HITTING OUT
Charles Barkley slams NBA players and owners as ‘greedy’ and accuses league of ‘doing a disservice’ with new TV deal
Barkley reveals he won't be switching networks
CHARLES Barkley has gone on the attack as the NBA prepares to sign new television deals, calling players and owners "greedy".
As the NBA finalizes reported new deals with ESPN/ABC, NBC and Amazon, Barkley has put a negative spin on sport's new relationships with streaming operations.
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Barkley joined CNBC for a special interview on Thursday and was in typically compelling form.
"You got greedy players and greedy owners” Barkley said.
"They don’t care about anything but how to make the most money possible.
We should never put money above the regular fan.
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"Everybody can’t afford streaming. There’s nothing wrong with streaming, but when you start just going to the highest bidder and you’re not on regular television, I think you do a disservice to the fan.
"In fairness, the players want to make as much money as possible. The owners want to make as much money as possible, but the fan is always the most important thing because no matter how much money you make, if the people are not watching, it’s a lose-lose proposition.”
Barkley also said in the interview that he wouldn't want to work for another broadcaster after TNT.
He revealed during the recent NBA Finals has decided to retire from broadcasting, with TNT looking likely to lose the rights to show the NBA.
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"I wouldn't feel comfortable going to work for another network," Barkley said.
"It'll be 25 years that I've been working with Turner, and I love everybody at Turner.
Charles Barkley set to retire from TV after 2024-25 season after dropping major broadcasting bombshell during NBA Finals
"But at this age, to go over and start over, I don't know if I want to do that."
Barkley, 61, has been with TNT for a quarter of a century.
He joined the network shortly after he retired, following a brilliant playing career.
He has been a mainstay on "Inside the NBA on TNT" alongside Ernie Johnson, Kenny "The Jet" Smith and Shaquille O'Neal.
The show is a hugely popular one with viewers and many will see it as unthinkable to watch the NBA without it being on air.
What the new TV deal means for the NBA?
By The U.S. Sun's Assistant Sports Editor Damian Burchardt.
THE new TV rights deal is promising to be a humongous win for NBA players.
The league is set to more than double the revenue coming from its media partners, pocketing about $6.9 billion per year, which will inevitably lead to a huge salary cap spike in 2025-26.
That is going to send the value of player contracts skyrocketing.
Projected figures suggest we might see the first $100 million-per-year deal being signed soon.
Currently, Boston Celtics All-Star Jayson Tatum is projected to earn the highest single-season salary in NBA history, collecting $71.5 million in 2029-30.
It does feel like basketball fans would be on the losing side of the fight if the NBA and TNT indeed parted ways, though.
Inside the NBA is a one-of-a-kind sports entertainment show, as evidenced by ESPN's ongoing failure to come up with its own version of the program in recent years.
The NBA won't be the same without Kenny and Ernie trying to make sense of Shaq and Chuck's never-ending bickering every Tuesday night.
Barkley has one year left on his $10million, 10-year contract with TNT.
He has dismissed any suggestion that money could be a factor in changing his mind.
"If I don't have enough money by now, I'm the biggest idiot, fool in the world," Barkley said.
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"I've been so lucky and blessed. I played in the NBA for 15 years. I've been on television for 24 years.
"If I don't have enough money by now, I'm the biggest loser in the world."