“Not going to that rat-infested place out in San Francisco.” If you’ve been following Charles Barkley on Inside the NBA, you know this wasn’t just a passing comment—it was a full-blown declaration. The former Philadelphia 76ers star made it crystal clear that he wanted nothing to do with San Francisco. Even if it meant skipping the 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend.
During an episode of Inside the NBA, one of his co-hosts stated the city to be beautiful. And Chuck didn’t hold back in his response. “San Francisco is not a beautiful city. Rats. Cats. Y’all are not gonna make me like San Francisco. No. Nope, nope, nope.” But, in a twist, no one saw coming, not only will Chuck make it to the city, but he announced a major collaboration for one of his brands ahead of All-Star weekend in San Fransico.
And in true Inside the NBA fashion, it wasn’t Charles Barkley who dropped the news, but his co-host Kenny Smith. “I want the camera back over here… One of the most important sponsors of the year. Redmont Vodka!” Smith announced with the kind of excitement usually reserved for game-winning buzzer-beaters.
Now, if you’re wondering why this is a big deal, let’s talk about Redmont Vodka. Owned by the Hall of Famer himself, the brand is a product of Redmont Distilling Co., based in Birmingham, Alabama. And no, this isn’t just another celebrity-endorsed liquor. According to its official website, Redmont Vodka “is 8x distilled, non-GMO and Gluten Free with a smooth finish.”
No wonder Kenny Smith was hyped about the collab between Inside the NBA and Redmont Vodka that seemingly will be the highlight of the All-Star party in San Fransico. “This year, Redmont Vodka is going to be… The new sponsor,” he declared.
This collab could not have come at a better time for Barkley as his partnership with one of the major brands ended just this month. “Subway. Thank you… My deal with Subway is ending,” Chuck stated on an episode of The Steam Room this month. Although the 11x All-Star didn’t have the exact reason for this, he did not hesitate to highlight all the time he had with the management at the $11.9 Billion brand that is Subway was nothing but great.
Amid such circumstances, boosting the market for his brand must come as a sense of relief for Barkley. However, this was not the first instance when Chuck’s Vodka brand has come this close to the NBA.
Charles Barkley’s Redmont brand joined hands with a $3.8 billion NBA franchise last year
Last year, Chuck brought his Redmont Vodka brand to State Farm Arena, striking a major deal with the Atlanta Hawks franchise. That’s right, the home of the Eastern Conference team—valued at a staggering $3.8 billion as of November 2024—became a hotspot for Barkley’s vodka. And if you’ve ever been to State Farm Arena, you know it’s not just about basketball. According to Pollstar, it’s also one of the top 10 busiest concert venues in the country.
The partnership meant Redmont Vodka was served through an on-site bar, as reported by Black Enterprise. But there was also talk of something extra special—a Hawks Redmont-branded bottle. While that sounded like a slam dunk of an idea, there hasn’t been any confirmation on whether the bottle hit the shelves.
What we do know is that Redmont Distilling Co. CEO Eleanor Estes was all in on the deal, saying, “It’s within our footprint. We have a strong presence there. And it’s an incredible organization [Hawks] to partner with.”
For Barkley, this wasn’t just about business—it was about bringing his brand to the very place where he, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson turned “Inside the NBA” into must-watch television. As the Birmingham Business Journal pointed out, Redmont Vodka now has a home in the same arena where Barkley entertains with his Inside the NBA. And now the brand has joined hands with the show itself. Talk about a full-circle moment!
The post Charles Barkley, Having Lost $11.9 Billion Brand’s Deal, Will Return to City He Hates for Massive Collab appeared first on EssentiallySports.