Charles Barkley didn’t hold back on the NBA. While speaking to Tom Friend of the Sports Business Journal, Barkley mentioned he didn’t like that the league chose to take more money to take the league primarily to streaming services and take it away from cable, thus affecting several fans. But he also noted that these deals are because players and coaches want to earn more money, so he isn’t too surprised.
“Well, I think that you got greedy players and greedy owners. They don’t really care about anything but how to make the most money possible. We should never put money above the regular fan. 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.”
“But 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’s always the most important thing. No matter how much money you make, if the people are not watching, it’s a lose-lose proposition.”
Barkley has always been someone who advocates for the fair treatment of NBA fans, as he believes that the fans are the biggest lifeblood of the NBA. Barkley himself faces a great concern thanks to the NBA’s media negotiations, as his Inside The NBA show is set to go off the air with Warner Bros. Discovery losing the rights to the NBA.
As a result, Charles Barkley announced that he would be retiring from broadcasting next year, regardless of Inside The NBA’s continuation.
Charles Barkley Is A Legend In The NBA And Broadcasting
Charles Barkley had an incredible career in the NBA as a player, being an 11-time All-Star and a former MVP. While he never won an NBA championship, he is still considered one of the best players in NBA history at the power forward position.
Barkley translated his incredible basketball career into broadcasting when he joined Inside The NBA on TNT in 2000, and has been a mainstay on the show for over two decades. Barkley instantly became a hit among fans, with many enjoying Chuck for his zany sense of humor and hilarious insights into the sport.
Barkley was a big part of Inside The NBA growing in popularity the way it has over the years. His incredible rapport and chemistry with Kenny Smith, Ernie Johnson, and Shaquille O’Neal have led to some of the greatest moments in sports media history.
Barkley is unlikely to leave Warner Bros. and TNT if the NBA doesn’t sign a media rights deal with them.
Fans are rightfully upset about potentially losing the most entertaining basketball show on the air today, especially considering how polarizing ESPN’s coverage and broadcast team have been for the last few years.
But NBA commissioner Adam Silver attempted to quell concerns last month, as he hinted that the show may not be coming to an end. We will have to wait and see what the future holds for Barkley and his colleagues.
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