NBA analyst Charles Barkley speaks before the New York Knicks' game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio on October 25, 2016.
David Doe | NBA | Getty Images
Charles Barkley is not retiring or leaving TNT Sports.
The star broadcaster and NBA Hall of Famer said Tuesday he plans to stay with Warner Bros. DiscoveryEven TNT Sports has yet to show up with the media rights to the NBA.
“I look forward to continuing to work with TNT Sports, both on the programming we currently have and the new programming we develop together in the future,” Barkley said in a statement. “This is the only place for me. I have to say… I have been impressed by the leadership team who have been hard at work and aggressive in adding new properties to TNT Sports, which is something I am very excited about. I appreciate them and all my colleagues for their continued support, and most importantly, our fans. I will do my best as we keep them entertained for years to come.”
Barkley's future is up in the air with the NBA potentially moving away from TNT after next season.
Warner Bros. Discovery sued the NBA last month to force it to use the company’s matchmaking rights on a bundle of games for Amazon Prime Video as part of the league’s new media rights deal. The league dismissed the Warner Bros. Discovery game as invalid because the league claimed matchmaking rights did not apply to games. AmazonThe games are for the streaming service only. While Warner Bros. Discovery will stream the games on Max, they will also air them on TNT.
TNT Sports has rights to broadcast a variety of sports, including Major League Baseball, the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, the National Hockey League and the U.S. Soccer Federation. Starting next year, the company will add a NASCAR race, the French Open and more than 65 regular-season Big East basketball games.
Warner Bros. Discovery Channel will host some of the college football playoff games beginning this year, and Barkley will play a role in some of the coverage.
“It is wonderful to have Charles on this journey as we develop new ideas and content for our fans,” Louis Silberwasser, chairman and CEO of TNT Sports, said in a statement.
Barkley is one of the stars of the popular “Inside the NBA” show, which premiered after TNT acquired the rights to the show during the 1989-90 season. Barkley said in June that he plans to retire after next season as a broadcaster.
“I'm not going anywhere but TNT, but I made the decision myself that no matter what happens, next year will be my last year on television,” Barkley said on June 14.
Barkley appeared to be hesitant about his retirement decision during a recent appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show” in late July.
“Everything is on the table,” Barkley said of his future job opportunities.
Barkley signed a 10-year deal with TNT Sports in 2022, entering his 25th year with the company. In May, Barkley said he had an out clause in the contract if TNT lost its NBA rights. That’s not true, according to a person familiar with the contract language. Barkley said last month that his deal was worth $210 million over 10 years.
Barkley's commitment to TNT Sports likely closes the door to a reboot of “Inside the NBA” on another network if Warner Bros. Discovery doesn't come out with a package of games as a result of its lawsuit against the NBA.
