When it comes to the NBA TV rights, Charles Barkley hasn't held back his thoughts on the new deals.
The Hall of Fame player and current TNT analyst continues to be outspoken about the circus that is the basketball media rights deals. Turner Sports, the parent company of TNT, is likely losing the rights to broadcast the league, which would mean the end to one of the best shows in sports television, NBA on TNT.
The quartet of Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal, Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith have just one season left before the contract expires, leaving NBA fans to turn elsewhere for their basketball coverage. While ESPN remains one of the platforms for the league, Amazon and NBC are the current frontrunners to take over game coverage as well.
Barkley has had plenty to say in the past, and now is taking shots at "greedy" players and team owners, stating that he believes the fans are being hurt in the process.
Here is the latest on what Barkley said about the new TV rights deals in the NBA.
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Charles Barkley calls out players, owners for new TV rights deals
Barkley was on CNBC on Thursday, discussing the ongoing deals between the league and different broadcast companies. He did not hold back his criticism on who is to blame for all of these different deals going on.
"Well, I think that you got greedy players and greedy owners," Barkley said. "They don't really care about anything but how to make the most money possible. We should never put money above the regular fan. Everybody can't afford streaming. There's nothing wrong with streaming, but when you start just going to the highest bidder and you're not on regular television, I think you do a disservice to the fan."
Streaming is a big part of the ongoing discussion. Many leagues are making the switch from strictly cable television to also including their products on streaming services, such as Amazon Prime, Netflix and Max.
As a result, fans have to pay for more services to take on all of the available games, which is why Barkley feels as though the fans are not being viewed as the top priority in the NBA.
"But in fairness, the players want to make as much money as possible," Barkley said. "The owners want to make as much money as possible. But ... the fan's always the most important thing. No matter how much money you make, if the people are not watching, it's a lose-lose proposition."
NBA commissioner Adam Silver has made it clear that streaming is the future of the league. The platforms are seen as the key to accessing the younger audience, which will allow the sports to grow even more.
"I think it's the idea of reach," Craig Sloan said, president of Playfly Sports. "I think it's the idea of where the next generation — my kids, my kids' kids — are someday going to be. They are already conditioned to engage with video through platforms like Amazon Prime. They go into Amazon Prime all the time or Netflix or whoever. So I'm a believer that you have to have a foot in that world as a sports entity."
As a result, companies like TNT are taking the hit, as its bids are losing to those streaming services. It has a chance to match the bids already made, but it is viewed as a herculean task.
"Well, I really feel bad for everybody at TNT, all the people I've been working with for the last 24 years, they're like family to me,’" Barkley said. "I really hope we match. Honestly in my heart, I think we have lost the package. That's my honest opinion. But I really hope we get a last-minute reprieve for the people at Turner.’"
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NBA television rights deal
The NBA has finalized TV deals with ESPN, NBC and Amazon, but TNT still has an opportunity to match, according to The Athletic's Andrew Marchand.
"The NBA will send the finished contracts to TNT Sports. At that point, the company will have five days to make its move. If it declines, then the NBA is expected to be an official announcement before the Olympics, which open on July 26," Marchand reported on July 10.
The agreement will extend 11 seasons and be worth $76 billion, per Marchand's sources.
