Charles Barkley is highly sought after by ESPN, NBC, and Amazon as the NBA transitions to a $76 billion media rights deal, marking a shift from the Warner Bros. Discovery.
The NBA media landscape is about to undergo a major transformation over the next 11 years.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the league is set to sign a $76 billion media rights deal with ESPN, NBC, and Amazon. This new agreement, effective from the 2025-26 season, will be more than three times larger than the current $26 billion deal.
As a result, the upcoming season will be the last for the iconic "Inside the NBA" show on TNT, featuring Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson.
However, ESPN, Amazon, and NBC are all reportedly targeting Barkley. According to The Athletic's Andrew Marchand and Richard Deitsch, "I know ESPN, Amazon, and NBC are interested in him, according to executives briefed on their plans," Marchand noted.
WBD Sports still holds the broadcasting rights for the NCAA Tournament, where Barkley is a prominent analyst, along with other events where he could be utilized. Barkley has mentioned that he might leave on his own accord.
While there have been no concrete discussions on how Barkley, Johnson, O’Neal, and Smith could remain together, such discussions are expected to happen, according to the same report.
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