Charles Barkley Blasts Adam Silver for Choosing Money Over Fans as TNT Loses $76 Billion Deal

The NBA media rights deal has been in discussion for a while now and with every update that takes place, a new layer of commentary unfolds. Now, TNT has lost out on the rights agreement as the NBA signed with Amazon, NBC, and ESPN. This has ignited debate among basketball enthusiasts and industry insiders alike and Charles Barkley is among the first ones to express his bold take on the same.

As the future of the beloved Inside the NBA show comes to a standstill following the loss of broadcasting rights, Chuck took to social media to release a statement where he parallelly took a swing at NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

“Clearly the NBA has wanted to break up with us from the beginning,” read the statement. “I’m not sure TNT ever had a chance. TNT matched the money, but the league knows Amazon and these tech companies are the only ones willing to pay for the rights when they double in the future. The NBA didn’t want to piss them off. It’s a sad day when owners and commissioners choose money over the fans. It just sucks.”

Barkley criticized the move by Adam Silver, stating that both players and owners are prioritizing money over fans. “They don’t really care about anything but how to make the most money possible,” he said. Further, Barkley emphasized the importance of keeping the games accessible to all fans, stating that the league should not be prioritizing the monetary aspect over the regular fans as not every fan can afford the streaming services.

During these troubled times, Chuck has not forgotten about his loyal fans who are responsible for the success of the Inside the NBA. Expressing his gratitude for the same, the 61-year-old shows hope for the upcoming season while promising to give it all. However, this leaves us with the question of what the new broadcasting deal looks like.

A change in the scene

The NBA recently announced the renewal of its partnership with The Walt Disney Company. Along with this, the league also signed a fresh contract with NBCUniversal and Amazon, under which ABC/ESPN, NBC/Peacock, and Prime Video are set to telecast the NBA games. The deal is initially signed for 11 years and is set to commence from the 2025-26 season.

The aim of the new media deal is to further the reach of NBA telecasts while also facilitating the availability of national games on streaming services like Prime Video, Peacock, and ESPN. Addressing the same, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said, “Our new global media agreements with Disney, NBCUniversal, and Amazon will maximize the reach and accessibility of NBA games for fans in the United States and around the world…These partners will distribute our content across a wide range of platforms and help transform the fan experience over the next decade.”

NBCU will be distributing close to 100 NBA regular season games per season while Amazon will distribute 66 NBA regular season games on Prime Video per season. Further, NBCU’s telecast will include the league’s opening night doubleheader. Amazon, on the other hand, will distribute quarterfinals and semifinals of the Knockout Round of the Emirates NBA Cup among others.

Though Barkley might not be the happiest with this deal only time will tell if it will prove fruitful. Till then, the fans would hope for the action on the hardwood to be as engaging as possible.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us in the exciting pilot episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and SEC All-Freshman Team Selection, Silas Demary Jr.