• Loading stock data...
Saturday, July 19, 2025

Charles Barkley Claims Sticking With TNT Will Cost Him at Least $100 Million

  • Barkley originally said he was retiring in June only to walk it back last week.
  • The NBA legend would be a target for multiple networks.
Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

There is always a price for loyalty. 

For Charles Barkley, apparently it’s nine figures. 

Speaking with Dan Le Batard on his radio show Tuesday, the Hall of Fame basketball player and analyst for TNT said his decision to stick with his longtime employer didn’t come cheap.  

“A minimum of $100 million,” Barkley said when asked about how much he left on the table. “A minimum.” 

In 2022, Barkley signed a 10-year, $210 million contract extension to keep him at TNT. After this year he will still have eight years left on that contract, but it will also likely be Turner’s final year of the NBA rights barring a miracle in the company’s lawsuit against the league after NBC and Amazon got in on the league’s new media-rights deal

With the contractual ability to opt out if TNT lost NBA rights, Barkley listened to the likes of ESPN and Amazon, he told Dan Patrick last month. That came on the heels of Barkley claiming earlier this summer that he would be retiring after the 2024–2025 season.

“I’ve talked to all the other networks … but I ain’t going nowhere, other than TNT,” Barkely said then. “But, I have made the decision myself. No matter what happens, next year is going to be my last year on television.”

And then last week, he reversed course saying he’s sticking with TNT, regardless of NBA rights. 

“The number-one thing for me is that my people at Turner get to keep their jobs another year,” Barkley told Le Batard. 

Barkley didn’t say how he arrived at the $100 million number, but some back-of-napkin math is simple. He earns about $21 million a year from TNT; the media giants with NBA rights clearly offered him more. They might continue to do so after this year, despite Barkley’s claims of being with TNT for years to come and TNT’s claim they may want to redevelop Inside the NBA as a general sports show.

Another way of interpreting Barkley’s comments: Instead of bragging about his generosity, the master of negotiating through the media is simply saying that $100 million isn’t enough. It shouldn’t take much more than that, though. In 2022, when he was flirting with leaving TNT for LIV Golf, he said he’d “kill a relative” for $200 million. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Ryan Field Construction
exclusive

First Look Inside Northwestern’s $862 Million New Ryan Field

Five big things FOS learned on our exclusive stadium tour.
Jul 13, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announces the pick for the Athletics pick during the MLB Draft at The Coca-Cola Roxy.

Manfred Says MLB Had Wrong Approach to Creators Like Jomboy

“You gotta go where people are going,” the commissioner said.
(NCL_OSU_11_SUGAR_LAURON 04JAN11) Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Terrelle Pryor (2) slips around the Arkansas Razorbacks defense during first half of the Sugar Bowl at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, January 4, 2011.

Terrelle Pryor’s Case for NIL Backpay Dismissed in Court

Pryor played seven years in the NFL after leaving OSU amid a scandal.

Featured Today

Jul 21, 2024; Ayrshire, SCT; Xander Schauffele celebrates with Claret Jug after winning the Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Troon.

The Boozy History and Traditions of The Open’s Claret Jug

The Open awards the world’s most famous wine decanter.
2025 PDC World Darts Championship Final - Luke Littler vs Michael Van Gerwen
July 16, 2025

A Teen Darts Prodigy Is Becoming Bigger Than the Game Itself

Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler is cashing in on his devastatingly accurate shot.
May 31, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Sydney McLaughin-Levrone (USA) reacts before the women's 100m hurdles during the Grand Slam Track Philadelphia at Franklin Field
exclusive
July 13, 2025

Track’s New Money Is Running Into Old Problems

The sport’s big-money era has hit some speed bumps in 2025.
Bobbleheads are seen at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently.
July 12, 2025

Baseball’s Bobbleheads Are the Center of the Collectibles Universe

Baseball’s most important keepsake drives long lines—and big business.

Netflix Beats Projections Again—and Plots Big Holiday Sports Slate

The streaming giant again beats analyst projections in every respect.
Jul 15, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; National League designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a home run in the swing off of after the 2025 MLB All Star Game ended in a tie at Truist Park.
July 16, 2025

MLB All-Star Game Viewership Dips Despite Historic Swing-Off

Game viewership falls 3% despite late dramatics in the unique tiebreaker.
July 17, 2025

ESPN Bidding Against NBC, Apple for MLB Rights Package

The league continues to negotiate with multiple media-rights bidders.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
July 15, 2025

MLB Home Run Derby Draws 5.7M Viewers on ESPN, Up 5%

ESPN reverses the trend from last year and registers audience growth.
July 15, 2025

WNBA Hits Fourth-Highest ABC Viewership With Clark-Bueckers Duel

Clark missed the first Fever vs. Wings game with an injury.
Brittney Griner and Caitlin Clark
exclusive
July 15, 2025

‘Good Morning America’ Will Air From WNBA All-Star in First

The All-Star Game’s relevance has exploded with the league in recent years.
NBC Sports
exclusive
July 14, 2025

NBC Hiring Ex-Hawks Exec Grant Liffmann As NBA Front Office Insider

Liffmann spent the last three years with Atlanta after covering the Warriors.