The Mavericks and TEGNA Inc. on Thursday announced additional details about their multi-year agreement to broadcast games, free to viewers, including which North Texas cable, satellite and streaming providers will carry them.
Some questions and answers for fans:
Which TV channels, locally, will carry games?
At least 70 games that are not scheduled to exclusively air nationally will broadcast over the air locally on TEGNA’s KFAA (Channel 29), formerly known as KMPX, a Spanish-content station.
Beginning Sunday, Channel 29 will launch new programming. Of the 70 or more games that will air on Channel 29 and 13 stations across Texas, at least 15 of them will simulcast on WFAA (Channel 8).
Which TV broadcast providers in North Texas will have Channel 29?
AT&T U-verse TV; Charter Spectrum; DIRECTV; DISH; Frontier Fiber Keller; Fubo; GEUS; Grande Communications, OneSource Communications and Optimum.
What if I don’t subscribe to any of the above providers? Can I still get access Channel 29?
Yes, if you don’t already have one, you can purchase a digital antenna, which costs $25-$55.
What if I don’t subscribe to any of the above providers and I prefer not to buy an antenna? Will there be an app for streaming games?
Yes. A Mavericks spokesperson tells The News: “Yes, streaming is coming,” adding that an announcement will come as soon as early next week.
How many fans will be able to watch games this season, compared to recent seasons when the Mavericks’ TV broadcast was Bally Sports Southwest?
The Mavericks say approximately 14 million fans across Texas, and in parts of Louisiana and Oklahoma, will have free access to watch games. That is approximately four times as many potential viewers than Bally Sports Southwest had.
On Sept. 6, TEGNA and the Mavericks announced that in addition to Channels 29 and 8 in Dallas-Fort Worth, TEGNA stations in Abilene (KXVA), Midland-Odessa (KWES), San Angelo (KIDY), Tyler (KYTX) and Waco (KCEN and KAGS) would broadcast Mavericks games.
On Thursday, these additional stations were announced: Amarillo’s KFDA 10.2 (Independent-Gray); El Paso’s KDBC 4.2 (MyNetworkTV-Sinclair); Harlingen-Brownsville’s KGBT 4.1 (MyNetworkTV-Nexstar); Laredo’s KXNU 10.2 (Gray Sports-Gray); Lubbock’s KMYL 14.1 (MyNetworkTV-Gray); Sherman’s KXII 12.2 (MyNetwork TV-Gray); Shreveport’s and Texarkana, Texas’ KSHV 45.1 (MyNetworkTV-Nexstar); and Wichita Falls and Lawton, Oklahoma’s KJBO 3.2 (MyNetworkTV-Nexstar).
Why was this new broadcast deal necessary?
On Aug. 23, the NBA announced that 13 teams had finalized contracts with Bally’s parent company, Diamond Sports Group, but that the Mavericks and New Orleans had decided not to renew with Bally.
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