Amid the ongoing drama regarding the NBA's television rights, TNT analyst Charles Barkley expressed his frustration with Turner executives in an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show on Thursday morning.
No stranger to speaking candidly, Barkley slammed his company for not already reaching a deal to keep NBA games on TNT. He told Patrick that, "Morale sucks, plain and simple," and used a pretty sly metaphor to explain how things have changed over the past few months.
"My two favorite wines are Inglenook and Opus (One), and these clowns I work for have turned us into Ripple and Boone's Farm and Thunderbird," Barkley quipped while Patrick chuckled in the background.
For those not familiar with wine, Inglenook and Opus sell high-end bottles ranging in price from $40 to several hundred dollars. Ripple, on the other hand, was the drink of choice for Redd Fox on Sanford and Son, while Boone's Farm and Thunderbird bottles can be found for less than $5 on average.
Barkley also said he was confused when he heard that TNT reached an agreement with ESPN to broadcast to air College Football Playoff games starting this upcoming season.
"I don't feel good, I'm not going to lie, especially when they came out yesterday and said they bought college football. I was like, 'Damn, they could have used that money to buy the NBA (rights)."
At one point, Patrick suggested Barkley and his coworkers — Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O'Neal — start a production company of their own, keep the "Inside the NBA" show together and sell the rights to a company like NBC or Amazon.
Barkley said he might do just that with his own company, Fine Line Productions.
"I've talked with the guys about everyone signing on with my production company ... Barkley said. "I would love to do that if we lose it. Someone suggested that to me on the internet."
The Sports Business Journal reported Wednesday that the NBA is expected to finalize contracts with its media partners at some point this week. Another report by CNBC on Thursday said Warner Bros. Discovery — which owns TNT — might prepare a bid for a smaller package of games similar in size to what Amazon might bid for.
You can see Barkley's full conversation with Patrick below.
Charles Barkley says morale sucks amid the uncertainty of "Inside the NBA" moving forward. And discusses the possibility of hiring the crew to his production company, continuing to do the show, and selling it. pic.twitter.com/gLoiKm7SM3
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) May 23, 2024
