NBA teams leaving a regional sports network (RSN) in favor of local broadcast channels is all the rage, this season. The Phoenix Suns were the first to get that party started, and the Utah Jazz helped continue the fun, as both teams departed their former RSN homes in favor of airing their locally-broadcast games on over-the-air channels.

• New Orleans Pelicans are reportedly in discussions to air 10 games on the over-the-air channel Fox 8 this season.
• The Pelicans air most local games on Bally Sports South, but their deal with the broadcaster expires after the 2023-24 season.
• The 10-day game flexibility could be invaluable to NBA teams searching for a local broadcast partner for next season.

Are the Pelicans Coming to Fox 8 in New Orleans?

According to a report from the New Orleans Times-Picayune, the New Orleans Pelicans could be the next team to offer its games on local broadcast channels. The team currently offers in-market games on Bally Sports South, but the Times-Picayune reports that the revised broadcast deal between Bally Sports’ parent company Diamond Sports Group allows for teams on Bally Sports channels to play up to 10 games on an over-the-air TV channel.

But why would Bally Sports allow its teams to offer their games on a competing channel? The company likely had little choice in including the proviso in the broadcast deal; the NBA agreed to take lower rights payments than it was originally due from Diamond Sports in exchange for greater flexibility, as well as an end to its relationship with Diamond after this season concludes, as opposed to at the end of the 2024-25 season, which is when the deal originally expired.

Fox 8 is the channel the Pelicans have been in discussions with, though nothing has been agreed to for certain according to the report. The channel reaches 7 million Louisiana households, as opposed to Bally Sports New Orleans, which maxes out its own reach at around 700,000 households.

Will Other NBA Teams Covered by Bally Sports Air on Broadcast Channels This Season?

It’s hard to answer this question for sure unless/until Diamond Sports Group emerges from bankruptcy proceedings, but it seems likely. The LA Clippers already air a small selection of games on local broadcast channels, but more of the 15 total NBA teams available on Bally Sports channels will likely head to a broadcast station soon.

As mentioned, the deal between Bally Sports and the NBA will end following the conclusion of the regular season. That means those teams that are currently on a Bally Sports channel will have to find a new local broadcast partner before the start of the 2024-25 season, and the 10-game test allowed for in the league’s contract with Diamond will allow the teams to see if an over-the-air channel is a viable partner or not.

The NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights saw excellent ratings in their first five games on local broadcast channels this season, so a 10-game sample should be plenty to show NBA team executives whether an over-the-air channel is suitable for hosting their games next season. The Pelicans seem poised to become the first team to sign up for that experiment, but more NBA teams on Bally Sports channels are likely to do the same before this season ends.