FOS the league is not investigating the matter.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

10/23/26 – JJ Watt Takes CBS Chair, FIFA Rights Shake-Up, Small-Market World Series

0:00

Featured Today

Football - NFL - Houston Texans v Jacksonville Jaguars - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - October 18, 2026 The necklace of a Jacksonville Jaguars fan outside the stadium before the match

Die-Hard Sports Fandom Has Reached the Afterlife

Will fans pay $6,000 to memorialize their team loyalty?
October 20, 2026

Why Europe Is Pumping Out NBA Superstars

The NBA and NCAA have an increasingly European flavor.
October 15, 2026

College Flag Football Is Outgrowing Its DIY Era

Women have been building the college game themselves at the club level.
Oct 5, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas arrives at the arena before the Penguins host the Winnipeg Jets at PPG Paints Arena
October 12, 2026

NHL’s New Wave of GMs Is Built Different

“I am in the prediction business,” Devils GM Sunny Mehta tells FOS.
Action Images/Peter Cziborra
October 9, 2026

Is Leicester City’s $264 Million Price Tag Too Rich for Hungry Investors?

After falling from grace, how much is a former top club worth?

Troy Aikman Says He’d Consider Role With Cowboys

Aikman welcomes conversations with Jerry Jones as his ESPN contract nears expiration.
Aug 30, 2018; New York, NY, USA; Television personality Britt McHenry in the stands during a second round match between Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Tennys Sandgren of the United States on day four of the 2018 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
October 23, 2026

Britt McHenry Out at Trump Admin After Viral Drink-Throwing Incident

McHenry joined the State Department as a press advisor last month.
October 24, 2026

Luke Kuechly Calls Netflix NFL Role a Work ‘In Progress’

Kuechly is also calling some regional NFL action for CBS.
Sponsored

Blake Griffin’s Plan for Media Domination

The former NBA star is building a second act across media & entertainment.
Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; ESPN Monday Night Football logo on an end zone camera before the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Houston Texans in an AFC Wild Card Round game at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
October 23, 2026

Ranking Troy Aikman’s Likeliest ESPN Replacements

ESPN has yet to formally offer Aikman a new contract.
Zach Lowe Sean Fennessey The Ringer
October 22, 2026

Substack: No Deal With The Ringer, Even as Talent Flocks to Platform

Zach Lowe is the latest Ringer talent to launch a Substack newsletter.
Troy Aikman
October 22, 2026

Examining Troy Aikman’s Options After J.J. Watt-CBS Deal 

Aikman has yet to receive a formal offer to return to ESPN.
NBC Sports Logo
October 22, 2026

Comcast-NBCUniversal Split Comes With $1B Cost, Layoffs

The NBC Sports parent company will take on a hefty restructuring charge.