Several thousand fans of the NBA are concerned about the upcoming offseason for two reasons. One, they might witness some unlikely additions and losses to the teams as they wait four months for the next campaign and two, they will know if the Inside the NBA on TNT will be alive for the upcoming seasons. TNT, NBC, ESPN, and Prime Video are in a bidding war to get the rights for the NBA. TNT has an offer to match, but listening to Charles Barkley’s latest update on where things are headed, fans are getting ready to bid farewell to their favorite show. 

During his appearance on ESPN Chicago, Charles Barkley shared, “It’s 50-50 that we lose our part to NBC. Am I concerned? 100%, because as much as we have been partners with the NBA for I think 40 years, you would think if it was close in a bidding war, we would get the benefit of the doubt, but clearly that’s not happening.“ 

Barkley’s final words about the future of Inside the NBA were, “They’re scared to death over here right now.“

 NBC has made an offer of $2.8 billion, which TNT is yet to match. On top of this, they will have to match the legal rights of Prime Video’s offer to continue for the upcoming seasons. Turner Sports and the NBA have been partners for 40 years. With their future as a huge question mark, NBA commissioner Adam Silver is facing the wrath of the fans.

“Worst Commissioner”: Fans call out Adam Silver as they revisit TNT memories 

Imagine waving goodbye to a 40-year-old partnership. It’s bitter for both the crew and its fans. The league has prioritized business at most times, which the fans have not been a huge fan of. A fan wrote on X, “Adam Silver the worst commissioner of all time for getting rid of ‘Inside The NBA‘.” NBC’s offer of $2.8 billion is a huge one to match. TNT is hesitating, and the ultimate blame has now fallen on Silver. 

Another fan tweeted, “NBA pregame is cooked without the TNT crew“, making a bold claim as to what the future of the league would look like without Inside the NBA. Shaq, Barkley, Ernie Johnson, and Kenny Smith have an unbreakable bond and chemistry which people are a fan of. If this gets replaced, the ratings of the new show are likely to go down. 

“Losing the Inside the NBA crew would severely impact how people watch and perceive the NBA, including worsening the media coverage on the game itself… We want commentary from former players, not a bunch of star analysts who never played”, wrote another fan, making a valid argument for the 2nd most popular sport. Inside the NBA is the only show that has three former NBA players as their analysts. Other media houses have analysts who have never played professional basketball like Skip Bayless and Stephen. A. Smith. 

“NBA need to find a way to keep this crew together cause I know damn well NOBODY watching the NBC pregame show“, said a fan. NBC might win the bid, but it looks like they cannot replace TNT easily, considering, ‘Inside the NBA’ is reported to draw millions of views every week. 

Another fan gave a reality check, “It will happen and they all will be replaced unfortunately with cheaper rates and more money for the billionaires pockets. It’s business as usual.” The NBC is said to be a current favorite for its streaming records and sporting investment ventures. It remains to see where the result leans.