Charles Barkley Prepared To Consider Options If TNT Doesn't Pay Out 10-Year, $210M Deal

[RealGM Wiretap]

Charles Barkley will remain with TNT sports for the duration of his 10-year, $210 million contract or he is prepared to listen to offers from ESPN, NBC and Amazon as he also considers retirement. Barkley is in the third year of his contract.

WBD officially lost their media rights for the NBA beginning with the 25-26 season this week with their only remaining recourse being a lawsuit that would be decided in arbitration.

“My deal is 10 years, $210 million,” Barkley said in a phone interview. “Turner has to come to me ASAP and they have to guarantee my whole thing or they can offer me a pay cut, which there is no chance of that happening and I’ll be (a) free agent.

“My thing was, ‘Wait, y’all f— up, I didn’t f— up, why do I have to take a pay cut?”

Barkley announced during The Finals that he planned to retire in 2025.

“Right now, I’m planning on retiring,” Barkley said. “I’m not trying to do anything.”

Via Andrew Marchand/The Athletic

[Onlytimewilltel]

If he’s planning on retiring, then why is he worried about paycuts and being a free agent

[Barcs]

With all due respect to Barkley, nobody is tuning into those games for the halftime show. It's crazy the money they spend on analysts.

[haste10176]

With all due respect to Barkley, nobody is tuning into those games for the halftime show. It's crazy the money they spend on analysts.

On this one your wrong very wrong

[thesaint9]

With all due respect to Barkley, nobody is tuning into those games for the halftime show. It's crazy the money they spend on analysts.

I personally enjoy the pre/post and halftime show with all 4. But dang that is a lot of money just to talk for what 30 min a game?

[Pickled Prunes]

With all due respect to Barkley, nobody is tuning into those games for the halftime show. It's crazy the money they spend on analysts.

I personally enjoy the pre/post and halftime show with all 4. But dang that is a lot of money just to talk for what 30 min a game?

Well, it's just numbers. TNT can show you on paper that their ad revenue during those broadcasts justifies the contract. They can also show you that people tune out sooner when Barkley isn't present. It's very different than an NBA contract where the actual value on the court is tough to quantify.

[Barcs]

With all due respect to Barkley, nobody is tuning into those games for the halftime show. It's crazy the money they spend on analysts.

On this one your wrong very wrong

Really? So you're saying people watch NBA games without any consideration of who is playing whom? LMFAO!