It’s not happening for another year, but the official word is out – Charles Barkley says next season will be his final one on TV. Sir Charles, one of the regular team members on “Inside the NBA,” says he’s not interested in joining any other – different – TV networks when TNT’s contract to cover the NBA expires at the end next season.
Barkley issued the announcement last week when he appeared on NBATV’s coverage of the NBA Finals series Game 4 with the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics. Along with Barkley, it’s been our man Shaq, Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith covering the NBA as part of the super-popular Inside the NBA program, which may be coming to an end after next season plays out.
Sir Charles: “I ain’t going nowhere other than TNT. But I have made the decision that, no matter what happens, next year is going to be my last year on television. And I just want to say thank you to my NBA family. You guys have been great to me. My heart is full with joy and gratitude.” Good words from Barkley, for sure!
The BIG Podcast with SHAQ
The announcement comes as the NBA is finalizing its next ginormous media rights deal. While the final details of the deal have not yet been announced, but it’s very much looking like Disney/ABC/ESPN (all the same company), along with Amazon, NBC and Warner Brothers / Discovery channels are on the inside track to make a deal…a deal that’s said to be worth an estimated $76 billion to the league over the next decade.
It’s looking like Warner Bros. / Discovery is the odd media company out. That’s the parent company of TNT, and if they’re out, it would, mean the end of games on TNT and no more “Inside the NBA.” Now, there have been rumors that since “Inside” is so popular with fans, there may be some ideas going around to keep Inside the NBA, perhaps on some other network.
Charles talked about that possibility, too. “I hope the NBA stays with TNT, but for me personally, I wanted you guys to hear it from me … I wanted to tell my NBATV and TNT family that I’m not going to another network, but I’m going to pass the baton to either Jamal Crawford or Vince Carter or you Steve [Smith],” Barkley said. “But next year, I’m going to just retire after 25 years, and I just wanted to say thank you. And I wanted y’all to hear it from me first.”
Talking about the deal, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver called the media rights process “incredibly complex.” There’s way more to consider than simple TV broadcasts. Silver addressed the TNT situation: “[To] the folks at Turner Sports, I apologize that this has been a prolonged process, because I know they’re committed to their jobs,” he said. “It’s a large part of their identity and their family’s identity, and no one likes this uncertainty. I think it’s on the league office to bring these negotiations to a head and conclude them as quickly as we can.”
So what’s a guy like Shaq going to do if TNT and Inside the NBA go away? Well, as we know, O’Neal has never had trouble filling his calendar. Will he retire along with Sir Charles? Talking on Draymond Green’s podcast recently, Shaq said he hasn’t made up his mind yet on what’s to come for him: “I’m glad I have different options to fall back on.”
Like we said, O’Neal has plenty to do. He’s still doing the full-time business thing. Recently, he joined Reebok, a company that sponsored him in his early NBA days. He’s also working to expand his fast-food empire, his Big Chicken restaurants.
Shaq has also talked about how he’s come to enjoy ladies’ hoops. Back during the NCAA Tournaments, he mentioned that he was “only” watching the ladies’ games…that he found the men’s action boring. Well, now that his daughter Me’Arah has signed to play with the Florida Gators, the big man might be a spotted this fall in Gainesville.
So will Shaq follow Sir Charles into “retirement” when the next NBA season ends? No word yet, but we know the big man will certainly stay in the spotlight…one way or another!