On Wednesday, the odds of TNT retaining its NBA coverage looked further away than ever, with the NBA announcing that TNT had failed to match Amazon Prime’s portion of the new media rights deal. The deal cements renewed NBA coverage on ESPN, as well as a return to NBC and the addition of games on Amazon.
Charles Barkley, one of the hosts of TNT’s popular “Inside the NBA” show, responded to the loss of the NBA on TNT on Friday. In a statement, Barkley said the NBA was prioritizing Amazon over TNT because of money.
“Clearly the NBA has wanted to break up with us from the beginning. I’m not sure TNT ever had a chance,” Barkley wrote in the statement. “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.”
Barkley, who has been an analyst for TNT since 2000, went on to thank everyone at the network. “They are the best people and the most talented and they deserve better,” he said.
He also extended his gratitude toward the fans: “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.”
Although TNT’s parent company, Warner Brothers, promised to “take appropriate action,” it looks likely that TNT will stop broadcasting the league after next season, much to the disappointment of “Inside the NBA” fans. The NBA’s current deal runs through next season, meaning TNT will continue showing games through the 2025 playoffs.
Barkley has suggested that his production company could take over the show, but later said in June that he is going to retire after next season.
The finalized version of this media deal is not quite set, with TNT threatening legal action despite Amazon already announcing the deal. TNT has held broadcast rights to the NBA for 35 years and has contract stipulations that make the NBA rejecting a bid more difficult, but it’s unclear whether the company will be able to alter the deal.
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