Suns Sign New Free-TV Deal

[82CardsGrad]

Wow! Not sure what channel they’ll be on, but this should be very cool!

Phoenix Suns and Mercury to move games from cable to local network and streaming

Games for the NBA's Phoenix Suns and the WNBA's Mercury will be aired on local TV stations and their own streaming app.

www.cnbc.com

 

[Mainstreet]

This is great news for the fans of the Suns and Mercury in Arizona to have more availability to television coverage.

Here is a snippet from Arizona Sports.

By Arizona Sports:

The Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury announced Friday they have agreed to a five-year television and streaming partnership with Gray Television, departing Bally Sports Arizona regional network.

Gray Television includes KTVK (Arizona’s Family 3TV), KPHO (Arizona’s Family CBS5) and the statewide KPHE (AZ Family Sports Network), which will help the teams reach the Phoenix, Tucson and Yuma media markets. The deal also includes Kiswe, an interactive video company.

Suns announce new TV partner, leaving Bally Sports Arizona

The Phoenix Suns and Mercury announced a five-year television and streaming deal with Gray, departing Bally Sports Arizona.

arizonasports.com

 

[Mainstreet]

Below is a link to the release from the Suns plus an excerpt:


“Cord cutters, cable subscribers, fans with an antenna – everyone will be able to watch Suns and Mercury games on Arizona’s Family,” added Ishbia. “Coupling that with a partnership with an industry leader like Kiswe to provide an innovative digital streaming solution allows us to transform the way fans watch our games, giving them more options and access than they’ve ever had.”

The Suns and Mercury will have all non-national exclusive games broadcast between KTVK and KPHE. The Suns will have a minimum of 70 games broadcast, with at least 40 regular-season games on KTVK and the remaining on KPHE. The Suns' deal spans up to five years, while the Mercury's is a two-year agreement.

Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury Announce Groundbreaking Media Rights Deal to Bring Every Game Over-The-Air and Direct-to-Consumer with Gray Television and Kiswe

www.nba.com

 

[Folster]

Ruh roh!?

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[Mainstreet]

As a Suns fan, I really appreciate Mat Ishbia's effort to provide more television coverage to fans in Arizona.

As an out of area DirecTV subscriber, I'm hoping if I get the local channels, I will get all the Suns games.

I'm guessing the playoffs will remain a national thing.

 

[Folster]

As a Suns fan, I really appreciate Mat Ishbia's effort to provide more television coverage to fans in Arizona.

As an out of area DirecTV subscriber, I'm hoping if I get the local channels, I will get all the Suns games.

I'm guessing the playoffs will remain a national thing.

Arizona’s Family announces transformative broadcast partnership with Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury

Groundbreaking rights deal to bring every game free, Over-the-air with statewide distribution.

www.azfamily.com

Fans will also be able to watch games through a DTC (Direct-To-Consumer) streaming option alongside the over-the-air broadcast product powered by Kiswe. Subscribers will be able to access the DTC streaming through a Suns or Mercury branded app on their smartphones or Smart TVs. The 2023 Phoenix Mercury season will stream DTC for free.

 

[SunsTzu]

This has been a long time coming, so glad the Suns are at the forefront. RSN cable package model has been dying a slow death for over a decade.

 

[Hoop Head]

This is great news and definite W for Ishbia as owner. I'm sure I'm not alone in recalling Suns games broadcast on old Channel 45 KUTP over the air with Cotton and Al McCoy. The Suns were accessible to everyone in the valley then. It'll take a little time but I'd love to see this become a Suns town again and this will definitely help.

 

[Chaplin]

Interested in seeing how this works with league pass for those of us not in Arizona.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Interested in seeing how this works with league pass for those of us not in Arizona.

I think it probably only pertains to Phoenix and the app will have a geotracker like the casino apps where you can’t use them out of state.

 

[BirdGangThing]

Hells yeah!

 

[Zobaczcie suki]

"See you in Court"

--Bally

Diamond Sports Group accuses Phoenix Suns of breach of contract in leaving Bally Sports Arizona

Diamond Sports Group responded to the Phoenix Suns leaving Bally Sports Arizona for Gray Television and Kiswe, saying they've violated bankruptcy law.

www.azcentral.com

 

[ozzfloyd]

New network to bring Suns and Mercury games to southern Arizona viewers

Arizona's Family Sports and Entertainment Network will air games on KOLD 13.5

www.kold.com

 

[Chaplin]

I think it probably only pertains to Phoenix and the app will have a geotracker like the casino apps where you can’t use them out of state.

Geo blocking is irrelevant with League Pass. This new network should have a deal with the nba to offer games on League Pass. I hope.

The new app itself wouldn’t work just like the Ballys app wouldn’t work for me now.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Geo blocking is irrelevant with League Pass. This new network should have a deal with the nba to offer games on League Pass. I hope.

The new app itself wouldn’t work just like the Ballys app wouldn’t work for me now.

Right… so I think it has zero effect on League Pass. It’s just a new local carrier so I would assume everything with League Pass out of market stays the same.

 

[Hoop Head]

"See you in Court"

--Bally

Diamond Sports Group accuses Phoenix Suns of breach of contract in leaving Bally Sports Arizona

Diamond Sports Group responded to the Phoenix Suns leaving Bally Sports Arizona for Gray Television and Kiswe, saying they've violated bankruptcy law.

www.azcentral.com

"See us on the court!" - Mat Ishbia

 

[Hoop Head]

This was picked up by ESPN also, they have it on the NBA page's headlines. No new info other than hinting this could be something other teams follow. Also mentioned that all Mercury games will be free on the app this season, which is cool. I expect app info to drop soon.

Suns, Mercury cut cable, moving to new TV setup

Starting with their next seasons, Suns and Mercury games will be broadcast for free over-the-air and streamed online on a new direct-to-consumer service.

www.espn.com

 

[AzStevenCal]

This is great news and definite W for Ishbia as owner. I'm sure I'm not alone in recalling Suns games broadcast on old Channel 45 KUTP over the air with Cotton and Al McCoy. The Suns were accessible to everyone in the valley then. It'll take a little time but I'd love to see this become a Suns town again and this will definitely help.

And before that I watched Al McCoy doing the games on Channel 5. Of course, 5 was an independent then, not a network affiliate.

 

[Zobaczcie suki]

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[Zobaczcie suki]

So if you are out of state like me, any TNT or ESPN, or just @Mainstreet play by play on ASFN?

 

[Phrazbit]

So if you are out of state like me, any TNT or ESPN, or just @Mainstreet play by play on ASFN?

ESPN and TNT will still carry their national games.

And I would not be surprised if, using a really cheap VPN, you'll be able to watch whatever live stream Ishbia says they're going to put out.

 

[Folster]

For those out of towners with friends and family in the valley. You can buy them an HD Homerun or Sling AirTv that will allow you to watch the antenna feed remotely. I have a Sling Air TV device that allows me to do this with my antenna.

 

[Shaggy]

About time. Glad I will be able to watch them again. I wasn't a fan paying $15/month for Bally sports.

 

[Hoop Head]

About time. Glad I will be able to watch them again. I wasn't a fan paying $15/month for Bally sports.

Especially with how bad that app is. It would buffer at weird times, cut to commercials mid game, and the stream was very low quality. I know I'm not the only one who had issues with it as I'd regularly see similar complaints in game threads about the above issues.

 

[Hoop Head]

Wouldn't it be amazing if they used an updated version of this? Just swap out the players and highlights, use a remastered version of the music, and a whole generation can fall in love with the Suns like those of who grew up in the 90's.

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