Charles Barkley Not Retiring, Will Stay with TNT Sports Longer
Charles Barkley will not retire and will remain with TNT Sports even after it loses the NBA after next season, TNT announced Tuesday.
Barkley will continue on his 10-year, $210 million contract. He is in the third season of the deal.
“I love my TNT Sports family,” Barkley, 61, said in a statement. “My #1 priority is and always will be our people and keeping everyone together as long as possible.”
“We have the most amazing people, and they are the best at what they do,” his statement continued. “I look forward to continuing to work with them on the shows we have now and the new ones we develop together in the future. This is the only place for me.”
Charles Barkley is NOT retiring and will remain with TNT Sports for the long term, sources say @AndrewMarchand. photo.twitter.com/8YpcMEfJyM
— The Athletics (@TheAthletic) August 6, 2024
Barkley was a target for ESPN, Amazon Prime Video and NBC, which will begin their 11-year, $77 billion deals after next season. TNT Sports is trying to keep doing business with the NBA by suing the league after the NBA rejected TNT Sports’ offer to match one of the league’s new television deals with Amazon Prime Video.
A week and a half ago Barkley said The Athletics He was open to staying at TNT Sports, provided he received the full salary.
“My deal is 10 years, $210 million,” Barkley said in a phone interview at the time. “Turner has to come to me as soon as possible and they have to guarantee my entire business or they can offer me a pay cut, which absolutely cannot happen and I’m a free agent.”
The two sides have now agreed that Barkley isn’t going anywhere. While TNT Sports makes its Hail Mary attempt to hold on to the NBA, Barkley will still be used to cover the NCAA tournament, which TNT Sports is combining with CBS, while it could explore opportunities with its other properties, including the NHL.
The network is also trying to expand its programming on TNT Sports, so it doesn’t seem out of the question that it could build a new studio program around Barkley or try to keep its iconic “Inside The NBA” series together even beyond next year.
“Charles is one of the best and most beloved sportscasters in the history of television,” said Luis Silberwasser, President of TNT Sports. “I know I speak on behalf of all members of the TNT Sports family when I say we are incredibly excited to share this shared commitment to continue showcasing Charles’ unique talents and entertaining fans well into the future.”
“We continue to expand the breadth and depth of our sports portfolio – including new properties in the College Football Playoffs, Roland-Garros, NASCAR, BIG EAST college basketball, Mountain West football, and many more – and it’s fantastic to have Charles along for this journey as we develop new content ideas and shows for our fans.”
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(Photo: Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
