data-mm-id=”_gkdg1ehne”>Warner Bros. Discovery’s $1.8 billion offer for Amazon’s package of NBA media rights gave basketball fans hope that TNT’s much-beloved “Inside the NBA” show would continue. On Thursday, the league ended that optimism when it chose Amazon over WBD, stating that “Warner Bros. Discovery’s recent proposal did not match the terms of Amazon Prime Video’s offer.”NBA announces that Warner Bros. Discovery did not match the terms of Amazon Prime and are agreeing to a longterm arrangement with Amazon. pic.twitter.com/5bYI2i1vFd— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 24, 2024Anxiety over WBD’s and TNT’s future with the NBA arose in May with reports that the league did not include its broadcast partner since 1989 in upcoming rights deals. Charles Barkley, the basketball Hall of Famer and four-time Emmy Award winner, regularly made light of the situation on “Inside,” making jokes that he was “on LinkedIn” looking for his next job.Now that it's official that the 2024-25 NBA season will be TNT’s last, Barkley could no longer hide his disappointment.In an Instagram post on Friday, Barkley called out the league for kowtowing to Amazon because “these tech companies are the only ones willing to pay for the rights when they double in the future (and) the NBA didn’t want to piss them off.”“It’s a sad day when owners and commissioners choose money over the fans,” Barkley added. “It just sucks.”WBD is not giving up. On Friday, TNT Sports announced that it has “taken legal action” against the NBA. Not surprisingly, the statement included “the best interest of fans,” another accusation of the league being greedy.TNT Sports statement on NBA media rights: pic.twitter.com/C14DPCJ65P— TNT Sports U.S. PR (@TNTSportsUS) July 26, 2024One thing is certain: “Inside the NBA” will go out with a bang. As lame-duck hosts of a show that has set the standard in sports media, the “Inside” crew of Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Shaquille O’Neal and Barkley will entertain viewers like never before. Topics that were hands-off will now be fair game. The walks down memory lane reviewing the show's epic moments will be emotional.Expect Barkley to not hold back, too. He just about guaranteed that in a comment on Friday’s IG post.Feb 16, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; TNT broadcaster Shaquille O’Neal (left) and Charles Barkley talk during the 2013 NBA All-Star slam dunk contest at the Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports / Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports“We’re going to give you everything we have next season,” he wrote.That surely includes routinely giving the NBA a piece of his mind.
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Bayer Leverkusen striker Javier Hernandez says he has heard nothing about a potential transfer to Real Madrid.
The Mexico international has scored seven goals in 14 appearances this season, having netted 26 times last term in a brilliant campaign following his departure from Manchester United.
Madrid director Santiago Aguado said last month that he would welcome Hernandez back to the Santiago Bernabeu with open arms, after he scored nine times for the European champions in a loan spell in 2014-15.
The 28-year-old has made no secret that he enjoyed the latter part of his time in the Spanish capital, but he remains fully committed to Leverkusen.
I don t know anything about Real Madrid, he said after his side s 1-0 Champions League win over Tottenham at Wem…
AC Milan have announced the signings of striker Gonzalo Higuain and defender Mattia Caldara from Juventus, with Leonardo Bonucci going the other way to rejoin the Serie A champions.
Higuain s move, on an initial one-year loan worth €18million with an obligation for Milan to buy for a further €36m, comes just two years on from the Argentina striker s €90m switch to Juve from Napoli, which was a club record until Cristiano Ronaldo s €112m switch from Real Madrid this year.
It is believed Ronaldo s arrival prompted the Serie A champions to put Higuain up for sale as part of a revamp of the squad under Massimiliano Allegri.
The 30-year-old scored 55 goals in 105 appearances in all competitions for Juve, winning two Serie A and Coppa Italia doubles and reachin…
Former NFL star JJ Watt has put his old Chelsea allegiances to one side because he believes he can make a big difference at Championship-winning Burnley.
The 34-year-old, who retired from playing last year, has been in Lancashire this week to enjoy Burnley’s final game of the season and take part in Tuesday’s trophy parade after he and his wife Kealia, a former United States international, became investors in the club.
Watt has previously said he was a Chelsea fan but that is in the past for the three-time NFL defensive player of the year.
“I’m a massive football fan and I’ve been looking for the right opportunity for a long time,” Watt told the PA news agency.
“Burnley is a club that has been around since 1882, it’s got incredible support…
Lionel Messi returned to action for Inter Miami as he played the final 30 minutes of a pre-season friendly against Vissel Kobe in Tokyo.
Messi, who has been suffering with a hamstring injury, was an unused substitute as Inter Miami beat a Hong Kong XI 4-1 on Sunday, with local fans voicing their frustrations having turned up in numbers in expectation of seeing the eight-time Ballon D’Or winner in action.
David Beckham’s Major League Soccer side continued their pre-season build up in Japan and Argentina superstar Messi was able to resume training ahead of their latest friendly.
There was another injury worry for Miami, though, as midfielder Sergio Busquets was forced off with an ankle issue midway through the first half after being caught by a late tackle from…
Australia coach Ange Postecoglou said Lucas Neill s lack of top-level football is unlikely to harm his chances of going to the World Cup.
Since leaving Galatasaray in 2011, the Socceroos skipper has struggled to find a permanent home and has only managed short-lived stints at UAE clubs Al Jazira and Al Wasl as well as Sydney FC and J.League outfit Omiya Ardija.
But the 35-year-old is now training with English Championship side Blackburn Rovers, a club he represented with distinction over six seasons in the Premier League.
And while they may not be playing in the country s top flight at the moment, Postecoglou thinks Neill could benefit from playing for Blackburn if the club he used to captain decide to sign him in the current transfer window.
It ll depen…
Didier Drogba has announced he will leave Chelsea following Sunday s season-ending game against Sunderland, in order to play more first-team football.
Drogba who moved back to Stamford Bridge ahead of the current campaign is a Chelsea legend, having helped the club to multiple trophies and scoring the winning penalty in the club s UEFA Champions League final win over Bayern Munich in 2012.
Now 37, the Ivorian has been limited to a bit-part role since his return, largely due to the form of Diego Costa.
And Drogba has revealed he is keen to maximise his playing time in the closing years of his career.
I want to play for at least one more season and in order to play more football I feel I need to go to another club, he told Chelsea s official website on Sun…
Liverpool are preparing to launch an offensive to sign Kai Havertz from Bayer Leverkusen, according to Sport Bild.
The 20-year-old Germany international is apparently wanted by top clubs around Europe, with all the usual suspects named as interested parties; apart from Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich are all keeping their eyes on him. Leverkusen tried to ward off the interest by raising his salary from around €2 million to over €5 million and offering him a new contract, one that would last beyond 2022 which is when the current one expires, but apparently, the attacking midfielder isn t inclined to put pen to paper, which increases the likelihood of him being moved on next summer.
Liverpool parted ways with Philippe Coutinho who joined Barcelona…
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FC Barcelona are coming off a commanding away win at Real Mallorca and continue at the top of the Liga standings as the season progresses. They have a golden chance to extend their lead at the top of the table Tuesday, when they host a struggling Leganes side at Camp Nou. Kick-off for this match has been scheduled for Tuesday at 21:00 GMT.
FC Barcelona
Barcelona currently sit at the top of the standings with 61 points and are coming off a commanding 4-0 win at Mallorca. That was their fourth win in their last five games, and that result also allowed them to maintain their two-point edge over Real Madrid in the standings. Los Blaugranas return to the Camp Nou ahead of this match, a venue where hav…
English Premier League side Hull announced on Monday they had relieved manager Phil Brown of his duties with immediate effect and placed him on gardening leave.
Saturday s 2-1 loss at home to Arsenal left Hull second bottom of the table, three points from safety.
A statement on Hull s website said coaches Brian Horton and Steve Parkin would take charge of the first team until further notice, with the duo s first match since succeeding Brown away to tail-enders Portsmouth on Saturday.
Brown still remains under contract with Hull so cannot work for another club.
Hull chairman Adam Pearson, while paying tribute to Brown s role in guiding the Tigers into the top flight for the first time in their history in 2008 and overseeing their Premier League survival o…
(GSM) West Bromwich Albion have confirmed that they have rejected an offer for Borja Valero from Sevilla.
The Spanish club, who have been reportedly interested in signing the midfielder, had tabled an undisclosed bid which was rejected promptly yesterday.
After failing to settle during Albion s ill-fated Barclays Premier League campaign of 2008/09 when they were relegated, Valero enjoyed a hugely successful season-long loan spell at Mallorca last term.
And after Baggies recent return to top flight for the forthcoming season, he is expected to feature for the club.
But the Black Country club have made it clear that Sevilla s offer is nowhere near their valuation of the 25-year-old.
Sporting technical director Dan Ashworth said: There have been lo…