Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley is known more these days for his role in media. Barkley has enjoyed a ton of success as one of the co-hosts for the popular TNT studio show “Inside the NBA.”
Objectively, this is one of the most-entertaining pre-game and post-game shows in the sports world. Teaming up with Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith, the four have built a major brand for Turner Sports.
With TNT slated to potentially lose coverage of the NBA to ESPN and NBC next season, there is a real chance that this show is doomed.
For his part, the always boisterous Barkley is having none of it. He absolutely laid into the brass at Turner Sports with a rant during a recent appearance on the Dan Patrick Show. It was not subtle.
“Morale sucks, plain and simple. I just feel so bad for the people I work with. These people I work with, they’ve screwed this thing up clearly and we have zero ideas what’s gonna 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 funny because we just won the best studio show and these clowns, these fools I work with, turned us from Inglenook and Opus into Ripple and Boone’s Farm and Thunderbird.”
Charles Barkley on his TNT bosses
“Inside the NBA” started all the way back during the 1989-90 season after TNT acquired the rights to cover the Association. Johnson was the first full-time host during that campaign. He was joined by Kenny Smith in 1998 and Charles Barkley in 2000. Shaq was hired before the 2011-12 season.
Related: Charles Barkley Claps Back At Caitlin Clark’s Critics
Charles Barkley Could Still Continue With Iteration Of “Inside The NBA”
Media rights for NBA coverage starting next season have not been completely settled. There is still a chance that Turner Sports will be able to retain its rights. But things are not looking great.
It has led to Barkley seriously considering launching his own broadcast show and selling it to networks with his co-hosts.
“I’ve talked to the guys about everybody signing with my production company because I have my own production company,” Barkley said. “And I would love to do that if we lose it. But we’re just sitting back and waiting on these people.”
Barkley’s point about TNT potentially purchasing sme college football coverage from ESPN is something that will be lost in the context of his fiery rant.
A recent report indicated that TNT is looking to add college football to its scheduling immediately in what would be a sublicensing agreement with the four-letter network. Though, this agreement apparently doesn’t have an impact on Turner potentially saving its broadcast rights deal with the NBA.
As for Barkley, he could very well become one of the most sought-after free agents in media should things fall apart at Turner. It’s not all bad for the Hall of Famer and combative media personality.
Related: Shaquille O’Neal Hilariously Uses Stacks Of Cash To Troll Charles Barkley After Winning Bet
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