{"id":45037,"date":"2025-07-29T12:15:10","date_gmt":"2025-07-29T12:15:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/45037\/"},"modified":"2025-07-29T12:15:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T12:15:10","slug":"how-charles-barkley-found-out-inside-the-nba-was-moving-to-espn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/45037\/","title":{"rendered":"How Charles Barkley found out ‘Inside the NBA’ was moving to ESPN"},"content":{"rendered":"

Charles Barkley is furious with how he learned TNT lost \u201cInside the NBA\u201d to ESPN.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought TNT, our bosses, did a s\u2013ty job, they did an awful job of keeping us abreast,\u201d said on Monday\u2019s \u201cPardon My Take\u201d podcast<\/a>. \u201cWe were playing golf during the playoffs and we were reading the internet, finding out if we were going to get fired or not. And I was like TNT, our bosses, they sucked, plain and simple. Like yo man, just tell us\u2026shoot us straight.<\/p>\n

In the end, ESPN acquired the rights to \u201cInside the NBA\u201d from TNT as part of the NBA\u2019s new media deal, but Barkley said those involved with the show were in the dark until everything was official.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Charles Barkley talking about Inside The NBA\u2019s transition from TNT to ESPN. From not knowing what was going to happen, to getting the news via the internet and texts from his new colleagues pic.twitter.com\/z8YGiIK1P2<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Viva La Stool (@VivaLaStool) July 28, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cTNT never came to us like grown folks and said, \u2018Hey guys, we\u2019re probably gonna lose the NBA,\u2019 which we could\u2019ve understood,\u201d Barkley added. \u201cBut I thought they sucked, I told them they sucked, because there\u2019s a way you treat people.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Hall of Famer and analyst went on to note that he first learned the show\u2019s rights had been acquired by ESPN when he received texts from employees Scott Van Pelt, Brian Windhorst, Elle Duncan and Bob Myers welcoming him \u201cto the family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"CharlesCharles Barkley on Monday\u2019s \u201cPardon My Take\u201d podcast. @VivaLaStool\/X<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m like, \u2018What family? What are you talking about?\u2019 Then about an hour and a half later I get a call from TNT like, \u2018Well, the story broke,\u2019\u201d Barkley added. \u201cI said, \u2018Well, you probably could\u2019ve given us a heads up.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cYou traded us to ESPN and we had to hear about it on the internet. That\u2019s just not the way you do business.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ShaquilleThe \u201cInside the NBA\u201d crew on June 25, 2018. Chris Pizzello\/Invision\/AP<\/p>\n

The Emmy-winning \u201cInside the NBA\u201d aired on TNT from 1989-2025, and the quartet of Barkley, Shaquille O\u2019Neal, Kenny Smith and host Ernie Johnson had been together for 14 years.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Barkley himself joined the show in 2000 after the conclusion of his legendary playing career.<\/p>\n

The cast, which has become beloved by NBA fans for its chemistry and balance of analysis and humor, will remain together.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The show will continue to be produced by TNT Sports in its Atlanta studios, but it will be broadcast by ESPN.<\/p>\n

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