Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) -) could lose their biggest sports analyst if they are unable to secure the rights to broadcast the NBA beyond 2025.
NBA on TNT analyst Charles Barkley spoke on the “The Bill Simmons Podcast” on Aug. 24, and was asked about the potential that Turner would maintain the rights to broadcast the NBA beyond the 2024-25 NBA season.
“I don’t think anybody knows -- not just Turner, but ESPN,” Barkley said.
Turner and ESPN are paying around $2.7 billion per year to broadcast the NBA until the 2024-25 season, but past reports say the NBA is looking at around $7 to $8 billion per year for its next deal.
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And they could face stiff competition from massive tech companies like Amazon and Apple who have made it very clear as of late that they are willing to invest in live sports. Barkley said he’s really unsure of the future of Turner and ESPN with the NBA because it would be hard to battle the tech giants with deeper pockets.
“I don’t know what the breaking point is for ESPN or Turner,” Barkley said. “The last thing anybody wants to do is get in a bidding war with Apple and Amazon because that’s a lose-lose proposition.”
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But when Simmons asked Barkley whether he would stay with Turner should they not maintain the rights, the NBA legend simply said “no.”
Last fall, Barkley agreed to a massive 10-year deal worth somewhere around $100 to $200 million. But the 60-year-old said that there is “zero chance” he finishes out the entire decade of his deal, especially as it only kicks in after the 2024-25 NBA season.
Barkley’s contract reportedly could give him the right to move to another network if Turner does not maintain the rights to broadcasting the NBA, particularly if Amazon or Apple are involved in the deal.
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