Charles Barkley is pulling back the curtain on his return to TNT Sports. Barkley intended to retire after the company lost NBA rights. Instead, he is staying so staff members can retain employment.
But it’s even more significant for Barkley. He says he left over $100 million on the table.
“The number one thing for me is my people at Turner get to keep their jobs at least for another year, and that’s all I was concerned with,” said Barkley.
He then gave a reveal of the money he was walking away from. You can hear it all below.
Earlier this month, TNT Sports announced that Barkley has agreed to a new contract extending his tenure with the network beyond the NBA’s likely departure. “I love my TNT Sports family,” the 61-year-old basketball legend said. “My #1 priority has been and always will be our people and keeping everyone together for as long as possible.”
Before that, Barkley told The Athletic that he would consider staying with TNT only if it renewed his 10-year, $210 million contract. The network has agreed to his terms and plans to expand his role beyond NBA coverage. This includes March Madness coverage and potentially incorporating Barkley into NHL programming.
Barkley’s continued presence on TNT Sports is a significant win for the network, which values his charismatic personality and insightful commentary. Fans can look forward to seeing more of Barkley across different sports, further solidifying his status as a beloved figure in sports broadcasting.
Charles Barkley on his decision to not retire and stay at TNT.
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) August 8, 2024
"The reason I'm staying at TNT is so that people can keep their jobs. That does not mean I'm going to stay there forever, I can promise you that… I'm just happy a lot of people at Turner will keep their jobs." pic.twitter.com/96P3px3qvh