Charles Barkley is TNT Sports. And TNT Sports is Charles Barkley.

That axiom was reinforced Tuesday as Sir Charles issued a statement declaring he’s changed his mind about retiring from TV—and plans to remain with his work “family” at TNT.

“I love my TNT Sports family. My #1 priority has been and always will be our people and keeping everyone together for as long as possible. We have the most amazing people, and they are the best at what they do. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with them both on the shows we currently have—and new ones we develop together in the future. This is the only place for me,” said the five-time Emmy winner in a statement. “I have to say … I’ve been impressed by the leadership team who is fighting hard and have been aggressive in adding new properties to TNT Sports, which I am very excited about. … I’m going to give my all as we keep them entertained for years to come.”

Luis Silberwasser, chairman and CEO of TNT Sports, said in a statement: “Charles is one of the best and most beloved sportscasters in the history of television. I know I speak for all the members of the TNT Sports family when I say we are incredibly thrilled to share this mutual commitment to continue showcasing Charles’s one-of-a-kind talents and entertain fans well into the future.”

Barkley signed a 10-year, $210 million contract extension with TNT in 2022. In June, Barkley announced that his 25th season with TNT’s Inside the NBA for the 2024–2025 season would be his last. But that threat always appeared to be a last-ditch Hail Mary by Barkley to try to help his longtime colleagues at TNT hang on to their jobs.

It remains to be seen whether TNT’s legal challenge to retain its 40-year relationship with the NBA will succeed. Even if it doesn’t, TNT wants Barkley to chip in across its sports programming lineup, whether it’s March Madness, college basketball and football, the NHL, and made-for-TV golf events such as “The Match.”

In media appearances this summer, Barkley confirmed ESPN, NBC Sports, and Amazon Prime Video reached out to him about possibly jumping ship. But for now, Barkley’s loyalty to his TNT family has won out. 

Could he change his mind? Of course. Barkley has the contractual right to opt out whenever TNT loses NBA rights, which would be after this coming NBA season if it fails in court. The statements from Barkley and TNT said nothing about his long-term future, although Barkley’s statement did refer to “years,” plural, to come. But Barkley is an unpredictable force of nature who ripped his bosses at Warner Bros. Discovery as “clowns” and “fools” for bungling the NBA rights negotiation. More recently, he turned his guns on NBA owners for choosing Amazon’s “money” over the TV needs of fans. 

“Clearly, the NBA has wanted to break up with us from the beginning,” he said. “I’m not sure TNT ever had a chance. 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. It’s a sad day when owners and commissioners choose money over the fans. It just sucks.”

Barkley’s a one-of-a-kind talent. His statement of loyalty is the best news to hit TNT in a long time. If he chose to become a free agent, Barkley could command $25 million to $30 million on the open market. But for now, he’s staying with TNT. I can’t wait to watch a totally unplugged Sir Charles chop it up with Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson this coming season.

Mr. Worldwide is headed to Conference USA. 

Pitbull, the international rapper who hails from South Miami, has purchased the naming rights to Florida International’s football stadium in a multiyear deal. Pitbull, whose real name is Armando Pérez, will pay the school $1.2 million annually for the next five years, with the opportunity to re-up for another five. 

The stadium was known as “FIU Stadium” for the last two years between naming-rights deals; from 2017 to 2022 it was named after Italian businessman Ricardo Silva, who had paid almost $4 million to renovate the stadium and got his name attached in the deal. 

The stadium also houses Miami FC, the USL club Silva owns. Silva also co-owns AC Milan, which he purchased a stake in 2022 through RedBird Capital. 

FIU’s board of trustees approved the name change to “Pitbull Stadium” in a vote Tuesday.

Pérez grew up right by FIU’s campus and attended Miami Coral Park Senior High School, just two miles from the university. Aside from Mr. Worldwide, another nickname he has is Mr. 305, an ode to his Miami roots and the city’s main area code. The stadium will reportedly be the first collegiate athletics facility named after a musician. 

As part of the agreement, Pitbull will record an anthem for the school and promote it on social media. His branded vodka will be sold in the stadium, according to ESPN. 

The Panthers compete in Division I’s FBS and are a relatively young program, founded in 2002. The Panthers have played in five bowl games, winning two.  

Editors’ note: RedBird IMI, of which RedBird Capital Partners is a joint venture partner, is an investor in Front Office Sports.

The most decorated Olympian in history continues to throw down the hammer against doping.

American swimmer Michael Phelps (above), who won 23 gold medals across five different Olympic Games, said he believes anyone who is caught doping should receive a lifetime ban.

“If you test positive, you should never be allowed to come back and compete again, cut and dry,” Phelps said Monday in Paris. “I believe in one and done.”

While Phelps hasn’t competed in the Olympics since 2016, he claims there have always been competitors who were doping.

“I don’t think I ever competed in an even playing field or a clean field,” Phelps said. “I have some speculations of some athletes that I competed against that I thought they were [doping]. But that’s out of my control.”

Because of his dominance in the sport, Phelps has also been questioned for doping in the past. He said he was constantly called a “cheater,” and that before the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he decided to go through additional testing to prove his innocence.

Phelps has been critical of the World Anti-Doping Agency for its decision to allow 23 Chinese swimmers to compete in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics after they tested positive for a banned substance. 

A team nutritionist from China said on a now-deleted social media post on the Chinese site Weibo that the country’s delegation of 31 swimmers were subject to nearly 200 doping tests before being cleared to compete in Paris.

U.S. Host Cities in Jeopardy?

Because of the doping scandals, U.S. lawmakers may consider cutting funding for WADA, worth more than $3 million per year, the most of any country. The United States, including the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, accused WADA of not disclosing findings on the Chinese swimmers.

In June, Phelps testified before Congress and said WADA had “fallen short” of attempts at fixing doping.

“There are still deeply rooted systemic problems that prove to be detrimental to the integrity of international sports and athletes’ rights to fair competition,” Phelps said.

WADA said it would take the USADA’s allegations to its independent compliance review committee, which could put at risk the country’s deal to host the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles and the 2034 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.

The International Olympic Committee, which created WADA, added an amendment in the U.S. host city contract for Salt Lake City 2034 that it could end its deal “in cases where the supreme authority of WADA is not respected.”