Charles Barkley signs extended deal with TNT Sports

TNT Sports and Charles Barkley today reaffirmed his exclusive long-term broadcasting commitment with the Warner Bros. Discovery-owned sports division.

Barkley, who signed a 10-year agreement with TNT Sports in 2022, will be entering his 25th year with the company. 

He has hosted “Inside the NBA” since joining TNT in 2000.

TNT did not indicate how long Barkley’s new deal is for beyond saying it will see him appearing for “many years to come.”

It’s also not clear what programming Barkley will be assigned to; which is especially notable because TNT will lose its NBA rights starting with the 2025-2026 season assuming the current deals the NBA has signed with NBC, Disney and Amazon remain in place. WBD is suing the NBA after it agreed to match Amazon’s offer but WBD turned them down. WBD alleges that was in violation of provisions in its current, soon-to-be-expired contract with the league.

TBS holds the rights to Final Four college basketball games on alternative years through 2032, so Barkley could likely lend his expertise on coverage of those games. 

TruTV is also slated to carry the Savannah Bananas’ “Banana Ball World Tour,” though it’s not clear if Barkley will be part of that coverage.

If TNT ultimately doesn’t get the NBA rights, it’s possible Barkley could be used in other roles. For example, TNT could still potentially produce “Inside the NBA” — or a similar show — without the game rights, but would be subject to standard rights restrictions on non-rights-holding broadcasters. It could also expand Barkley’s duties into other sports or create a broader sports broadcast with a complement of other talent, with Barkley perhaps focusing on basketball. 

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On a broader scale, Barkley could also be used outside of sports, though he’s been less successful in those areas of broadcasting. He and CBS anchor Gayle King co-hosted a limited series on CNN that ended without any additional episode commitment. 

“I love my TNT Sports family. My #1 priority has been and always will be our people and keeping everyone together for as long as possible. We have the most amazing people, and they are the best at what they do,” said Barkley in a statement. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with them both on the shows we currently have and new ones we develop together in the future. This is the only place for me. I have to say … I’ve been impressed by the leadership team who is fighting hard and have been aggressive in adding new properties to TNT Sports, which I am very excited about. I appreciate them and all of my colleagues for their continued support, and most importantly our fans. I’m going to give my all as we keep them entertained for years to come.”

“Charles is one of the best and most beloved sportscasters in the history of television,” said Luis Silberwasser, chairman and CEO, TNT Sports. I know I speak for all the members of the TNT Sports family when I say we are incredibly thrilled to share this mutual commitment to continue showcasing Charles’ one-of-a-kind talents and entertain fans well into the future. We continue to add to the breadth and depth of our sports portfolio — including new properties in the College Football Playoffs, Roland-Garros, NASCAR, BIG EAST college basketball, Mountain West football, among others – and it’s fantastic to have Charles for this journey as we develop new content ideas and shows for our fans.”