The Phoenix Suns were one of the first NBA organizations, along with their WNBA counterpart, the Phoenix Mercury, to transition to free television as regional sports networks began to decline earlier this decade.
When Mat Ishbia bought the franchise in 2023, he quickly struck a deal with Gray Media to air games on the broadcast network KTVK across the state. Shortly after, the parent company of the cable network on which Suns’ games used to air declared bankruptcy.
Diamond Sports struggled through legal proceedings for nearly a year after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in early 2024. Under a reorganization plan, the newly renamed FanDuel Sports Networks continue to broadcast local games for 13 NBA teams.
The Suns, meanwhile, have signed a new contract with Gray Media, reportedly worth more than $30 million annually. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst writes that the deal “(restores) the money they left on the table when walking away from a long-standing partnership with then bankrupt Diamond Sports in 2023.”
According to the Sports Business Journal, just three teams made more than $30 million from their FDSN deals during the 2024-25 season.
The growth of Phoenix’s deal comes on the heels of a 425% increase in audience, according to Windhorst. Ishbia correctly bet that the popularity of his teams and the expanded availability of games would create a bigger market for a free-TV deal locally. When the franchise partnered with Gray in 2023, it launched a major marketing campaign and even distributed free television antennas to local fans.
The Suns and Mercury, in partnership with Kiswe, also operate direct-to-consumer streaming services for fans outside their market. Suns and Mercury games are also available on the NBA and WNBA League Pass platforms.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.