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The NBA Playoffs are fully underway, with the Eastern and Western Conference Finals delivering some great games after plenty of first- and second-round blowouts.
In the WCF, Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs claimed Game 1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder with a double-overtime win, which aired on NBC and streamed on Peacock.
Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks followed that up by staging an impressive Game 1 comeback win in overtime against the Cleveland Cavaliers, which aired on ESPN.
Those recent playoff games have drawn rave reviews from fans and analysts for their intensity and excitement, but Charles Barkley is calling out one major issue with the league’s scheduling.
More news:Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Reacts to Potential Loss of Jalen Williams for WCF
HOUSTON, TEXAS – APRIL 03: College basketball analyst Charles Barkley on air before the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four championship game between the Connecticut Huskies and the San Diego State Aztecs at NRG Stadium on April 03, 2023, in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
“I think Adam Silver’s got to get a hold of this thing. I think the games are too disjointed right now. NBC, Peacock, Amazon, I think we have disrespected the fans,” Barkley said. “They don’t know when the games are on. I just think that’s really unfair to the fans.”
Those three media networks or streaming platforms have carried NBA games throughout the season and postseason, and it’s become a reminder of how sports go to the highest-paying networks in a battle for more viewership and money.
Barkley, who regularly appears as an analyst on ESPN, admitted he has no issues with Silver and thinks he’s “great.” However, he also admitted that when ESPN wasn’t showing certain playoff games, he had to use an app to find where to watch other games.
“I was like, is it on NBC, is it on Peacock, is it on Amazon?” the ESPN analyst told Jimmy Traina for SI Media. “It’s been frustrating for me. I can imagine how frustrating it is for the regular fan.”
Years ago, network and cable television were the only ways to catch sports games until the streaming revolution took over in recent years. Now it has become the case that fans might need to subscribe to multiple platforms to watch sports.
A similar trend has begun in other professional sports leagues, including the NFL, which will air regular-season games on ABC/ESPN, NBC/Peacock, Amazon, Netflix, and YouTube in 2026-27.
It seems unlikely that Silver would make any major changes to something like this soon, regardless of Barkley’s or the fans’ frustrations, since it’s all about business and maximizing revenue for the league and its teams.
More news:Stephen A. Smith Sends Strong Message on Jalen Brunson Ahead of Game 2
For more about the NBA Playoffs, head over to Newsweek Sports.
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In the WCF, Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs claimed Game 1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder with a double-overtime win, which aired on NBC and streamed on Peacock.
Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks followed that up by staging an impressive Game 1 comeback win in overtime against the Cleveland Cavaliers, which aired on ESPN.
Those recent playoff games have drawn rave reviews from fans and analysts for their intensity and excitement, but Charles Barkley is calling out one major issue with the league’s scheduling.
More news:Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Reacts to Potential Loss of Jalen Williams for WCF
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HOUSTON, TEXAS – APRIL 03: College basketball analyst Charles Barkley on air before the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four championship game between the Connecticut Huskies and the San Diego State Aztecs at NRG Stadium on April 03, 2023, in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
“I think Adam Silver’s got to get a hold of this thing. I think the games are too disjointed right now. NBC, Peacock, Amazon, I think we have disrespected the fans,” Barkley said. “They don’t know when the games are on. I just think that’s really unfair to the fans.”
Those three media networks or streaming platforms have carried NBA games throughout the season and postseason, and it’s become a reminder of how sports go to the highest-paying networks in a battle for more viewership and money.
Barkley, who regularly appears as an analyst on ESPN, admitted he has no issues with Silver and thinks he’s “great.” However, he also admitted that when ESPN wasn’t showing certain playoff games, he had to use an app to find where to watch other games.
“I was like, is it on NBC, is it on Peacock, is it on Amazon?” the ESPN analyst told Jimmy Traina for SI Media. “It’s been frustrating for me. I can imagine how frustrating it is for the regular fan.”
Years ago, network and cable television were the only ways to catch sports games until the streaming revolution took over in recent years. Now it has become the case that fans might need to subscribe to multiple platforms to watch sports.
A similar trend has begun in other professional sports leagues, including the NFL, which will air regular-season games on ABC/ESPN, NBC/Peacock, Amazon, Netflix, and YouTube in 2026-27.
It seems unlikely that Silver would make any major changes to something like this soon, regardless of Barkley’s or the fans’ frustrations, since it’s all about business and maximizing revenue for the league and its teams.
More news:Stephen A. Smith Sends Strong Message on Jalen Brunson Ahead of Game 2
For more about the NBA Playoffs, head over to Newsweek Sports.
Related Articles
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