Phoenix Suns and Mercury will air games on free TV and streaming, becoming first teams to break with bankrupt broadcaster Diamond Sports
The Phoenix Suns and Mercury of the NBA and WNBA, respectively, are the first teams to part ways with their Diamond Sports Group-ownedopting instead to broadcast games for free over the air and on a new streaming service.
Beginning next season for the Suns, and next month when the Mercury's regular season starts, games will be available locally on three TV channels and streaming online as part of a new partnership with Gray Television and Kiswe, the teamsThe price of the streaming service hasn't been announced yet, but the teams said fans will be able to watch the Mercury for free for at least the first season.
Rights to broadcast the games were previously held by Bally Sports Arizona, a cable channel owned by Diamond Sports Group, which operates over a dozen Bally-branded regional sports networks andThe teams said the new TV system will allow their games to be broadcast in about 2.8 million homes, more than triple the number of homes they previously reached in their exclusive contract with Bally Sports Arizona.
"By going entirely over the air and building our own DTC product, the Suns and Mercury will now be accessible to millions more fans in Arizona and globally," Mat Ishbia, the new owner of the teams who bought a controlling stake in both earlier this year, said in a statement.
Diamond — a subsidiary of Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns and operates 19 Bally Sports channels covering 16 NBA, 14 MLB, and 12 NHL teams — is in the midst ofDiamond reportedly made all its right payments to its NBA teams for the current season, but
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Phoenix Suns and Mercury to move games from cable to local network and streamingGames for the NBA's Phoenix Suns and the WNBA's Mercury will be aired on local TV stations and their own streaming app.
Read more »
In Arizona, new TV deal for Suns and Mercury is decidedly old schoolThe two professional basketball teams in Phoenix — the NBA’s Suns and WNBA’s Mercury — are taking a radical step: putting all their games on free broadcast television while also making games available to stream
Read more »
WATCH: Brittney Griner speaks out ahead of Phoenix Mercury 2023 training campWNBA Champion Brittney Griner spoke out at Footprint Center Thursday ahead of the 2023 Phoenix Mercury training camp. MORE ⬇️
Read more »
The Phoenix Suns Could Usher In the Future of Regional Sports TV DealsAll local Suns and Mercury games will air on broadcast TV, with a paid streaming option for cord-cutters.
Read more »
NBA's Phoenix Suns sign new TV deal after broadcaster bankruptcyThe NBA's Phoenix Suns and WNBA's Phoenix Mercury announced a new television and streaming rights deal for their basketball games on Friday, over the objection of the bankrupt U.S. sports broadcaster that currently televises Suns regular-season games.
Read more »
Chris Paul: Phoenix Suns will 'figure it out' against No. 1-seed Denver Nuggets in semifinalsThe No. 4-seed Suns start their conference semifinals series Saturday at No. 1 seed Denver.
Read more »