You have to give Charles Barkley credit. He is so good on Inside the NBA that he has convinced TV executives that he can do anything.
Frankly, I get why the LIV Golf Tour courted Barkley last year. It is a turd of a product that’s run by people who do not know what they are doing. They have no plan for their television presentation. Anything that can grab headlines and attract some interest is worth a shot.
I also get why no deal came to fruition. Outside of a bargaining chip to use against TNT, what on Earth was in it for Charles Barkley to join LIV Golf?
The latest broadcasting executive convinced that he can make money off of Charles Barkley is new CNN boss Chris Licht. Last week, Puck News reported that the network and Barkley are in talks to launch a primetime show that would see the Hall of Famer talking to newsmakers from the worlds of sports, entertainment and politics.
When Discovery bought Warner Media, plenty of executives with CNN, TNT and other Turner networks exited. At this point, most of the people that greenlit the ill-fated mini-series The Race Card are probably gone from the company. That is the only logical explanation for why Licht feels like this is a good idea.
Listen, I like Charles Barkley a lot. Just like everyone else, I think he is the greatest studio analyst we have ever seen in any sport. He is brash and funny. He regularly demonstrates an understanding of basketball and isn’t afraid to offer an opinion that may turn Inside the NBA into a three-on-one handicap match.
The guy is entertaining. He isn’t a miracle worker.
CNN is getting clobbered in primetime by both FOX News and MSNBC. An overhaul is necessary, and frankly, I applaud the network for thinking outside of the box. Straight news doesn’t draw ratings like opinion and entertainment do and both of its competitors do partisanship way better. Taking a more traditional approach to this makeover wouldn’t yield meaningful results for CNN.
The network wants Barkley’s star power. But is that enough?
Think about it this way. If you have never watched CNN before, is Charles Barkley going to be what changes your mind? Probably not.
We all acknowledge that the guy is really good at what he does, but he isn’t Dave Portnoy or Joe Rogan. He doesn’t have the kind of fans that will tune into anything just because he is involved.
Plus, his skill set isn’t particularly diverse. If The Race Card proved anything, it is that. The show was billed as a superstar talent using his charm to facilitate tough conversations about race in America. What we got was just kind of Charles Barkley being Charles Barkley while people yell at him.
That is what Charles Barkley is best at. That is what we want to see. The guest lineup for this CNN show can be second to none. Jesus Christ himself could be a regular visitor and it still wouldn’t work.
Viewers love seeing Chuck react to nonsense. We love seeing him call someone he disagrees with a dummy. Honestly, interviews are the weakest part of his game. It’s not that they are bad. It is that they are not his position of strength. Why would you build a show around him that is interview-centric?
Barkley is rightfully held in high regard by Turner Sports. Both Pedro Martinez and Paul Bissonnette have acknowledged that he has had a major influence on the way the company covers baseball and hockey, showing that his value to the sports media extends well-beyond basketball.
Charles Barkley is perfect for TNT. His work on Inside the NBA is worth every penny Warner Bros. Discovery is paying him. Had the company let him get away, it might have still been able to keep the NBA on TNT in the league’s upcoming media rights negotiations, but it would have been a significantly harder sell. He may stand second only to LeBron James for being considered “the face of the NBA.”
To drop him into a whole new environment and expect him to be the same kind of star is just plain dumb.
Demetri Ravanos is a columnist and features writer for Barrett Media. He is also the creator of The Sports Podcast Festival, and a previous host on the Chewing Clock and Media Noise podcasts. He occasionally fills in on stations across the Carolinas in addition to hosting Panthers and College Football podcasts. His radio resume includes stops at WAVH and WZEW in Mobile, AL, WBPT in Birmingham, AL and WBBB, WPTK and WDNC in Raleigh, NC.
You can find him on Twitter @DemetriRavanos or reach him by email at DemetriTheGreek@gmail.com.
