Charlotte Hornets Back on Regular TV After 16-Year Gap With Five-Game Deal

After being off broadcast TV for 16 years, the Charlotte Hornets have made a deal to show five NBA games through team-ups with Gray Media, Capitol Broadcasting, and FanDuel Sports Southeast. Eric Collins, Dell Curry, and Shannon Spake will handle the announcing duties on FanDuel Sports Southeast. This setup comes from the NBA's deal with Main Street Sports Group, which owns the regional network. Fans in Charlotte can catch the games on WSOC-TV Channel 9 and TV 64, while people in Raleigh can watch through Capitol Broadcasting stations. The games kick off with a match against the Los Angeles Lakers on January 27. The lineup features games against the LA Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Dallas Mavericks, and ends with the Golden State Warriors on March 3. These broadcasts signal a big change for local basketball fans. Gray Media reaches 113 TV markets and gets into 36% of U.S. homes, giving the games wide coverage. Their COO Sandy Breland highlighted their commitment to sports coverage in both states. "We need to expand our reach and grow our fanbase," said Hornets president Shelly Cayette-Weston to The Charlotte Observer. The Palmetto Sports & Entertainment Network lets viewers across both Carolinas tune in. Gray's network of local stations helps bring the games back to local communities. As the team celebrates its 35th season, fans now have several ways to watch, whether on regular TV or through streaming. This TV approach follows what's worked well in other NBA cities. By getting back on regular TV, the team hopes to reconnect with fans who haven't been able to watch games.