Shaquille O’Neal is staying with TNT Sports activities on a brand new contract price greater than $15 million per yr, Entrance Workplace Sports activities reported Friday.
The information means the forged of “Contained in the NBA” is staying collectively whilst TNT is ready to license out the present to ESPN beginning subsequent season.
TNT was the odd community out within the NBA’s latest TV rights negotiations, as NBC and Amazon joined earlier rightsholder ESPN in inking offers for basketball video games.
That left TNT with no want for pregame and postgame NBA reveals. TNT is licensing “Contained in the NBA” to ESPN in trade for a bundle of Massive 12 faculty soccer and basketball video games.
Per Entrance Workplace Sports activities, Charles Barkley and Kenny “The Jet” Smith are staying on “Contained in the NBA,” though Barkley had curiosity from NBC and Amazon.
“I am informing NBC that I can’t settle for their provide,” Barkley stated on the podcast he co-hosts with Ernie Johnson, the anchor of “Contained in the NBA.” “I’ll cancel future conferences with Amazon. … My coronary heart is all the time and will likely be at Turner Sports activities.”
Barkley’s most up-to-date contract extension, signed in 2022, pays him $21 million per yr.
As for O’Neal, the Corridor of Fame middle greatest recognized for his time with Kobe Bryant on the Lakers additionally heard from NBA and Amazon, based on a CNBC report.
NBC is in talks with Carmelo Anthony for a studio analyst place and Reggie Miller and Jamal Crawford as colour commentators, per Entrance Workplace Sports activities.
