With the NBA regular season commencing in less than a week, many Mavericks fans anxiously have waited for specifics about how to watch the team’s local broadcasts.
In a joint announcement Thursday morning, the Mavericks and TEGNA Inc. filled in many of the blanks about where, and how, fans can access those broadcasts over the air: For free, as previously announced.
The Mavericks told The Dallas Morning News that another key puzzle piece for viewers — a streaming app — will be announced as soon as early next week.
As announced on Sept. 6, WFAA-TV (Channel 8) and its parent-company, TEGNA, have a multi-year agreement to broadcast most Mavericks games — at least 70 this season — ending four decades of games airing regionally on Bally Sports Southwest and its previous iterations.
At the time of the Sept. 6 announcement, the Mavericks and TEGNA estimated that 10 million people in Texas will have free access to Mavericks’ telecast. But on Thursday it was announced that eight additional Texas stations will join six TEGNA-owned stations -- expanding the broadcast footprint to an estimated 14 million Texans.
“Providing access to games has always been our top priority,” Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall said in Thursday’s news release. “We are thrilled to work with WFAA to bring more fun and excitement to all of our MFFLs across North Texas and beyond.”
How and where will viewers be able to watch? Those questions have burned with increasing intensity with reigning Western Conference champion Dallas set to open the regular season on Oct. 24 against San Antonio, although that game will air nationally on TNT.
All 70-or-more 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 around Texas and Shreveport, La., at least 15 of the games will simulcast on WFAA (Channel 8).
For weeks, local fans have wondered whether their cable, satellite or streaming service will carry the new Channel 29. The Mavericks say Channel 29 will be available through these providers:
AT&T U-verse TV; Charter Spectrum; DIRECTV; DISH; Frontier Fiber Keller; Fubo; GEUS; Grande Communications; OneSource Communications; and Optimum.
Fans who do not subscribe to any of those providers can still access Channel 29 with the use of a digital antenna, a one-time purchase that typically costs $25 to $55.
Fans’ remaining option will be the Mavericks’ soon-to-be-announced streaming service/app. It’s unclear whether the app will be similar to the free Victory+ app launched this season by the Dallas Stars.
The bottom line is that at least four times more fans in Dallas-Fort Worth and across Texas will have access to Mavericks broadcasts. For free, other than a possible antenna purchase.
TEGNA and WFAA are leading local and regional advertising and sponsorship sales.
“We’re thrilled by the positive response from fans and advertising partners as we gear up to significantly expand the reach of Mavericks games,” TEGNA senior vice president of media operations Brad Ramsey said in Thursday’s announcement. “We are grateful to our partner stations from Gray, Nexstar and Sinclair for helping us create more excitement, for more fans, in even more homes across Texas.”
On Sept. 6, TEGNA and the Mavericks announced that TEGNA stations in Abilene (KXVA), Midland-Odessa (KWES), San Angelo (KIDY), Tyler (KYTX) and Waco (KCEN and KAGS) would broadcast Dallas 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).
Find more Mavericks coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
