Charles Barkley has further explained his decision to retire from TV at the end of the 2024-25 season, explaining that he wants to stay loyal to TNT and Warner Bros. Discovery.
“I wouldn’t feel comfortable going to work for another network,” Barkley said on CNBC. “It’ll be 25 years that I’ve been working with Turner, and I love everybody at Turner. But at this age, to go over and start over, I don’t know if I want to do that.”
The NBA finalized media rights deals with ESPN, NBCUniversal and Amazon on Wednesday, and some began to speculate that Barkley could be part of a bidding war from all three companies.
But money isn’t something that will entice Chuck.
“Hey, if I don’t have enough money by now, I’m the biggest idiot, fool in the world,” Barkley said. “And, hey, seriously, if I don’t have enough money by now, 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.”
No doubt the murky future of TNT made up part of Barkley’s decision.
“I really feel bad for everybody at TNT — all the people I’ve been working with for the last 24 years, they’re like family to me,” Barkley said. “I honestly, in my heart, I think we have lost the package. This is my honest opinion. But I really hope we get a last-minute reprieve for the people at Turner.”
TNT still has the opportunity to match the contracts, The Athletic reported.
“The CEO of TNT Sports’ parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav, has publicly stated he may attempt to use language in the current contract to remain involved with the NBA,” The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reported.
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