(Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Warner Bros. Discovery)
Basketball fans may be on the verge of losing “Inside the NBA” and no one is happy about that.
The NBA is reportedly formalizing contracts with Disney, NBC, and Amazon for new rights deals that would start in the 2025-26 season.
That means that the league could be exiting TNT and “Inside the NBA,” featuring Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson, could leave the airwaves.
Speaking of this possible change, Barkley was quite honest, according to NBACentral.
“Morale sucks. Plain and simple. The people I work with screwed this up so badly,” Barkley said.
Charles Barkley criticizes TNT over the potential loss of their NBA broadcasting rights to NBC
“Morale sucks. Plain and simple. The people I work with screwed this up so badly.”
(Via @dpshow / h/t @JimmyTraina ) pic.twitter.com/1z31QiKdwx
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 23, 2024
NBC is apparently playing hardball to get the NBA back.
The network is reportedly offering $2.6 billion a year to air games, which is way more than what TNT’s owner, Warner Bros. Discovery, is willing to spend.
However, Warner Bros. Discovery has matching rights, meaning they will get the chance to match the value that NBC puts up.
But the chances of them matching that massive amount are slim and that would mean the NBA would say goodbye to TNT after many years.
“Inside the NBA” has gained a massive following and has become a cultural touchstone too.
The loss of this show would be devastating to NBA fans but could the four hosts be able to work together even if their current show ends?
That too seems unlikely because of their contracts with Warner Bros. Discovery but there is a chance that a few of them could split off and start another show after “Inside the NBA” ends.
Unless something unexpected happens in current negotiations, “Inside the NBA” is likely coming to an end, and Barkley sounds very disappointed about that.
The post Charles Barkley Doesn’t Hold Back His Thoughts About TNT Losing NBA Rights appeared first on The Cold Wire.