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ESPN, Amazon Looking to Sign Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Inside the NBA Cast After TNT Deal Bust: Report
Amid NBA's dramatic shift to Prime Video, networks vie for Inside the NBA cast including Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal after TNT deal bust.
The recent announcement of the NBA shifting its rights to Amazon Prime Video after the 2024–2025 season has already left fans upset. This bold move has left networks like Warner Bros. Discovery’s TNT reeling from the realization of losing a 40-year relationship with the NBA.
Among the key players affected by this shift are the iconic personalities of Inside the NBA, led by the legendary Charles Barkley. With the foresight to secure an out clause in his contract, Barkley has emerged as a highly sought-after free agent in the television landscape.
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Charles Barkley could sign for ESPN and Amazon
As the dust settles from the NBA's decision, networks such as ESPN and Amazon are reportedly eager to secure the services of Barkley, along with his esteemed colleagues Shaquille O'Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson.
The potential bidding war for the Inside the NBA cast is already shaping up to be a major storyline in the sports media world. Speculations suggest that the cast could collectively command multi-million-dollar offers from the NBA's new broadcast partners, including Amazon Prime Video, ESPN, and NBC.
Jay Marine, global head of sports for Prime Video, during his conversation with Front Office Sports, expressed admiration for the Inside the NBA crew, citing their influence on Prime's own programming decisions.
During the conversation, Marine said, “Inside the NBA, in our opinion, is the gold standard for studio programming. I’m a huge fan. We’re all big fans.”
“We’ll have to see how all this plays out. We just signed the deal. They’ll have no shortage of options depending on what they want to do,” Jay Marine added on the possibility of bagging the whole Inside the NBA staff for a Prime exclusive show.
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Stephen A. Smith criticized TNT for misjudging Charles Barkley’s potential
Stephen A. Smith didn't hold back in criticizing TNT for mishandling the situation regarding Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson. He expressed disappointment over TNT's lack of interest in the NBA, especially considering the significant impact of the Inside the NBA crew on basketball entertainment.
Smith emphasized that TNT's reluctance to act quickly and take the necessary steps to secure a new deal demonstrated a disregard for the value of the NBA and its personalities, leading to unnecessary tension and uncertainty for the crew and fans alike.
“TNT dropped the ball here. It started years ago when it alluded to how unimportant the NBA was. And the resistance that they gave in reaching a new deal… there was a bunch of hemming and hawing. That's why Barkley's been going off. It never had to come to this,” Stephen A. said on his YouTube channel.
Smith particularly highlighted how Warner Bros Discovery, TNT's parent company, failed to demonstrate genuine interest in continuing with the NBA.
Despite having the right to match any offer to retain the deal, they showed a lack of urgency and commitment, leading to a situation where their last-minute attempts to match Amazon Prime's offer were seen as insincere and merely a smokescreen by the NBA.
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