Charles Barkley will listen to offers from rival networks in next TV contracts

Charles Barkley said Friday on the “Dan Patrick Show” that he will entertain offers from rival networks after TNT Sports loses its rights to broadcast NBA games after the 2024-25 season.

The NBA announced this week that it will renew its partnership with the Walt Disney Company (ABC, ESPN) and enter into new agreements with NBCUniversal (NBC, Peacock) and Amazon (Prime Video) to telecast games beginning with the 2025-26 season.

The contracts are reportedly worth roughly $76 billion over 11 years.

TNT Sports intended to use its right to match the offer made by Amazon, though that attempt was rejected by the NBA. The home of “NBA on TNT” announced Friday that it has taken legal action against the league to remain a broadcast partner.

As it stands, the NBA will broadcast on TNT for one more season, leaving the futures of Barkley and co-hosts Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith up in the air.

“I just feel sadness for the people I work with,” Barkley said. “A lot of great people are going to lose their job. I’ve been with these guys for 24 years. You see them have kids, you see them graduate high school, you see them graduate college. … I’m not worried about me, Shaq, Kenny and Ernie, but I’m really concerned about the people behind the scenes.”

Barkley, who has completed two years of a 10-year, $210 million contract, reiterated that he intends to retire from television following next season, a notion that the Hall of Famer first said during the NBA Finals when details of the TV negotiations were made public.

The former 11-time All-Star said he negotiated his contract with TNT Sports so that he could become a free agent after next season when the network could lose its rights. TNT Sports can either guarantee his contract or offer him a pay cut, which he would not accept.

“They’re either going to have to guarantee the whole 10 years, or they’re going to have to ask me to take a pay cut, which, under no circumstances, am I taking a pay cut,” Barkley said. “(There are) zero chances of me taking a pay cut.”

Barkley said he has spoken with the Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal and Amazon within the past three months about potential opportunities. He said he’d “be stupid not to take their call” as the 61-year-old weighs his future in television after next season.

He isn’t sure what the future holds, though was pleased that no decision has to be made for several months. However, he is positive that next season could go down as one of their best together.

“I love TNT so much and the people here, I don’t know if I want to go to another network,” Barkley said. “I’ll never say never but, right now, my intention is to stay and go out with a bang. We’re going to give everything we got next year.”