Even though Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of TNT Sports, have lost the rights to transmit the NBA following this 2024-25 campaign, Charles Barkley has decided to stay put and remain loyal through the remainder of his contract. The Suns icon started by announcing this Tuesday that he will not retire after next season.
This came as a surprise, as the Hall of Famer had mentioned back in June that he wished to retire soon. Chuck noted that the upcoming NBA year would be his last in the broadcasting booth, especially after what eventually happened with the media deal negotiations.
The thing is, he had signed a 10-year contract extension with TNT Sports just two years ago, but felt in the dark all throughout the year as negotiations with the NBA seemed grim. After losing the media rights, Warner Bros. Discovery has decided to sue the league, as they believe they matched their opponent’s offer and were still rejected.
NEWS: Charles Barkley and TNT Sports have announced a continued long-term commitment!
“I love my TNT Sports family…This is the only place for me.” — Barkley
More: https://t.co/ipD6kpcYbH pic.twitter.com/ijqSzINql1
— TNT Sports U.S. PR (@TNTSportsUS) August 6, 2024
“I love my TNT Sports family. My No. 1 priority has been and always will be our people and keeping everyone together for as long as possible,” Barkley shared recently in a statement. “… I’m looking forward to continuing to work with them both on the shows we currently have and new ones we develop together in the future.
Chuck expressed why he feels such loyalty to his employers. “This is the only place for me. I have to say … I’ve been impressed by the leadership team who is fighting hard and have been aggressive in adding new properties to TNT Sports, which I am very excited about. … I’m going to give my all as we keep [fans] entertained for years to come,” he explained.
Now that ESPN/ABC, NBC and Amazon Prime Video earned the upcoming rights to transmit the league, they were expected to court the basketball analyst for their new program, but it seems that both Charles and host Enrie Johnson intend to stay with TNT. Even so, the future of Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal still remain uncertain.
“It’s going to all go to streaming in 11 years,” Barkley expressed about sports media rights, because “in 11 years nobody’s going to be able to afford these rights by streaming. They’re kind of getting their cake and eating it, too. They got ESPN and NBC and they got streaming.”
Barkley has been an outspoken critic of the way the NBA handled their negotiations with TNT, as it seemed the league never gave them a chance
Chuck assured that the NBA wasn’t willing to switch networks, and then mentioned how he hasn’t talked to his colleagues about their intentions pending outside offers. He believes now more than ever that the future is set to streams.
“TNT matched the money, but the league knows Amazon and these tech companies are the only ones willing to pay for the rights when they double in the future,” said the former player. “The NBA didn’t want to piss them off. It’s a sad day when owners and commissioners choose money over the fans. It just sucks. My thing was, ‘Wait, y’all f— up, I didn’t f— up, why do I have to take a pay cut.’”
Besides the NBA, TNT Sports also carries the NHL and NCAA men’s basketball tournament with CBS. The company recently invested in adding the College Football Playoff, Big East basketball, NASCAR and the French Open.
“Charles is one of the best and most beloved sportscasters in the history of television,” shared Luis Silberwasser, TNT Sports chairman and CEO. “I know I speak for all the members of the TNT Sports family when I say we are incredibly thrilled to share this mutual commitment to continue showcasing Charles’ one-of-a-kind talents and entertain fans well into the future.”
