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Follow Us via Imago Image courtesy: Imago The future of NBA broadcasting hangs in the balance as more players enter the market. The biggest streaming platforms have made their intentions very clear

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The future of NBA broadcasting hangs in the balance as more players enter the market. The biggest streaming platforms have made their intentions very clear about expanding their sports catalog. That has made current NBA broadcasters like TNT and its parent company anxious. Someone on the inside who is familiar with the tension in the halls of the TNT studio is their star analyst, Charles Barkley. And he’s being honest about what’s to come.

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Barkley was on The Bill Simmons Podcast recently to talk about his career from the NBA court to the NBA broadcast studio. There’s the looming question if Chuck would jump ship should the NBA go to another broadcaster. But he says it’s anyone’s game now.

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The history of NBA broadcasts is revolutionary. When Charles Barkley entered the NBA court, the games went from tape-delay to a ratings goldmine. Currently, broadcasting companies are willing to get into a bloody bidding war to secure their rights.

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The NBA’s current media rights stand with Warner Bros. Discovery’s TNT and Disney’s ESPN. They expire after the 2024-25 season, which leaves less than two years to decide where the NBA can be viewed next.

The competition has gotten stiffer with streaming giants like Amazon, Apple, Disney, and YouTube in the mix. The platforms have expressed their intent to get NBA local streaming rights. It can’t be predicted yet if they get all or partial media rights, but it means trouble for Turner and ESPN that currently employs top analysts like Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, and Stephen A. Smith.

While Barkley was on his podcast, Bill Simmons checked the temperature at TNT through him. Everyone wants to know if TNT and ESPN are going to go all out against trillionaire bidders like Amazon and Apple. Barkley said, “I don’t think anyone knows.” And he means not only Turner but also ESPN.

He said that since everyone knows Amazon and Apple are going to bid on the media rights and they have the capacity to go high, “I don’t know what the breaking point is for ESPN or Turner, I don’t think anybody knows.”

The Chuckster has already discussed this topic on another podcast. He confessed that Turner and ESPN are feeling very threatened by Amazon and Apple. This could change the trajectory of his own career too. Barkley is already contemplating retirement but also teased he would consider working with his fellow ‘Inside Guys’ at another studio.

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NEW YORK, NY – MAY 13: (L-R) Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley appear on stage during the Turner Upfront 2015 at Madison Square Garden on May 13, 2015 in New York City.25201_002_TW_0792.JPG (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Turner)

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Turner is trying to retain its on-air talent by offering Barkley a $100 million extension. However, if the NBA will no longer be on TNT and ESPN, the current analysts would have to rework deals with others. The challenge for the networks is to retain both the media rights and its analysts.

“The last thing anybody wanna do is get in a bidding war with Apple and Amazon ’cause that’s a lose-lose proposition,” Barkley said, adding, “The good thing about it, the next two years are gonna be very interesting.” They could lose partial or all of the rights. But no one knows yet. Not even Charles Barkley.

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Do you agree with Chuck? Don’t forget to let us know in the comments below.

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Caroline John

179 articles

Edited By: Debmallya Chakraborty

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