NBA TV

For the Canadian version of this channel, see NBA TV Canada.

NBA TV
Launched	March 17, 1999
Owned by	National Basketball Association (leased to Turner Broadcasting System, a Time Warner company)
Picture format	480i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV)
Country	United States
Headquarters	Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Website	http://nba.com/nba_tv
Availability
Satellite
DirecTV	Channel 216 (SD/HD)
Dish Network	Channel 156 (SD/HD) Channel 9508 (HD)
NTV Plus
DishHD (Taiwan)	Channel 6350 (HD)
Cable
Available on most cable systems	Check local listings
Verizon FiOS	Channel 89 (SD) Channel 589 (HD)
IPTV
AT&T Uverse	Channel 632 (SD) Channel 1632 (HD)
Now TV	Channel 678 (SD)

NBA TV is a television specialty channel that is dedicated to showcasing the sport of basketball in the United States. The network is financially backed by the National Basketball Association (NBA), which also uses NBA TV as a way of advertising their out of market package NBA League Pass, and partner channel TNT.

History

Early years

Started in 1999 as nba.com TV, the channel, which had its studios at NBA Entertainment in Secaucus, New Jersey, began a multi-year deal with American television companies Cox Communications, Cablevision, and Time Warner Cable on June 28, 2003, allowing the network to expand to 45 million American homes, and 30 different countries. NBA TV replaced Time Warner's CNN/SI on many cable systems after that network shut down a year earlier.

Ownership

On October 8, 2007, it was reported that Turner Sports, a division of Time Warner, was to take over the channel's operations, according to Hoopsworld:

"NBATV: Surprisingly there has been little said about the NBA's decision to sell off NBATV to one of its media partners. Talks had gone on for sometime [sic] as ESPN/ABC and Turner both explored scenarios with the league. Ultimately it seems Turner has won out, and will take over operation of the league's flagship cable channel, that reaches some 12 million subscribers. The exact changeover date is not clear, but several months ago a Bloomberg report cited sources saying senior level producers were offered contract buyouts in September."

Turner Sports relaunched the channel on October 28, 2008, using analysts carried over from NBA on TNT.^[1] The studio was also upgraded, and the show now airs live from Studio B at Turner Studios in Atlanta, Georgia; Studio B is adjacent to Studio J, home of Inside the NBA.

New carriage agreements

On April 16, 2009, it was announced that DirecTV and the NBA reached a new carriage agreement. NBA TV was moved from the satellite television provider's add on Sports Pack (and premium subscription package NBA League Pass) to its lower priced base package Choice Xtra on October 1, 2009. DirecTV believes the move will make the channel available to an additional 8 million subscribers.^[2]

On June 4, 2009, it was announced that the NBA and Comcast have reached a deal to move the channel from the cable company's add on Sports Entertainment Package to its basic level Digital Classic package, by the start of the 2009-10 NBA season. Comcast believes an additional 8 million customers will now have access to the channel.^[3]

Verizon FiOS added the channel and NBA League Pass for the first time on September 23, 2009.^[4]

The channel also signed new multiyear agreements with Time Warner Cable, Cablevision, and Dish Network on October 22, 2009. They also reached a new deal with Cox Cable earlier this year.^[4]

With all of the above carriage deals, the NBA believes it will now reach 45 million viewers.^[4]

AT&T Uverse reached a carriage deal and added the channel in SD and HD for the first time on October 29, 2010.^[5]

Criticism

NBA TV has been criticized for its usage of local announcers during the playoffs^[6][7] (NBA TV would merely pick up a feed that's otherwise broadcast to a local audience via regional sports networks).

Programming

NBA TV offers basketball news every day, as well as programming showcasing basketball players' individual lifestyles, life as a basketball team during an NBA season, famous games of the past, and live games typically four days a week during the NBA season. Live games on NBA TV are subject to local blackout restrictions, since NBA TV does not have exclusive broadcast rights to any of its games. Games carried by NBA TV are always also carried by each team's local rights holder.

The channel also shows international games, typically on Saturday evenings, with special emphasis on the Euroleague and the Maccabi Tel Aviv team from Israel. In April 2005, the channel televised the Chinese Basketball Association finals for the first time.^[8] NBA TV carries at least 90 regular-season games per season, all broadcast in high definition, as well as some first-round playoff games. It also broadcasts WNBA games nationally (subject to local blackout).

The channel's flagship program is NBA Gametime Live, a show in which a host and studio analysts go over the latest news, highlights, and look in at games in progress. The show is live six days a week, not airing on most Thursdays due to NBA's coverage of The NBA on TNT. An edited one hour/thirty minute version of the broadcast is repeated throughout the late night/early morning hours.

NBA TV shows

• Basketball International
• FIBA World Basketball
• Making the Call with Ronnie Nunn
• NBA Action
• NBA Gametime Live
• NBA.com Fantasy Insider
• NBA Roundtable
• NBA TV Hardwood Classics/Greatest Games
• NBA D-League Central
• One on One with Ahmad Rashād
• Real NBA
• The Beat
• The Jump on NBA.com
• 24 Hours

NBA TV HD

NBA TV HD is a 1080i high definition simulcast of NBA TV. All studio programs and original shows are shot in HD, and all live games and recent game rebroadcasts are shown in HD. For programs not available in HD (such as older game footage), unique stylized pillarboxes are used, the NBA logo with "NBA TV" under it, or alternatively, just "NBA TV" sideways. Both are in black and gray.

Personalities

The studio host and analysts vary every night on NBA Gametime Live.

Studio hosts

• Rick Kamla (2002–present)
• Ernie Johnson (2008–present)
• Ahmad Rashad (2006–present)
• Marc Fein (2008–present)
• Bob Fiscella (2009–present)
• Matt Winer (2010–present)
• Larry Smith (2010–present)
• Kyle Montgomery^[9] (2009–present)
• Vince Cellini (2010–present)
• Beau Estes (2010–present)

Studio analysts

• Brent Barry (2009–present)^[10]
• Kenny Smith (2008–present)
• Chris Webber (2008–present)
• Steve Smith (2008–present)
• Cheryl Miller (2008–present)
• Charles Barkley (2008–present)
• David Aldridge (2008–present)
• Antonio Davis (2008–present)
• Bernard King (2008–present)
• Mike Fratello (2008–present)
• Dennis Scott (2009–present)
• Derrick Coleman (2009–present)
• Scot Pollard (2009–present)
• Syleys Roberts (2010–present)
• Rick Fox (2010–present)
• Greg Anthony (2010–present)
• Jerry Stackhouse (2010–present)
• Brevin Knight (2011–present)
• Rick Mahorn (2011–present)

Contributors

• Lang Whitaker
• Scoop Jackson
• Ronnie Nunn
• Dr. Phil McDonald
• Sekou Smith

Former hosts and analysts

• Andre Aldridge (2005–2009)
• Gary Payton (2008–2009)
• Eddie Jordan (2008–2009)
• Reggie Theus (2008–2009)
• LaPhonso Ellis (2009)
• Sam Mitchell (2008–2010)
• Lawrence Frank (2010)
• Matt Harpring (2010)
• Eric Snow (2008–2010)
• Kevin McHale (2009–2011)

International presence

As of 2010, NBA TV coverage can be seen in 40 countries via the following partners:

• Hong Kong Cable Television (Hong Kong)
• now TV(Hong Kong)
• Orbit Satellite Television and Radio Network (Pan-Middle East)
• CanalSatellite (France)
• Basketball TV (Philippines)
• Cignal Digital TV (Philippines)
• NTV (Turkey)
• NTV Plus (Russia)
• Sport+ (Greece)
• Sportitalia (Italy)
• Cablevisión (Argentina)
• ZON Multimédia (Portugal)
• StarHub TV (Singapore)
• First Media (Indonesia)
• Broadcasts in Canada as a Canadian version of the channel, NBA TV Canada

See also

• List of current National Basketball Association broadcasters

References

1. ^ "Turner promotes NBA digital menu". 2008-10-06. http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/60197. Retrieved 2008-10-15. 
2. ^ NBA TV Scores Multiyear Distribution Deal With DirecTV - Pact Gives Network Berth On DBS Leader's Choice Xtra Package Multichannel News April 16, 2009
3. ^ NBA TV Jumps To Broader Comcast Carriage - Pro Hoops Network Moves From Sports Tier To MSO's Digital Classic Multichannel News June 4, 2009
4. ^ ^{a b c} NBA Digital Signs Deal with FiOS for NBA TV and NBA League Pass TVWeek.com September 23, 2009
5. ^ AT&T U-Verse Tips Off Carriage Of NBA TV - League-Owned Network Available On Telco's U300 Package, HD Tier Multichannel News October 29, 2010
6. ^ Yoder, Matt (27 April 2011). "Gary Neal's Buzzer Beater And The Sounds Of Silence". Awful Announcing. Bloguin. http://awfulannouncing.com/2011-articles/april/gary-neals-buzzer-beater-and-the-sounds-of-silence.html. Retrieved 2 May 2011. 
7. ^ Yoder, Matt (23 April 2011). "Should NBATV Use Local Announcers For Playoff Games?". Awful Announcing. Bloguin. http://awfulannouncing.com/2011-articles/april/should-nbatv-use-local-announcers-for-playoff-games.html. Retrieved 2 May 2011. 
8. ^ NBA.com Chinese Basketball Association Coverage Expands to U.S
9. ^ "Turner Newsroom: NBA.com Host Kyle Montgomery". http://news.turner.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=4749. Retrieved 11 March 2011. 
10. ^ Brent Barry joins NBA TV's studio analyst crew

External links

• Official NBA TV website
• NBA TV HD schedules