Charles Barkley rips the NBA over rejection of TNT Sports' bid to match Amazon's '$1.9 billion' offer as he breaks his silence in emotional statement

Basketball Hall of Famer and 'Inside the NBA' analyst Charles Barkley has released a statement after the NBA rejected TNT Sports' bid to match an offer for the league's rights.

TNT was in a competition with Amazon, NBC, and ESPN to try and keep their hold on the rights for the world's top basketball league.

Barkley, who has been on the air with TNT since 2000, expressed his displeasure with the decision.

'Clearly the NBA has wanted to break up with us from the beginning. I'm not sure TNT ever had a chance,' Barkley began.

'TNT matched the money, but the league knows Amazon and these tech companies are the only ones willing to pay for the rights when they double in the future. The NBA didn't want to piss them off.

Charles Barkley has released a statement after TNT's bid for NBA rights was rejected

NBA commissioner Adam Silver agreed to a new rights deal with Amazon, NBC, and ESPN

'It's a sad day when owners and commissioners choose money over the fans. It just sucks.

'I just want to thank everyone who has been at Turner for the last 24 years. They are the best people and the most talented and they deserve better.

'I also want to thank the NBA and its fans - the best fans in sports. We're going to give you everything we have next season.' 

TNT Sports responded to the news on Wednesday evening by arguing that the NBA does not have the right to reject the network's decision to match Amazon's $1.9 billion offer. 

'We have matched the Amazon offer, as we have a contractual right to do, and do not believe the NBA can reject it,' TNT Sports representatives said in a statement to DailyMail.com. 

TNT Sports spokespeople argued that the NBA has 'grossly misinterpreted our contractual rights.' The dispute will likely result in a legal battle, The Athletic reports. 

The WNBA also cut its own deal with Amazon, ESPN and NBC worth around $2.2 billion (or $200 million annually), DailyMail.com has learned. What's more, the 'W' is still free to make other media deals, potentially adding to its nine-figure annual haul. 

Wednesday's news only serves to put the future of TNT's popular studio show, Inside the NBA, into further doubt.