Is Inside the NBA Hurting NBA TV Ratings

The NBA’s most popular TV show might actually be hurting the league’s popularity – at least that’s what one prominent sports analyst is claiming.

Jason McIntyre dropped a bombshell on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” this week, suggesting that TNT’s “Inside the NBA” and its brutally honest commentary could be driving viewers away from basketball.

“Inside the NBA goes on every week and just trashes players, trashes the style of play,” McIntyre said. “You look at any other show – MLB Network, NFL Network, our network – we are all positive, we’re talking about the games. Inside the NBA just hammers the players.”

He’s got a point. The show’s stars – especially Charles Barkley – haven’t exactly been shy about their complaints.

“I’m tired of talking about the Lakers and Warriors,” Barkley has said repeatedly throughout this season, making it clear when he’s bored with certain matchups.

The Hall of Famer also regularly grumbles about having to stay in TNT’s Atlanta studio until 1 a.m. ET to cover West Coast games.

Sometimes the criticism gets pretty harsh. Just recently, Barkley ripped into the Houston Rockets, saying they “don’t have any idea how to play basketball” and weren’t ready for national TV. That’s despite the Rockets’ impressive 17-9 record and having the NBA’s second-best defense.

It’s quite a contrast from what viewers usually get from sports shows. The unfiltered banter between Barkley, Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny Smith has been the show’s trademark for over a decade – and usually, its biggest strength.

But could all that change soon? The show is moving to ESPN/Disney networks in 2025-26, though ESPN president Burke Magnus has promised to keep the show’s format intact.

The big question is: Does brutal honesty make for great TV but bad marketing? For the NBA, that’s becoming a million-dollar question.