Add a Gray Television broadcast television station serving Cleveland to the list of free-to-air offerings that will be bringing regular-season National Basketball Association games to fans across the local viewing area without the need to pay to view it.
The company’s affiliate for The CW Network in Cleveland, WUAB-43, is teaming up with the Cleveland Cavaliers for five home games.
The games set to air on WUAB are as follows:
March 5: Cavs vs. Celtics
March 8: Cavs vs. Timberwolves
March 29: Cavs vs. 76ers
(home games)
April 6: Cavs vs. Lakers
April 7: Cavs vs. Clippers
(in Los Angeles, with 3:30pm Eastern air times)
“We are excited to announce that all fans of the Cavaliers will be able to watch five games for free on broadcast television,” said Matt Moran, the Senior Managing Vice President for Gray Television and a Cavaliers fan. “This is a great opportunity for WUAB and Gray Television to collaborate with the Cavs to provide the team’s devoted fans with complete access to the games no matter how they watch TV.”
WUAB General Manager David Hughes added, “The Cavaliers and WUAB 43 have had a broadcasting partnership dating back over 50 years. We couldn’t be happier to have the Cavs back on Channel 43 for the first time since 2019.”
Speaking for the team, Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse and Rock Entertainment Group CEO Nic Barlage, who holds the title for the Cavaliers as well, said, “We are constantly evaluating every available opportunity to create the greatest experience for all fans of Cavaliers Basketball. Given the current, dynamic media landscape, we have prioritized how we can expand our audience in every way possible. “This partnership with Gray allows us to test out a new model of distribution that has the potential to reach more of our fans across our region.”
The availability of the broadcasts is tied to the bankruptcy emergence plan developed by Diamond Sports Group for its Bally Sports-branded regional sports networks. As such, Bally Sports Ohio commentators will appear on WUAB “Cleveland 19” telecasts of Cavs games.
So FIVE out of 82 games. That’s not a major market sports rights deal. That’s a crumbs deal…and hardly worth the effort. Gotta be another way for OTA stations IMHO.
Baby steps, young padawan. It’s a good move in the right direction as the RSN model gets a serious kick in the teeth
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