It appears as if Charles Barkley could be next in line to join the controversial LIV Golf league.
According to Dan Patrick, Barkley is planning to meet with LIV Golf on Wednesday night to discuss a media position within the Saudi-backed professional golf league, which could mean leaving his job on NBA on TNT.
“Charles says he’s going to listen to them,” Patrick said on Tuesday. “I believe tomorrow night and decide what he’s going to do. And he might have to leave TNT, that’s why this is a huge deal. Charles knows that he may have to leave TNT to do this.”
Barkley has been a fixture on “Inside the NBA,” the NBA on TNT studio show, for more than two decades. The pre- and post-game show is well-liked among fans and Barkley’s presence plays a large factor into its popularity.
But the 59-year-old is also an avid golf fan and golfer and has made several previous comments regarding LIV Golf, which has faced criticism due to its financial backing from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, with many pointing to the country’s horrific human rights abuses.
Last week, Barkley told The Next Round show that he would meet with LIV Golf but did not offer any details. A month ago, he appeared on The Pat McAfee Show and defended the golfers who were leaving the PGA for LIV Golf, saying, “If someone gave me $200 million, I’d kill a relative.”
While Barkley may primarily work in basketball, he has done golf broadcasts for TNT in the past, particularly the network’s “The Match,” which featured NFL stars paired with pro golfers, such as Phil Mickelson (who has joined LIV) and Tiger Woods.
LIV Golf likely wants to build a team of broadcasters in order to score a TV deal.
But Patrick was critical of its attempt at trying to poach Barkley.
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“That would be bad for everybody,” Patrick said. “If Charles Barkley would leave TNT and go to the LVI Tour, that’s a big deal. That’s not growing the game, now you’re taking away from the NBA with this. This has nothing to do with golf, per se.”
When asked why Barkley couldn’t do both TNT and LIV Golf, Patrick replied, “I don’t know. Charles is the one who said it.”
Barkley’s contract expires after the 2023-24 season, so perhaps that may prevent him from jumping ship. Maybe it’s all leverage for his next contract with TNT. Or, perhaps, he agrees to a deal with LIV for when his contract expires and Turner may not want to be associated with the league, thus losing his job.
Whatever it may be, we’ll probably find out in the coming days or weeks.
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