Ever since the NBA signed their new 11-year, $76 billion TV deal with ABC/ESPN, NBC and Amazon during the summer, a lot of drama ensued as the media rights with Warner Bros. Discovery are coming to an end. Now that Inside the NBA will be moving to ESPN next season, they might have to do so without one of their stars.
Apparently, Charles Barkley still isn’t convinced he’s going to continue to talk basketball on television with another network. In a recent appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, he revealed that he’s uncertain about his decision, despite the fact that Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal seem open to the idea.
“I haven’t decided yet,” Chuck admitted on Wednesday. “I’m listening to NBC and Amazon. I want to know everything that’s on the table for me before I sign in. I love those guys at ESPN and if we end up there, I’m gonna do the best I possibly can.”
Charles Barkley has retired, unretired, committed to TNT, and now says he’s listening to Amazon and NBC before Inside the NBA joins ESPN.https://t.co/ackCsZBud9
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 19, 2024
Barkley then added: “First of all, they haven’t even given us any type of schedule, whatsoever. But I’d be doing myself a disservice not to meet with NBC −which I have − and meet with Amazon, which I have. And the number one thing I’ve told everybody, ‘Can y’all give me a damn schedule?’”
The podcast host, who worked many years for ESPN, anticipated that Charles would end up “working a lot more than you think you’re going to be working,” to what the the Hall of Famer replied, “like no damn dog”.
As of now, the 62-year-old only works two days a week for Inside the NBA, and assures he doesn’t want to work more than that at this point in his life. “I want it in writing how much we’re going to be working,” Barkley shared.
If the Suns icon decides to step away from the microphones and not be a part of ESPN next year, it would definitely result in a saddening blow for the fans, but also for the new network. Having celebrities like Chuck on their roster is a smart way to allure more fans to continue watching the show.
