NBC purchase of NBA TV rights could end Charles Barkley's San Antonio reign of terror

Speculation is growing that three media giants are close to obtaining the NBA's television rights, meaning San Antonio residents may no longer be subjected to as many jabs by TNT basketball commentator Charles Barkley.

NBC, Disney, and Amazon are close to finalizing an $8 billion deal for the TV rights for NBA regular season, playoffs and finals games, The Sports Business Journal reports. Sources told the publication that an agreement could be announced in coming days or weeks.

If such a deal materializes, it would likely bring a final curtain to TNT's popular Inside the NBA basketball commentary show, host Charles Barkley told Sirius XM this week.

"I really feel bad, man, because 200 people are probably going to lose their jobs internally if [Warner Bros. Discovery] lose the NBA," Barkley said.

Reports say next year will be the last season for “Inside the NBA” on TNT.

Charles Barkley on the future of the NBA on TNT.@TheFrankIsola | @Scalabrine

Catch the full Charles Barkley Interview: https://t.co/5G2MeETuNX pic.twitter.com/aI96MecSso

— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) May 22, 2024

Warner Bros. Discovery, the network that owns TNT, currently has the rights to the NBA's first two rounds and the Western Conference Finals. To keep those rights and ensure the survival of Inside the NBA alive, Warner Bros. Discovery would have to match NBC's $2.8 billion bid, according to the SBJ.

However, with Warner Bros. Discovery in a $40 billion hole, that seems unlikely.

Although some folks will miss Barkley's Inside the NBA banter with fellow hosts Shaquille O'Neal, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson, many San Antonio Spurs fans won't be sad to see it end.

The waistlines of Alamo City residents have been frequent targets of Barkley's jokes since at least 2010, when he declared "they ain't got no skinny women down there."

Since then, the Round Mound of Rebound's jokes about San Antonio residents' girth have been a running gag during his TNT appearances. His most recent attack came in late April when the 11-time NBA All Star attacked both the Alamo City and Galveston.

"That water so dirty, I'd rather go to San Antonio — I'd rather go to San Antonio with those big ol' women," Barkley said following the Thunder's sweep of the Pelicans in the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs.

Don't feel too bad for Barkley, though. He told Sirius XM he's looking forward to doing nothing if Inside the NBA gets the ax.

"I just turned 61. I've got enough money," he said. "I don't even look at it as getting fired. What am I thinking right now? Please hurry up and get this Western Conference Finals over because I can play golf every day for the next four months, and I love it, man. I play golf every single day or I go fishing. I love doing nothing."

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