Stephen A. Smith rips TNT execs over NBA

Stephen A. Smith is backing Charles Barkley in blaming Warner Bros. Discovery’s (WBD) David Zaslav and other higher-ups for losing the NBA on TNT.

With the NBA rejecting WBD’s attempt at matching Amazon’s bid for a media rights package, the NBA on TNT appears to be on its last leg. And according to Stephen A. Smith, TNT only has itself to blame.

“TNT dropped the ball here,” Smith said on his latest podcast episode. “I’m talking about the brass at TNT. It started years ago when they alluded to how unimportant the NBA was to the brand itself and the resistance that they gave in reaching a new deal.

“As a matter of fact, according to my sources, Adam Silver, the commissioner, talked to the honchos at Warner Bros. Discovery before a deal was agreed upon weeks ago. Basically letting them know, ‘Hey, you need to match, here’s where we are.’ And there was a bunch of hemming and hawing.”

Without naming him directly, Smith is faulting WBD CEO David Zaslav. It was Zaslav who alluded to how unimportant the NBA was to the brand itself years ago. “ We don’t have to have the NBA ,” Zaslav said early in his tenure as CEO. Less than two years later, Zaslav is on the verge of learning what life without the NBA is going to be like.

Smith isn’t alone in faulting Zaslav and other WBD executives for botching negotiations with the NBA. But with Smith currently in negotiations for his next media contract, it’s safe to say he won’t be talking to Zaslav about any potential work with WBD.

Smith proceeded to note anyone who can hire Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Ernie Johnson and Shaquille O’Neal should do it, even if it’s ESPN. While that seems obvious considering their popularity, it’s a bold statement from Smith, who would essentially be giving up his role on NBA Countdown if ESPN brought in the NBA’s foremost studio show.

“I don’t know where that network goes from here,” Smith said of TNT. “I mean, how many episodes of Law & Order can you air…How many old movies can you air? It’s going to be really interesting to see what they’re going to do beyond next season because there’s no way they’re winning this lawsuit. I can’t see it. I can see a settlement happening…I can’t see them winning this and forcing the NBA to make them a part of this package…The last days of the NBA on TNT is arriving next season.”

The NBA is a significant loss, but TNT does have additional live sports offerings. WBD recently announced new deals for simulcasts of the College Football Playoff and the French Open. They already boast NHL and MLB packages, along with the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

That doesn’t excuse Zaslav. And it doesn’t find a home for Barkley, Kenny, Ernie, and Shaq. But Amazon’s NBA package won’t kill sports on TNT.

[ The Stephen A. Smith Show ]

The post Stephen A. Smith rips TNT execs for alluding to ‘how unimportant the NBA was’ appeared first on Awful Announcing .