Cavs, 12 Other NBA Teams Bid Farewell to FanDuel Sports Network
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Sunday marks the final day that 13 NBA franchises, including the Cleveland Cavaliers, will appear on FanDuel Sports Network, closing a chapter in their local television history.
The league has notified the Cavaliers, Heat, Thunder, Spurs, Pistons, Clippers, Timberwolves, Magic, Hornets, Hawks, Pacers, Grizzlies and Bucks that they may begin negotiating new in-market media rights agreements for the 2026-27 season, according to Sports Business Journal.
Main Street Sports Group—formerly Diamond Sports Group and the operator of FanDuel Sports Network—has indicated it will shut down after the regular season unless a last-minute deal materializes. “We are preparing to wind down our operations upon season’s end unless we reach a strategic transaction,” a company spokesperson said earlier this month.
With no confirmed local broadcast partners for 2024-25, teams are exploring a broad range of options, from traditional over-the-air stations to streaming platforms such as DAZN, Amazon, YouTube TV and the ESPN app. The NBA is also developing a centralized streaming service, though that project is not expected to launch before the 2027-28 campaign.
“We’re throwing a very wide net,” Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Mel Raines told the Indianapolis Star. “Looking at every possible option to reach as many of our fans as we can next season.”
The immediate impact for viewers begins this week: play-in games will be available only on Prime Video, and there will be no local television coverage once the playoffs start.
Source: Hoops Wire
