Charles Barkley is all about loyalty—he’s made it clear he won’t step into broadcasting unless it’s with TNT Sports. That bond runs deep. Even though he could have made millions elsewhere, Chuck chose to stick with TNT. A network where he’s been a staple for 25 years now. Since retiring from the NBA in 2000, he’s been holding it down alongside Ernie Johnson on Inside the NBA, making that show what it is today.
With TNT losing NBA rights after 2024–25, the show migrates to ESPN/ABC in 2025–26. This change comes with the NBA’s new 11-year media rights deal kicking off in 2025-26. But Charles Barkley hasn’t been shy about his feelings on this. He’s openly criticized the deal, saying, “The TNT people, they are stupid. They wrote a cease-and-desist letter to Amazon and NBC, and it really pissed me off.” Chuck made it clear he’s not happy about being “traded” to ESPN and pushed back hard: “If I want to leave, I can leave… I’ll take my chances in court and I felt really good about my chances.” So, while fans will still get their Barkley fix, there’s definitely some tension behind the scenes.
Ex‑ESPN President John Skipper told Pablo Torre that Chuck’s frustration boils down to a lack of clarity. Skipper said on Pablo Torre Finds Out, “he [Barkley] said it in context of complaining that it had not been made clear to him what the relationship between ‘Inside the NBA’ and ESPN,” and he’s not about to just go along with the usual stuff people do just to keep the peace, which is “do the car wash, go along all the shows, which is what people used to do.”
Jun 12, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; NBA TV analyst Charles Barkley talks on set before game three of the 2024 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Skipper wasn’t sure if Barkley had actually read all the fine print, but he added, “Whether he is or not, he also has a great reputation as a character, nonconformist, non-authoritative. So he’s just being true to his brand there.” This fight epitomizes Barkley’s brand—relentless independence over network politics. It’s classic Barkley, straightforward, unfiltered, and real.
So what did Barkley mean by ESPN’s ‘work like dogs’ critique, and why is he so frustrated with how they’ve handled the situation?
Inside Charles Barkley’s frustration with the NBA media shuffle
Back in 2016, during an Inside the NBA segment about the Warriors-Thunder matchup, Charles Barkley let loose on what he thought working for ESPN would be like. “Not gonna work me like a dog and not pay me,” he said, sparking fits of laughter from his co-hosts. He joked, “They’ll have me on ESPN One, Two, Three, ESPN News, ESPNU, ESPN Radio! They’re gonna have me on ESPN Deportes saying ‘Muy Bien, Gracias!’” It was classic Barkley—funny but dead serious about not getting overworked or working for hours or being underpaid.
Even with all the network drama, Barkley knows he’s got options. He shared, “I just want to make sure the people I work with got a job. Like I said … I didn’t know the people I worked for here at Turner were so stupid. They were going to lose the NBA.” He had plans to eventually hand the spotlight to younger players like Vince Carter or Jamal Crawford, but all that changed with the shifting media deals. Still, he’s confident about his own future: “But I’m not going to change my personality … They can’t fire me. I made too much money to get fired … First of all, they’d have to pay me for seven years, and I’m going to quit way before then,” Chuck added as he flexed his $210 million fortune with TNT.
With the NBA rights rumored to be moving to Disney/ESPN, Amazon, and NBC, Barkley isn’t holding back. Morale is low, and he’s openly said the folks behind the scenes “screwed this thing up, clearly.”
He’s especially upset TNT chose to focus on college football instead of protecting the NBA. But Barkley’s thinking ahead—he’s talked to his colleagues about signing with his own production company if they lose the NBA deal. “Actually, somebody suggested that to me, to be honest with you, on the internet. I’m like, that’s a great idea. But like I said, we’re just sitting back, waiting on these people to figure out what they’re going to do.”
Charles Barkley’s annoyance is better understood in light of John Skipper’s observation that Barkley’s loyalty to his rebellious, no-nonsense approach is more important than contracts or networks. Skipper notes that Barkley favors honesty and clarity over politics. That is clear by Chuck’s reaction, which reflects his refusal to just “do the car wash” and go along.
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