Anson Carter bowtie Ernie Johnson
By Matt Yoder on

Ernie Johnson and Inside the NBA may no longer be airing on TNT, but their presence is still felt.

This week sees the NHL regular season get underway with TNT and ESPN being the main rightsholders once again. After ESPN had opening night coverage on Tuesday, it was TNT’s turn on Wednesday.

While the NHL on TNT studio crew hasn’t soared to the heights of Inside the NBA, and let’s be honest, nobody really can, the network has found another combination of personalities that work very well alongside each other to educate and entertain fans.

And to start the season, the crew was on site in Las Vegas for the Golden Knights hosting the Los Angeles Kings. And as host Liam McHugh introduced the crew of Wayne Gretzky, Paul Bissonnette, Henrik Lundqvist, and Anson Carter, it was Carter that noted he was wearing a tuxedo and bowtie in honor of Ernie Johnson.

“First game of the season for us boys, I had to bring out the bowtie. It’s also a nod to our Ernie Johnson, too, our fellow teammates there at the NBA on TNT. They’re no longer with us, but they set the tone for our network,” Carter said.

First of all, it takes courage from these guys to wear suits… outside… in Las Vegas, where it was a cool 90 degrees at the time they came on the air.

Second, it was a classy tribute from Anson Carter to Ernie Johnson and the Inside the NBA crew. There is no TNT Sports in 2025 without them and the incredible run of the NBA on TNT. Technically, Inside the NBA are teammates with both ESPN and TNT broadcast teams representing the NHL thanks to the unique licensing deal between the two networks. TNT will still own and operate the show, with the talent under contract to their network, while it will air on ESPN. So don’t be surprised if you see hockey superfan Charles Barkley show up once again at some point later this season.

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