Executives from Turner were prepared not to have a 2021 NBA All-Star Game until recently with the push for the event believed to have come as a surprise to the network.

Turner makes approximately $30 million in ad revenue during All-Star weekend, a source with knowledge of the network's finances told The Athletic. The figure could double when one considers the All-Star weekend in its totality. 

If the NBA didn't play an All-Star Game, they likely would have had to add national games to help lessen the financial blow, which would then impact the regional sports networks. There had been talks about TNT's rights fees being lessened as a result of the cancelation of the game.