

Phoenix mercury tv#
Mercury games will be available on local TV stations in Phoenix and Tucson, which covers more than 95% of the state's TV households, and will be added to Yuma over the summer. The first two Mercury games will be nationally aired on ESPN, as it marks the return of WNBA star Brittney Griner, who was jailed on drug charges in Russia last year.
Phoenix mercury for free#
Mercury games will be available for free through the streaming option, in a push to broaden the team's fan base. With the WNBA season starting in a few weeks, Mercury games will already be available over the local networks and Kiswe's streaming service. It will make TV advertising and promotion of the games significantly more valuable as the games will be reaching tons more people." "This gives the Suns and the Mercury a really broad distribution platform.
Phoenix mercury pro#
These pro games were on local TV," said Pat LaPlatney, Gray Television's co-CEO. "If you go back to the 1980s and 1990s there weren't RSNs. The teams will be able to reach every home in Arizona once Gray launches in Yuma this summer. With this new deal, Suns and Mercury games will be available to nearly 2.8 million households in Arizona, which the teams say triples the current number of homes they now reach. The networks, including Bally Sports, have been launching streaming options at price points that many consumers balk at, but are not likely to upend the longstanding RSN business model. Regional sports networks in general have been under pressure as customers cut their pay-TV subscriptions and opt for streaming. Endeavor and WME Sports advised the Suns on the deal. Overall, Gray and Kiswe will carry the Suns games for five years, while the deal with three-time WNBA champion Mercury runs for two years. The RSN business model has long been lucrative for the leagues and teams, as networks pay big fees for the rights to games that aren't nationally aired.įinancial terms of the Suns and Mercury's deal with Gray and Kiswe weren't disclosed.
We are moving forward with this deal and could not be more excited about what it means for our fans and our future," Suns and Mercury CEO Josh Bartlestein said in a statement Friday. "Diamond's position is totally inaccurate. The Suns responded that they were in the clear to do the deal. This is an improper effort by the Suns to change their broadcasting partner without permitting Diamond to exercise our contractual rights," a Diamond Sports spokesperson said in a statement Friday. "The Phoenix Suns breached our contract and violated bankruptcy law, and Diamond Sports Group will pursue all remedies against any parties that attempt to exercise control over our property interests while we reorganize. On Friday, Diamond Sports said the Suns' deal with Gray and Kiswe was a breach of contract and they would work to stop it. Diamondbacks games are still airing on the network while the battle plays out in court. Diamond Sports skipped a rights payment to the Diamondbacks, in a push to gain its streaming rights, prior to filing for bankruptcy. The Suns, who have advanced into the second round of this year's NBA playoffs, are considered contenders to win what would be their first league championship.īally Sports Arizona also airs the NHL's Arizona Coyotes and MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks regular season games. Diamond filed for bankruptcy protection in March.īeginning next season, the Suns will no longer be on the network. Regular season games for the Suns were previously available on Diamond Sports' Bally Sports Arizona channel. Part of what made this deal possible is that the Suns and Mercury have their own in-house production, as well as a commercial sales group, which will help simplify the transition from its RSN. "In addition to being the first modern deal to go to exclusively over the air statewide, we are also building our own DTC product in partnership with Kiswe." "I am incredibly excited to let you know that we have finalized and signed a deal that is an absolute game changer for our organization, our fans and the future of how we grow the game," Suns and Mercury owner Mat Ishbia said in an email to executives, viewed by CNBC.
Phoenix mercury professional#
The deal marks a pivotal moment that will see a professional sports team exit the regional sports business and bring regular season games back to fans through their local TV stations. The teams also signed a deal with Kiswe, a privately held video technology company, to start their own direct-to-consumer streaming service. The local networks are available for pay-TV subscribers as well as for those who opt to watch for free by using an antenna. Personal Loans for 670 Credit Score or Lower Personal Loans for 580 Credit Score or Lower Best Debt Consolidation Loans for Bad Credit
