Latest news with #ErnieJohnson
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
'Inside the NBA' fans receive early blow as schedule reveals huge change to show ahead of ESPN switch
If the preliminary schedule for ESPN's NBA coverage is to be believed, fans of 'Inside the NBA' may be headed for disappointment for the program's new home. Last year, ESPN agreed to a sublicensing deal with Turner Sports for the rights to air the popular NBA halftime and post-game show starring Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, Kenny 'The Jet' Smith, and Charles Barkley. The deal was reached after Turner's network - TNT - lost the rights to air NBA games for the 2025-26 season and onward. But even though the show is set to still hit the airwaves, the possibility for ESPN altering the program remained. According to Jon Lewis of Sports Media Watch, ESPN's advance calendar lists the debut of the award-winning show set for ESPN's first NBA doubleheader of the season on October 22. However, it appears the network has only a half-hour block for the show. 'The show would run from 12:05-12:35am ET, leading to a Bristol-based SportsCenter at 12:35,' Lewis reported. A report from Sports Media Watch indicates ESPN will restrict the show to half-an-hour after the network broadcasts its first doubleheader of the season on October 22 Daily Mail Sport has reached out to ESPN for comment on this report. The programming decision has notably not been announced by the 'Worldwide Leader in Sports' and is likely subject to change. But Lewis reports that after that half-hour show leading out of the doubleheader, the schedule doesn't list 'Inside' to appear until Christmas Day. A report from last November noted that the show would air 'during key moments on the league's calendar: opening night, Christmas Day, the playoffs and the NBA Finals.' That report also added that it was 'also likely it will be on during Saturday nights in the second half of the season, when ABC has a prime-time package of games.' Fans and those appearing on the show have shared concerns for the rigidity of the company's programming windows as they transition to the new network. Last month, Barkley even joked about those concerns, saying, 'Are they gonna say we gotta go to the SportsCenter?' 'Inside' has been no the air since 1989 - debuting on TNT and going through multiple different analysts before arriving at the main roster of four stars.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Months After Charles Barkley Questioned Inside The NBA's Future On ESPN, The Network's President Weighed In
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: TNT For much of 2024, Inside the NBA's future seemed to be in jeopardy, as TNT's long-running sports talk show was at risk of being cancelled. That was due to parent company Warner Bros. Discovery was unable to renew its broadcast rights to the pro basketball league. However, a historic deal was later struck between TNT Sports and ESPN, which will air the show, starting this fall. Charles Barkley and others have still questioned the series' position on the Disney-owned sports network and, now, its president is speaking out. Advertisement News of Inside the NBA being saved was warmly welcomed by the fans but, internally, there have been some variables to consider. Much of that involves exactly how the series' four co-hosts – Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley – will be utilized. There was even a question as to whether the hosting lineup may be shuffled around due to the show being on a new network. While addressing Front Office Sports and more at a press briefing, ESPN Inc. President Jimmy Pitaro apparently soothed concerns: I have not heard any false notes. My understanding is we're keeping the band together. That prospect is sure to come as a comfort to those who want to see all four hosts remain on the show. Over the last several months, reports indicated that deals were being finalized in order to ensure that the talent was signed on for a while. In February, Shaq notably signed a major deal worth $15 million per year, which would ensure that he remains with TNT Sports for the long haul. When it comes to his fellow hall of famer and occasional verbal sparring partner, Charles Barkley, the situation has been a bit more complex. More on Charles Barkley Charles Barkley during an episode of Inside The NBA 'There's A Chill That Goes Through The Halls': One Thing Charles Barkley Does That Apparently Makes TNT Nervous, According To An Inside The NBA Alum Advertisement A lot can change in the course of a year as, around this time in 2024, Charles Barkley announced that he would retire from sports broadcasting at the end of the 2024-2025 NBA season regardless of Inside's fate. However, 'The Round Mound of Rebound' walked back his retirement decision in August of that same year, later explaining that he was doing so to save jobs. Simultaneously, Barkley was critical of his employers for supposedly dropping the ball (no pun intended) when it came to renewing its NBA broadcast rights. Since the show was saved, 'Sir Charles' has been singing a somewhat different tune, even making jokes about having to go back to 'kissing ass.' Nevertheless, Barkley suggested in September 2024 that his future wasn't set in stone, even though he aimed to return to the broadcasting desk. The biggest point of contention in that case was that, at the time, he'd yet to receive a schedule from ESPN, and he declared that he had no intention of working more strenuously than he had at TNT. ESPN and TNT Sports' deal, which was announced in November 2024, allows the latter entity to licence out Inside the NBA to the former. As part of the agreement, the fan-favorite show will continue to be produced independently from its studios in Atlanta. Per the original press release, Inside's four hosts will also be involved with pregame, halftime and postgame coverage along with NBA Finals and Christmas day coverage among other events. So, based on Jimmy Pitaro's comments, the plan is indeed for Charles Barkley and co. to stay together. However, even though Barkley is signed on, his own sentiments suggest that to keep him happy, he'll need a schedule that's iron-clad. The current NBA season has yet to end, so it's possible that some of those details will be ironed out during the offseason, if not sooner.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Amid Concerns About Inside The NBA's Future On ESPN, An Insider Dropped Claims About What The Network Is Planning
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: TNT The NBA on TNT is officially over, and with that comes the end of Inside the NBA's 36-year run on the network. Luckily, the show will return with its four main hosts, as ESPN struck a deal to air it, starting this fall. However, there have still been some concerns regarding this new era for the show. Some appear worried that the Disney-owned sports company will change up the show too much and take away its essence in the process. Amid that chatter, a source is dropping claims about what's being planned for the sports TV staple. Advertisement It goes without saying that Inside has a unique flow, one that's fueled by conversations headed up by its A+ personalities like Ernie Johnson and Charles Barkley. Of course, the series also makes use of excellent segments and provides the hosts with opportunities to participate in hilarious hijinks. (Barkley's even been pranked with a bucket of water on air.) As fans await the new season, an insider tells Front Office Sports that viewers shouldn't expect much to change: Some of the speculation's just nuts. ESPN has wanted Barkley and this show for 20 years. Now that they've got it, why would they change it? That source does pose an interesting question, considering Inside the NBA has been quite successful. Still, it's not uncommon for a massive organization to want to change up a TV program after acquiring it in order for it to better fit the brand. Sports journalist Bill Simmons was specifically concerned that ESPN would mess up Inside by tailoring the show to its sometimes commercial-heavy timeslots. Yet, if this insider is to be believed, the show will still air normally and the quartet of pundits will have an ample amount of time to shine. When the former TNT staple returns to the air this fall as part of the 2025 TV schedule, co-hosts Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley will reportedly still have a long postgame as they've always had. While they'll also still participate in pregame and halftime coverage as well, they'll also have live coverage for other major events. The reported plan is for the group to provide coverage for Christmas Day games, the NBA Finals, the Conference Finals, opening week and more, per FOS. All of that coverage may sound good for fans, but it might not gel with the hopes of at least one of the show's hosts. Charles Barkley, who rescinded his retirement from broadcasting in August 2024 before the ESPN deal was made, has been candid about waiting for more specifics about his work schedule. Barkley has been adamant about not wanting to work more frequently than he already is. While Barkley's TV career will continue for the time being, it's easy to get the feeling that execs are going to want to fill him in sooner rather than later. Advertisement So far, though, it would seem that the bigwigs at ESPN are seeking to maintain creative continuity, as they prepare for Inside the NBA's arrival. Company president Jimmy Pitaro spoke out and doubled down on the network's commitment to keeping the hosts together. As a longtime viewer of the program, I can understand the concerns that some of my fellow fans may have. But, until I see anything, I'm staying optimistic that this TV staple won't change too much. Let's hope Inside the NBA isn't negatively impacted by shifting networks as reported. And, if everything works out as hoped for, I'd imagine Charles Barkley won't mind going 'back to kissing ass.'
Washington Post
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
‘Inside the NBA' was perfect. Now let it rest in peace.
It felt as if viewers attended a six-game wake for the 'Inside the NBA' brand last week. The final run at times seemed more like a long farewell to Ernie, Chuck, Shaq and Kenny than a showcase for the Eastern Conference finals. Still, someone must have cracked open the lid to the coffin, because its presence lives on. Which explains how, on Thursday night, Shaquille O'Neal could crash the set of ESPN/ABC's 'NBA Countdown' in Oklahoma City before Game 1 of the NBA Finals. 'Hello, Malika. Hello, Bob,' Shaq said in his baritone murmur to half of the crew. Then he gave his handheld microphone to Stephen A. Smith: 'Hold this,' he said, and pretended to throw body blows at former nemesis Kendrick Perkins. Through the surprised — and likely relieved — cackles from the personalities on set, viewers couldn't exactly make out what Perkins was yelling over his own laughter. Shaq's cameo caught everyone off guard and provided the most pure and authentic moment of ESPN's pregame programming. It happened live on air, of course, and reminded basketball fans of the kind of unscripted chaos that TNT had perfected over the decades. But, please, let it die already. The show and its concept worked for that four-man crew. Nobody plays the straight man quite like Ernie Johnson. No former athlete tells the truth as savagely as Charles Barkley. No analyst has the chops to play along with the gags but also provide a measure of sobriety like Kenny 'The Jet' Smith. And there is no showman like Shaq. They turned game nights into comedy hour with a side of NBA, and we ate up our sweet dessert every Thursday. But thanks in part to those years of treats, sports broadcasting too often now just wants to feed viewers the gooey stuff. For the French Open, TNT has rolled out the 'MacZone' with brothers John and Patrick McEnroe, offering a hint of the 'ManningCast' with Peyton and Eli but also a needy attempt to re-create 'Inside' on red clay. With John McEnroe playing the role of a country club version of Charles Barkley, 'MacZone' has produced a mixed bag. Some viewers clearly love the brotherly banter. Others would prefer their tennis commentary with a bit more, say, tennis (and less musing about the New York Knicks, John's favorite NBA team). In another obvious 'Inside' effort, 'NHL on TNT' feels desperate at times to create buzzy moments, with former player Paul Bissonnette as equal parts jester and analyst. Some of the biggest 'Inside' imitators are found on NBA podcasts because it seems the majority of the empty calories in sports props up the NBA conversation. It's not just that the discourse feels negative rather than celebratory, a complaint among some current players. The talk is often so shallow. How this guy couldn't play in the golden age of ball. Or that guy needs to step up and score 30 a night. Maybe the average NBA fan has a weak palate for substance, explaining why the most popular podcasts feature ex-pros offering little about the NBA game, just spoonfuls of dated takes and sophomoric jokes. Or perhaps, the success of 'Inside' has influenced sports broadcasting too much. 'Inside' was gold. But the show was intended as entertainment, not education about the game. Perkins, a former player and now a paid analyst for one of the league's broadcast partners, even called out 'Inside the NBA' for its casualness around the league it covers. 'Obviously they don't watch basketball,' Perkins said back in April. Those fighting words continued a rivalry between himself and Shaq and Charles. However, with the 'Inside' format moving to ESPN, they're kissing and making up in public. But Perkins's opinion, shared only a few months ago, rang with truth. 'Inside' pulled off the irreverence and even ignorance because of the co-stars and their unmatched chemistry. In the wrong hands, however, we're left with former jocks just spilling tea from their glory days or mispronouncing the names of the current somebodies. And yet that hasn't stopped analysts or the networks they work for from trying to reproduce the inimitable and creating bad dupes that feel like Guccis found at a flea market. During ABC's pregame show, Stephen A. Smith set the scene for viewers, explaining the teams in the most rudimentary fashion for the viewers who might not have known that the Oklahoma City Thunder remained in existence after Kevin Durant left. Then, still near the top of the telecast, the talk shifted to what makes a superstar. Nothing on Tyrese Haliburton and the zombie Indiana Pacers who keep coming back from double-digit deficits (which would have been a prelude for things to come in that exciting Game 1), nor a deeper dive into Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's MVP season. Just more fluff about a topic that matters only to the talking heads who need to fill segments with … something. 'Countdown' waited until its final segment to show clips explaining how Gilgeous-Alexander creates separation for his midrange scoring — about six minutes before the show went off the air. That was followed by the news that the Thunder was moving Cason Wallace into the starting lineup — like, real actual news. Bob Myers, the former Golden State Warriors executive who rarely looks comfortable in ESPN's contrived attempt at on-set chemistry, tried explaining why he didn't like this adjustment, made before the teams even played one minute of the Finals. He was cut off by Perkins because there needed to be a fake debate — and for all the criticism, the 'Inside' arguments never felt contrived. 'Let me ask you this: Is Cason Wallace a setback? Absolutely not,' Perkins said. Perkins must have studied at the College of Chuck because he spends most segments trying to sound like the most resolute — and provocative — person on set. Although Perkins clearly does watch NBA basketball, his analysis can be overshadowed by his hot takes. During the Western Conference finals, Perkins gave Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards unsolicited advice about his personal life, claiming he needed to find a wife and settle down as a family man to become the face of the league. The statement went as viral as he intended. Charles would cross the line — and often — but he could get away with it. Why? Because his show was about having fun — old NBA veterans respecting the game just enough but never taking it or themselves too seriously. That was their pattern, and it worked. With the 'Inside' crew, the audience knew what it was getting. Forget game analysis; we watched the most influential basketball show on television for the laughs. We didn't tune in to soak up Kenny's halftime analysis. We wanted to see whether Shaq would spin around and race Kenny to the big screen. We watched to find out whether Charles would finally know what team Garrett Temple plays for and to laugh along with him as the butt of the joke. There will never be another 'Inside,' and sports broadcasting should stop trying to create the next one.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
NBA on TNT signs off for final time after Pacers-Knicks Game 6
It's the end of a TNT era. With the Indiana Pacers securing a Game 6 win against the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Final, that put an end to NBA on TNT. 'Gratitude is the operative word for me,' Ernie Johnson said after the game. 'Grateful that since 1989 I've been with this company. No matter what you call the company, I'll always be Turner. I'm grateful that I've worked with you guys, I'm grateful for all of the relationships we've built professionally and personally through the years.' Advertisement NBA games will no longer air on TNT beginning in the 2025-26 season. The league signed an 11-year media rights deal with Disney, NBC and Amazon. The deal — rumored to be worth at least $76 million — will keep games on ESPN and ABC. Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O'Neal will remain with 'Inside the NBA' — on the air with TNT since 1989 — when it moves to ESPN. 'Even though the name changes, the engine is still the same,' O'Neal said. 'And to that new network we're coming to, we're not coming to (expletive) around. ... We're taking over, OK? I love you guys and I appreciate you guys.' Barkley originally was going to step away from television after TNT lost its media rights, but he will remain with his longtime TNT co-workers as the four-man crew shifts to ESPN despite voicing concerns. Advertisement 'To ESPN, it's going to be an honor and a privilege to work for you guys, you are the No. 1 sports network in history,' Barkley said. 'And I'm excited for it; you've got some tremendous talents over there, and I'm looking forward to co-working with those guys.' 'Inside the NBA' will handle pregame, halftime and postgame coverage of the NBA Finals on ABC, conference finals and the NBA Playoffs. During the regular season, it will be part of opening week coverage, as well as Christmas Day, all ABC games after Jan. 1, the final week of the season and other marquee events. The Associated Press contributed to this article More Celtics content Read the original article on MassLive.
