Charles Barkley and crew return to ESPN for busy late-season stretch
charles barkley and his Inside the NBA colleagues Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson return to on Friday night, joining the network for a doubleheader that begins at 7: 30 p. m. Philly time — a sign the show’s appearances will increase as the season moves toward the playoffs.
Charles Barkley and Inside the NBA return this week
The longtime four-person panel will be on and ABC Friday to cover the doubleheader beginning at 7: 30 p. m. Philly time, ending a stretch in which the show aired only nine times on those networks this season. Barkley has publicly pushed for more airtime, saying on The Dan LeBatard Show, “I wish we’d have been on more during the first half of the season” and adding, “We only worked one day in December. ”
Schedule ramp-up and network deal language
planned a back-loaded approach: this week the show is scheduled to air three straight nights and six times over the next 10 days, and it will appear during ’s coverage of the Eastern Conference finals and the NBA Finals. president of content Burke Magnus said TNT Sports requested a provision calling for the majority of Inside the NBA episodes to air after Jan. 1; Magnus added, “I’m not entirely sure what was behind that, ” and said he’s “confident” they can make the schedule more consistent.
Nielsen numbers and the broadcast picture
Fans have been tuning in. Inside the NBA is averaging 1. 34 million viewers per show across ABC and, Nielsen numbers show, compared with NBA games on TNT averaging 1. 25 million viewers last season.
NFL Network control and personnel questions
Meanwhile, regulators approved ’s deal to take control of the NFL Network as part of its billion-dollar acquisition of NFL Media, with the NFL receiving a 10% ownership stake in the Disney-owned sports network. is expected to take full control of the network in April, and Ian Rapoport — an NFL Network insider whose contract expires in May — said bluntly, “Just so we are clear, I don’t know what is coming. ”
Local beat changes and returning reporters
The broader sports-media shuffle also includes personnel moves back to local coverage: Jim Salisbury is returning to NBC Sports Philadelphia, a shift flagged in recent coverage of the media landscape.
Looking ahead, viewers can tune in Friday at 7: 30 p. m. Philly time for the Inside the NBA doubleheader, the show will appear multiple times over the next 10 days, and ’s planned control of the NFL Network is expected to take effect in April while contract decisions continue into May.
