The NBA playoffs are already underway, with first-round action taking center court. Local regional sports networks are currently providing a local play-by-play call for each of the local markets in the very early rounds. However, with the NBA’s new media deals with ESPN, NBC, and Amazon beginning next season, that local call for early-round playoff matchups will, unfortunately, be a thing of the past.
Meanwhile, Mike Breen, who calls New York Knicks games for MSG Network and serves as the lead play-by-play voice for ESPN nationally, told Newsday that he believes it’s a bad decision to take away the local call from the early-round matchups.
“It’s really sad,” said Breen to Newsday. “I think it’s so unfortunate, because for the fans, they want to hear their local broadcasters, at least for some part of the postseason, because broadcasters often are part of the fans’ family.”
Beginning next season, NBA games will be televised by The Walt Disney Company, Comcast Corporation, and Amazon under 11-year deals reportedly worth a collective $76 billion. These agreements will place games across broadcast and cable television along with streaming platforms. Importantly, as part of that arrangement, the league included exclusive broadcasts for all NBA playoff games.
“I say this as someone who does national games,” Breen said. “I understand the importance of what the regional announcers mean to the fans, and you’re taking that away from them. I get it later on (in the playoffs), but you can’t give them at least the first round?”
Furthermore, while Breen notes the regional broadcasts’ importance for local viewing audiences as significant to the league, he remains disappointed in the decision to include those games in the new media agreements.
“I think it was a bad decision from the league. You can’t blame the rightsholders, because they’re paying all this money,” said Breen. “The league should have said, you know what, we’re going to hold onto that first round.”
Ultimately, all regional sports network broadcasts will conclude with the beginning of the conference semifinals round of the NBA playoffs next week.
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