The final NBA teams still without a local broadcast deal are making plans for the 2026-27 season, with the Cleveland Cavaliers next in line.
The Cavs were one of many teams without a local broadcasting home for the new season after the demise of Main Street Sports Group and the FanDuel Sports Networks. NBA teams have gone in multiple directions with local media deals for the coming season. Some have gone with over-the-air broadcasts to try to maximize reach. Some have gone with an all-streaming approach. And the Oklahoma City Thunder have gone with an everywhere-at-once strategy.
As for Cleveland, they are now the third team to officially link up exclusively with streaming platform DAZN, according to Sports Business Journal. They join the Minnesota Timberwolves and Indiana Pacers as teams who will feature every game on the streamer. The San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies are expected to ink similar deals before the season.
The Cavs’ pricing model is in the same range as most other teams that are opting for the streaming approach, with fans able to purchase a monthly pass for $19.99 or a season-long pass at $119.99. A total of 15 games will air on local, over-the-air stations that will be named at a later date. Additionally, DAZN will put the same number of games on its own platform in front of the paywall to increase accessibility.
Interestingly, the Cavs will produce all their own games through owner Dan Gilbert’s own Rock Entertainment Sports Network. RESN actually exists as its own network in some Ohio markets, although it is not widely distributed.
SBJ reports that the Cavs’ deal with DAZN is for five years, with an annual rights fee around $20 million, which is less than half of the $35 million the team pulled in from its prior agreement with FanDuel Sports Network. The deal provides the team with an opt-out for when the NBA is expected to launch its centralized local broadcast hub as early as the 2027-2028 season.
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