The NBA announced an 11-year national television deal with Disney, Comcast, and Amazon last July, airing all nationally televised games from the 2025-26 season through the 2035-36 season on ABC, ESPN, NBA TV, Peacock, and Amazon Prime. The deal netted the NBA roughly $76 billion.
NBA Hall of Famer and analyst Charles Barkley recently expressed his discontent with where the league is headed on the Bill Simmons Podcast, even asserting that the association doesn’t care about its fans.
Commentator and former NBA player Charles Barkley looks on before the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers play in Game Four of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 13, 2025 in…
Commentator and former NBA player Charles Barkley looks on before the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers play in Game Four of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 13, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement
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“I think the NBA has a big problem,” said Barkley. “Sometimes the game is gonna be on Peacock. And it’s not gonna be on NBC. I think that’s a huge dilemma for the NBA.”
Simmons responded, “Guess what, they don’t care, they got so much money, they’re gonna wipe their tears with cash.”
Barkley responded by claiming that the NBA made a wiser financial decision than one that would satisfy most of the fanbase.
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“Bill, I am so glad you said that. I think it’s a big deal because they just took all the money from all three networks. I don’t think they give a s— about the fans, and I think this is gonna come back to bite them to be honest with you. And then the thing that’s scary is that the deal is for 11 years. So now, people complain all they want to. For the next 11 years, they don’t give a s— about the fans, they’re like, ‘if y’all are fine, the game is fine, just make sure the check clears.'”
Barkley provides fair criticism of hypothetical fans who are perhaps not as well-adjusted to the world of streaming services and not quite looking forward to paying for additional subscriptions in order to watch basketball games.
Barkley has tons of knowledge on the playing side of the basketball world, but as a broadcasting personality, he has also found immense success. He has five Sports Emmy Awards across his career, along with a 2020 induction into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame.
As a player, Barkley is known for his 11 All-Star honors, 11 All-NBA teams, and an MVP award during the 1992-93 season, during the prime of Michael Jordan‘s basketball career.
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