Cavaliers Games To Remain On Bally Sports For 2023-24 Season
Earlier this year, Cleveland Cavaliers fans may have had some uncertainty about how they would watch their team on television this season.
This is because Bally Sports’ parent company, Diamond Sports Group, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this past March.
This resulted in pay disputes with multiple professional sports teams, including MLB's Cleveland Guardians.
The Wine and Gold have had their local games broadcasted through Bally Sports since the 2021-22 season.
Yesterday, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, the NBA and Diamond Sports Group agreed to a deal, which still needs legal approval, for Bally Sports regional sports networks to continue broadcasting NBA games this season.
Bontemps writes:
“As part of the deal, all existing RSN deals teams have with Bally Sports will be set to expire at the end of this season, regardless of how long they were supposed to last. But if Diamond continues to operate in any market, the team in that market will have the option to extend its existing agreement for one more year, sources said.”
Based on this part of the NBA-Diamond Sports Group deal, the Cavaliers could potentially have their local games broadcast through their Bally Sports regional network (Bally Sports Great Lakes) next season as well.
Mar 21, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers television broadcasters John Michael (left) and Austin Carr work prior to a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
© David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
However, if Cleveland decides to end its partnership with Bally Sports after this season, one option for broadcasting their local games could be through free, over-the-air television, as opposed to paid cable television.
This past offseason, the Phoenix Suns announced that they would utilize over-the-air broadcasting beginning this season. The Utah Jazz are also now broadcasting their local games via over-the-air television.
While Cavaliers fans await the team’s future local broadcasting plan, their local games will remain on Bally Sports for the 2023-24 campaign.
