Within the realm of sports activities media, it got here as a shock information broke that TNT’s well-known basketball pre- and post-game present “Contained in the NBA” can be shifting to ESPN.
One in all its stars was simply as shocked as the remainder of us after discovering out when everybody else did.
Charles Barkley, who stars on “Contained in the NBA” alongside Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny “The Jet” Smith, just lately mentioned that there was no phrase from Warner Bros’ Discovery’s Turner Sports activities in regards to the transfer earlier than he discovered when the information broke.
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Charles Barkley autographs in the course of the In-Season Event sport between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Los Angeles Lakers on December 7, 2023 at T-Cellular Enviornment in Las Vegas, Nevada. (NBA Images/NBAE through Getty Pictures)
“I’ll inform you what’s enjoyable,” Barkley mentioned on “The Bettor Angle” present on BetQL community. “They haven’t even advised us we misplaced the NBA.
“We’ve got to listen to it via the media. And even this thins with ABC/ESPN, I heard about it on the web. Scott Van Pelt, Brian Windhorst, Elle Duncan, Bob Myers, all mates of whine who I actually like quite a bit. They texted me welcoming me to the ESPN household. I’m like, ‘What occurred?’ TNT didn’t even have the courtesy.”
CHARLES BARKLEY SAYS HE TURNED DOWN ‘MINIMUM OF $100 MILLION’ TO STAY WITH TNT
Barkley added that it felt just like the “Contained in the NBA” workforce “received traded,” however contemplating his time taking part in within the NBA, it’s frequent courtesy to let that particular person know earlier than it makes the information.
“If I used to be going to commerce any individual that I had respect for and admire, I’d at the very least give them a heads up,” he mentioned. “I wouldn’t allow them to hear about it from different folks or the web.”
Earlier than this transfer, Barkley had been actually vocal about Turner Sports activities’ rift with its NBA media rights, with “Contained in the NBA,” a program the well-known quartet have been part of since 2000, probably closing up store.
Jan 21, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns former participant Charles Barkley in attendance at Footprint Middle. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports activities)
Again in August, after the NBA signed a brand new media rights cope with ESPN, NBC and Amazon Prime, Barkley mentioned that he might’ve gone anyplace, however needed to stick with the workforce he knew for over 20 years. He later backtracked his assertion that this season can be his final, saying he needed to work with TNT leaders to develop new exhibits and extra sports activities content material.
TNT felt they weren’t capable of pretty match the brand new deal, resulting in a lawsuit that was finally settled with the 2 sides inking multi-year agreements that will proceed “Contained in the NBA.”
Then, ESPN confirmed experiences final week, saying an settlement was struck with TNT Sports activities the place, besides when the present goes on the street, TNT would proceed independently produce the present from its Atlanta studios with the foursome intact. It’ll, nonetheless, seem on ESPN and ABC beginning within the 2025-26 season.
TNT basketball analyst Charles Barkley on air earlier than the NCAA Mens Basketball Event Last 4 semifinal sport between the Purdue Boilermakers and the North Carolina State Wolfpack at State Farm Stadium on April 06, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. (Mitchell Layton/Getty Pictures)
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Subsequent season begins the 11-year media rights extension ESPN has with the NBA.
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