Fans of the Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans eagerly await the upcoming NBA season, wondering how they will be able to watch their favorite teams play. The recent news of both teams exiting their regional sports networks owned by Diamond Sports has left many uncertainties. With the NBA season set to kick off on Oct. 22, the question of where local games will be aired remains unanswered. Both franchises have a history of televising their games with local broadcasters, but the recent developments have left fans wondering about the upcoming changes.
Agreements with Local Broadcasters
The New Orleans Pelicans have reportedly reached an agreement in principle with Gray Television to air their games this season. While the news has not been officially confirmed by the team, sources close to the Pelicans have provided some insight into the potential deal. Last season, the Pelicans aired 10 of their matchups on Gray’s local stations, indicating a growing partnership between the team and the broadcasting company. On the other hand, the Dallas Mavericks, who made an appearance in last season’s NBA Finals, entered a 13-game agreement with Tegna’s Dallas-Fort Worth stations. However, representatives for both the Mavericks and Tegna have remained tight-lipped about who will broadcast their local games in the upcoming season.
The Mavericks and Pelicans are just the latest teams to move the bulk of their regular season games from Diamond-owned regional sports networks. Over the past 18 months, Diamond Sports has been struggling to navigate its way out of bankruptcy, leading to several NBA, WNBA, and NHL teams ditching regional sports networks in favor of local broadcasters. MLB teams that have left these networks will now have their games produced by the league itself, highlighting the changing landscape of sports broadcasting. As part of the terminations with the Mavericks and Pelicans, Diamond Sports is set to receive $1.3 million and more than $297,000 in repayments, respectively.
Diamond Sports’ bankruptcy has been attributed to the overall decline of cable, despite its efforts to launch a sports-only streaming service in 2022. With an $8 billion debt load, the company was unable to sustain itself without resorting to bankruptcy protection. As the NBA and NHL seasons approach, Diamond faces mounting pressure to form a viable business plan and demonstrate its ability to make necessary rights payments. The recent deal with Comcast to return Bally Sports networks on cable TV marked a significant milestone for the company, especially considering Comcast is its third largest distributor.
As Diamond Sports continues to navigate its way through bankruptcy, the recent developments with the Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans underscore the challenges faced by sports broadcasting companies in the current landscape. The shift towards local broadcasters and away from regional sports networks owned by larger entities signals a broader trend in the industry. With court approvals pending for broadcast and streaming rights agreements with the NBA and NHL, Diamond Sports is hopeful that these deals will pave the way for a successful exit from bankruptcy protection. The long-term partnerships with major sports leagues are seen as crucial milestones in Diamond’s journey towards financial stability.
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