The Dallas Mavericks have announced a new, multiyear broadcasting rights agreement with TEGNA that will televise its games within the state of Texas on free, over-the-air television. This agreement helps games reach about 10 million people in the state, nearly tripling the current number of households the Mavericks were able to reach previously, utilizing a variety of TEGNA-owned stations. Beginning with the Mavericks game against the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 26, KMPX Dallas-Ft. Worth will broadcast all games that are not exclusively televised at the national level. Additionally, 15 or more games will be simulcast on WFAA Dallas-Ft. Worth, and games will also be broadcast on stations in cities such as Waco, Tyler and Abilene among others.
Under this new agreement, WFAA becomes the official local broadcast partner of the Mavericks and will bring fans comprehensive behind-the-scenes coverage from Joe Trahan, its lead sports anchor. WFAA and TEGNA will lead the local and regional advertising and sponsorship sales for local games, while TEGNA continues working with partner broadcast companies for additional Texas markets, announcements of which are expected to be divulged in the coming days. WFAA broadcast 13 Mavericks games for free on over-the-air television last season after the NBA and Diamond Sports Group reached an agreement enabling a limited number of contests to air in this capacity through the end of the season.
“We are looking forward to giving Dallas Mavericks fans every opportunity possible to watch our exciting team build on the momentum of its incredible run to the NBA Finals last season,” Patrick Dumont, governor of the Dallas Mavericks, said in a statement. “Our new agreement with TEGNA helps meaningfully deliver on that goal by broadcasting more games to more local homes than in any period in franchise history. Through our new partnership with TEGNA and our expanded relationship with WFAA, more Mavs fans than ever before will be able to watch the team they love.”
“This is an incredible day for Mavs fans and our partners across Texas, and we are grateful to the Mavericks organization for their partnership and trust,” Brad Ramsey, senior vice president, media operations at TEGNA, said in a statement. “Mavericks fans, our audience, and our advertising partners had an unbelievable reaction to the 10 games we made available last season, and we are thrilled to build off of that momentum and make every game, home or away, available to more fans, in more homes.”
Mavericks games had previously been broadcast on Bally Sports Southwest; however, Diamond Sports Group, the owner of the network, rejected its agreement with the team under Ch. 11 bankruptcy. Within court filings, Diamond stated that the Mavericks organization requested the mutual termination of the agreement and that the Debtors subsequently determined that the deals could not be rendered profitable.
“We are excited to tip off the new season by bringing our games to more MFFLs across Texas,” Cynt Marshall, chief executive officer of the Dallas Mavericks, said in a statement. “It was a pleasure working with TEGNA last season to deliver additional viewing experiences for ten games. Building on the overwhelmingly positive feedback received, we look forward to providing millions more Mavs fans access to watch our games throughout the entire season. Stay tuned and let’s go Mavs!”
“Our team is passionate about giving our audience great local stories, and this further cements WFAA as the go-to place for live, local sports,” Carolyn Mungo, vice president and station manager of WFAA, said in a statement. “Our team could not be more excited to help take the Mavericks viewership to new heights.”
Consumers are able to find more information about the new television arrangement by visiting the Mavericks official website, which has a dedicated landing spot to its broadcast coverage. The Spanish-language content that currently airs on Ch. 29 will be relocated to a different channel ahead of the regular season, and KMPX will become a locally programmed and independent station. More details pertaining to the future of this entity will be communicated to the fans and viewers before the season commences.
