Charles Barkley has weighed in on the NBA‘s new 11-year, $76 billion TV rights deals with Disney, NBCUniversal and Amazon.
In a statement Friday morning, the basketball hall-of-famer and TNT Inside the NBA host ripped into the league for pursuing money from big tech companies, suggesting that the league had planned to cut a deal with Amazon from the start.
“Clearly the NBA has wanted to break up with us from the beginning. I’m not sure TNT ever had a chance,” Barkley said. “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.”
The NBA announced the new long-term deals Wednesday, with Disney and ESPN keeping their existing package, and NBC Sports and Prime Video getting new “B” and “C” packages. Warner Bros. Discovery and TNT Sports had attempted to match Amazon’s $1.8 billion deal, but the NBA responded that WBD’s offer did not match what Amazon had on the table.
Barkley also weighed in on his colleagues at TNT Sports, and pledged to make next season — which could be Inside the NBA‘s last — a winner.
“I just want to thank everyone who has been at Turner for the last 24 years,” Barkley said. “They are 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 have next season.”
As for Barkley, he previously said that he planned to retire from TV after the next season. Though one wonders if a compelling offer could change those plans.
