“Kind Of Sad”: Media Veteran Comforts NBA Fans As Shaq & Charles Barkley’s Million Dollar Jobs Stand Threatened

The NBA’s media landscape could change forever, as the league approaches the new Media rights. While the upcoming big decision may reap benefits for the league, it could affect the beloved Inside Guys crew. It may even put them out of jobs in the future. Speaking of the possible threats to Shaquille O’Neal & Co., veteran sports media personality, Rich Eisen dropped a reality check to the NBA fans.

In the latest episode of The Rich Eisen Show, the crew joked about the recent hilarious moment in the Inside Guys show where Kenny Smith fell on live TV. While the crew spoke about the aftermath of the fall, Eisen interrupted his panelists and dropped a truth bomb. He said, “If Turner’s out, these four guys (Shaq, Kenny, Charles Barkley, and Ernie Johnson) are up,” referring to the upcoming media deal. Eisen further added, “It’s kind of sad if they’re going to let this thing go,” despite being their competitor.

The TNT’s Inside Guys Show has had various notable analysts like Magic Johnson and Reggie Miller. However, it attained its popularity and became a household name when the current four joined together. While TNT managed to get the media deal on the last few occasions, they failed to grab the opportunity this time.

The current 9-year contract between ESPN/ABC, and TNT with the NBA will come to an end in 2025. Through the course of the deal, the NBA earned $2.7 billion annually. However, with the upcoming deal, the league is expected to make $6 billion annually. As per the latest report, Amazon Prime has bagged the multi-billion dollar. Moreover, ESPN/ABC and NBC are also expected to be part of the deal.

Meanwhile, Turner Sports couldn’t make it to the final list, putting the jobs of the Inside Guys crew at risk. Speaking of it, Charles Barkley said, “I just signed a 10-year deal two years ago, but one of the things I did was I put an opt-out in a couple years because I wanted to cover my a**.”

Rich Eisen dropped advice for the NBA

Shaq and Chuck earn around $10 million annually through their TNT contract. While the money that the duo will lose is also important, Eisen pointed out the void that the Inside Guys will leave.

He went on to give a piece of advice to the league. Eisen added, “NBA’s got to sit there and think these are the four best guys to sit down together and talk about their Sport and make it go viral in a way that nobody else can.”

At the same time, he also put forward a debate, asking if going viral was the only metric to retain them. Shaq &  Co. not only crack their audience up but also drop insights at regular intervals. Above all, they bring 90s experience to the table, acting as a bridge for the two generations.

Eisen concluded his rant, saying, “you’re crazy if you think somebody’s just going to give them, all four of them, and keep them in tab.” Will the league consider Eisen’s case and retain the four guys despite the exit of TNT? Let us know your opinion in the comments below.