The NBA’s television rights have been a topic of discussion lately, especially with the popular show “Inside the NBA” featuring Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson. NBCUniversal and Amazon are in talks with the league about media rights. Charles Barkley, a former NBA star and outspoken analyst, expressed concerns about the possibility of fans having to stream games in the future.
Recently, Barkley was at the American Century Celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe, California, where he discussed Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), TNT’s parent company, potentially losing out on NBA broadcasting rights. Although Barkley has been a key part of TNT’s NBA coverage for many years, he announced that the upcoming season would be his last.
Barkley criticized the shift to streaming in sports, arguing that it prioritizes money over fans. He believes that not everyone can afford streaming services, and moving away from regular television could harm the fans. Despite TNT’s long-standing partnership with the NBA, they might lose out to competitors like Disney/ESPN, NBC, and Amazon in the new media rights deal.
The NBA recently finalized new media deals worth an estimated $76 billion over 11 years. These agreements could potentially exclude TNT/WBD from the broadcasting rights. Barkley’s comments reflect a concern for the fans and accessibility to NBA games, highlighting the ongoing debate over the future of sports broadcasting.