Charles Barkley SLAMS The NBA After It Fails To Allow TNT To Match TV Rights Offer

Getty Image

Charles Barkley has never been one to hold back if he feels that something needs to be said.

The Basketball Hall of Famer emphasized that on Friday when he slammed the NBA for failing to come to an agreement with TNT over a television rights package.

The network announced earlier this week that it had matched the financial package Amazon offered for NBA broadcast rights beginning in 2025-26. But the NBA has since rejected that proposal, instead agreeing to a rights deal with multiple new broadcast partners.

Barkley was furious.

“Clearly the NBA has wanted to break up with us from the beginning,” he said in a statement. “I’m not sure TNT ever had a chance. 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. 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.

“I just want to thank everyone who has been at Turner for the last 24 years. They are the best people and the most talented and they deserve better. I also want to thank the NBA and its fans – the best fans in sports. We’re going to give you everything we have next season.”

The NBA leaving TNT means the end of the Inside the NBA studio show. Host Ernie Johnson has already made it clear that he’s unlikely to leave the Atlanta area for a show. And Barkley has hinted at retirement from full-time television after the next season.

“The main reason I was talking about next year being my last year – I wouldn’t feel comfortable going to work for another network,” Barkley, 61, said previously. “It’ll be 25 years that I’ve been working with Turner, and I love everybody at Turner, but at this age to go and start over, I don’t know if I want to do that.”

It marks the end of an era for the league, the network and the show. And NBA fans are losing in the process.