
Charles Barkley May Continue ‘Inside the NBA’ Under a Different Name If TNT Loses Broadcasting Rights
With the probability that TNT will lose the rights to broadcast NBA games after the upcoming season, basketball fans are bracing for the popular sports show, “Inside the NBA’ featuring Ernie Johnson and three former NBA players, Kenny Smith, Shaquille O’Neal, and Charles Barkley to end its run. Yet, Barkley, who, like most fans of the show, does not want it to end, despite TNT being outbid by another network. He stated he may bring the co-hosts under his production company to ensure they can continue doing the show.
The man who was once referred to as the “Round Mound of Rebound” during his NBA playing days is upset about the possibility of the Inside the NBA show ending because the parent company of TNT, Warner Bros. Discovery may not match the bid reportedly placed by other networks vying for the chance to broadcast the league’s games. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he appeared on a recent episode of “The Dan Patrick Show” speaking about the show and the likelihood that this season will be the last.
If he can make it happen, the show, although it would no longer be Inside the NBA, would make sure the co-hosts will still be kept together so they can continue pleasing NBA fans. He stated he had already talked to his fellow retired players, Shaq and Smith about the proposed move.
“I have my own production company, I would love to do that if if we lose it [NBA rights],” Barkley said. “But I have definitely had — actually somebody suggested that to me, to be honest with you, on the internet — ‘so why doesn’t Charles Barkley sign these three, guys four guys total to his production company and sell it?’ I’m like, ‘That’s a great idea.’”
He also expressed concern about the staff that works on the show being out of a job if TNT doesn’t get the chance to extend the contract with the NBA. Along with the network recently buying the rights to broadcast college games when they should have used those funds to keep the show and the contract under TNT.
“Morale sucks, plain and simple. You know, I just feel so bad for the people I work with Dan,” Barkley said. “These people I work with, they’ve screwed this thing up clearly. And we don’t have zero idea what’s going to happen. I don’t feel good. I’m not gonna lie, especially when they came out yesterday and said we bought college football. I was like, well damn, they could have used that money to buy the NBA.”
It’s been speculated that NBC has outbid TNT to secure the rights to broadcast NBA games after the next season.