“This is like Beatles breakup moment” – NBC’s $2.5 billion offer could end Shaq, Charles Barkley, and team’s ‘Inside The NBA’ run leaving fans furious

TNT lost it's exclusive negotiation window with the NBA, allowing NBC to come in and table this bid.

“This is like Beatles breakup moment” – NBC’s $2.5 billion offer could end Shaq, Charles Barkley, and team’s ‘Inside The NBA’ run leaving fans furious

Fans furious as NBC's bid could end Inside the NBA show with Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson breaking up

For the past few weeks, the biggest rumor causing a headache for NBA fans was what would happen to the Inside the NBA show. A show that has captivated the audience and has been their go-to source of entertainment along with great basketball analysis for the past three decades.

Charles Barkley has often talked about a concern among their ranks that the offer from their company TNT will decide whether or not there is a future for Inside the NBA. With NBC’s $2.5 billion bid, it is possible that TNT, or their parent company Warner Bros. Discovery, might not outbid them.

With the NBA’s decision to break the exclusivity deal it had with TNT, it had for the past 30 years; it has led to these landmark bids. Therefore, the TNT will have to now match or exceed in order to retain their broadcasting rights.

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The NBA is not just looking at making the most amount of money. Rather, it is also looking at making the sport more accessible and add viewers and fans. NBC’s strength is their expansive network and over-the-air capabilities. Those additional perks of the deal have piqued the NBA’s interest.

The NBA knows how important Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and host Ernie Johnson have been to their fans. Their chemistry and banter, combined with their basketball analysis have captivated the audience. Therefore, if next season happens to be the last time the quartet is together, furious fans will be at the gates of the league.

Fans furious with possibility of Inside the NBA splitting up

It could have been easier if the entire crew just signed with NBC so that the show could continue. But Ernie Johnson has made it clear that he will not leave TNT. He might speak the least, but keeps the whole band together. As Barkley said, without Johnson, it would not be the same. This bid from NBC basically confirms what Barkley has been saying so far.

No wonder fans could not handle the saddening news and went on a furious rant on social media. Check out some of their reactions below:

https://twitter.com/RGeezyNBA/status/1788621718199644291

There is still time for TNT to change the course of the game and continue with the NBA. If that happens, the quartet will continue at least for the foreseeable future. But if they don’t, then fans might also not spare TNT for ruining their biggest source of banter-filled sports analysis show, Inside the NBA.

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