Charles Barkley proved once again that he is a team player.
On Wednesday, August 14, the NBA legend revealed on Show by Dan Le Batard podcast that he left a minimum of $100 million “on the table” to stay with Turner Sports. His decision to stay with the sports division of Warner Bros. Discovery came after TNT was left out of the NBA’s 11-year media rights deal.
“The No. 1 thing for me is that my Turner people keep their jobs for at least another year,” Barkley, 61, told host Dan Le Batard. “That’s all I was worried about.”
Because of the new agreement, Barkley’s possible exit was contractually correct. But he told Le Batard, 55, that he wanted to stay with TNT. However, he admitted that it “100% felt great” to receive offers from outside networks that are recruiting Sports Broadcasters Hall of Famers.
“I want to thank all those networks for reaching out to me,” the two-time NBA Hall of Famer said. “It was really humbling and cool, to be honest with you. Even though they were throwing crazy numbers, like damn, but as long as I have my people safe at TNT, I feel really good.”
“Like I said, they’re going to pay me to go and talk about nothing,” Barkley said, adding jokingly, “I probably would have honestly had to work all day if I went to one of those other networks.”
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Charles Barkley on December 7, 2023 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Mike Kirschbaum/NBAE via Getty
Barkley signed a 10-year contract with TNT Sports in 2022. He worked as a commentator on the award-winning channel NBA on TNT and Within the NBAthe latter of which he co-hosts with Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal.
In late July, TNT Sports lost the media rights to the NBA after the league rejected Warner Bros.’s offer. Discovery of 1.8 billion dollars a year, which matched Amazon’s offer, writes CNN. As a result, the upcoming 2024-25 NBA season. will be the last with TNT.
The NBA’s new 11-year deal with ESPN parent The Walt Disney Company, NBC and Amazon Prime Video will begin in the 2025-26 season. The business is expected to earn $76 billion.
“We are grateful to Turner Sports for their award-winning coverage of the NBA,” the league said in a statement, according to USA Today. “(We’re looking forward to) another NBA season on TNT.”
TNT responded that it would take “legal action” regarding the situation, Sports Illustrated writes.
Charles Barkley is selling his Olympic gold medal to build affordable housing in his Alabama hometown
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Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley on June 26, 2017 in New York City.
Michael Loccisano/Getty
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Barkley also responded to the deal in a July 26 statement on Instagram.
“It’s a sad day when owners and commissioners choose money over fans. It’s just bullshit,” he wrote. “I just want to thank everyone who’s been at Turner for the last 24 years. They’re the best people and the most talented and they deserve better. I also want to thank the NBA and its fans — the best fans in sports. We’re going to give you everything we’ve got next season.”
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Source: HIS Education