Rumors are flying that TNT might lose the rights to broadcast NBA games next season, but Charles Barkley thinks there’s still a 50-50 chance they’ll keep them.
Uncertainty and Fear Among the Crew:
Even though Barkley is hopeful, he admitted everyone on the team is “scared to death” about what’s coming. He said they’re all in the dark, making things tense during these playoffs.
“We have zero idea what’s going to happen,” he shared in Chicago. “We might lose it … it is flat-out brutal, everybody’s scared to death.”
A Unique Situation:
Barkley explained this situation is unusual because it’s the first time their exclusive negotiating window closed without a new contract with TNT.
“It’s 50-50 that we lose our part to NBC,” he said. “Am I concerned? 100%, because as much as we have been partners with the NBA for I think 40 years, you would think if it was close in a bidding war, we would get the benefit of the doubt, but clearly that’s not happening … they’re scared to death over here right now.”
I feel like this whole thing must be so stressful for them.
Bill Simmons Doubts TNT’s Future:
While Barkley holds onto hope, Bill Simmons has no faith left. He claimed earlier this week that NBC Universal already secured the deal weeks ago.
“One of the funniest things ever is that we’re all pretending the TV deal wasn’t done like a week-and-a-half ago… I think it’s done. I think Warner already lost it. I don’t know why we’re waiting til after the playoffs. Maybe that’s how they have to do it, but it’s a wrap. NBC’s getting it,” Simmons stated.
Barkley’s Backup Plan:
Despite everything, Barkley seems prepared for any outcome. When he signed his 10-year contract in 2022, he made sure there was an opt-out clause just in case Warner Bros. Discovery lost NBA rights.
“It’s a really big deal, obviously,” he admitted. “But I covered my a–…I just signed a 10-year deal two years ago…I put an opt-out after a couple years because I wanted to make sure I cover my a– when it comes to this situation.” 😅
Future Possibilities:
Barkley even hinted at possibly recreating *Inside the NBA* on another channel since he’ll be free next year.
“I am actually in a really great position,” Chuck said. “Whether we go to … we knew it was going to be Amazon and Apple, but we didn’t know NBC was going to come out of nowhere … I love TNT; they’ve been great to me … but I wanted to make sure that if we lost the NBA in two years, I could be a free agent.”
