NBA legend and TNT analyst has been in the news recently as a potential signing for the broadcast team of the LIV Golf Invitational Series. However, while he recently confirmed he will meet with LIV over a new role, he’s now admitted it would take big money to lure him.
Speaking on The Dan Patrick Show on Monday, Barkley, who will play in the Saudi-backed Series’ pro-am in New Jersey this week, was speaking about the big money handed to players to sign up for venture. He said: "If they offer me something crazy, I'm gonna take it too. Considering how much I make now, it would take a really huge number for me to give up my life right now. I'm not gonna give up my life for... I don't like to talk about how much money I make."
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In an attempt to coax a figure from him, the host asked if Barkley would sign up for three times his hypothetical $20m salary, to which he responded: "If they triple it, next time I'm on your show, the first question better be, 'Charles, where we celebrating at tonight?' That should be your first question if they triple what I'm making now."
If the Series is to make Barkley the latest high-profile member of its broadcast team, following last week’s capture of David Feherty, they’ll have to be quick, though. Barkley said he’s not going to wait for long to receive an offer from LIV CEO Greg Norman. He said: "I'm gonna give him a deadline. The deadline's gonna be Thursday. I'm not gonna keep TNT in limbo, to be honest with you. I don't think it's fair to them. They've gotten plenty of play out of me coming to play up there Thursday. I'm not just gonna be no show pony. I got y'all pub for a week. Don't be wasting my time. I'm not gonna waste ya'll time. But when I leave New Jersey Thursday night, if I don't have an offer in hand, it's over."
While that is a matter of days away, Barkley is known as a supporter of the controversial Series. During last month’s US Open, he stuck up for the LIV Golf players, saying: “I want all the LIV guys on top of the leaderboard. I want to see the PGA Tour shaking in their damn boots. Listen, I’m not a religious dude, but I want chaos this weekend at the US Open.”
Whether Barkley’s support for the venture translates to a lucrative broadcast deal is not yet clear, but if he has his way, we should have clarity in a matter of days.
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