Overview

• After a meeting with ESPN, Charles Barkley said executives pledged not to cut to ABC local affiliates or to SportsCenter during postgame windows.
• Barkley added the crew was told they could run to about 2 a.m., preserving the extended late-night segment that has defined the show.
• Earlier reports of 30-minute postgame placeholders raised alarms, but ESPN’s Burke Magnus has since emphasized giving the show ample time.
• Under the licensing arrangement, ESPN/ABC will air the program while TNT Sports maintains production and editorial control.
• Fans remain uneasy about regular-season availability after reports of limited primetime slots, with some format and scheduling details still unsettled.