ABC keeps it moving! This time bringing NBA games to the network on Saturdays next season.
A slate of eight-games starts Jan. 23, 2016 and will run twice a month through the rest of the season, with gametime starting at 8:30pm Eastern.
The network is coming off its most-watched NBA Finals since it began airing the NBA in the 2002-2003 season. Nearly 20 million viewers watched the Golden State Warriors capture their first title in 40 years, defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in six games.
It’s current rights deal with the NBA is set to expire after next season. The deal had ABC scheduled for 16 games. Now, instead of airing doubleheaders on Sundays, the network will break it up and air one on Saturday night and the other on Sunday afternoons.
Per usual, ABC’s NBA slate begins with its Christmas Day doubleheader.
“We expect to establish this series as a big-game destination for NBA fans, along the lines of what we’ve accomplished in college football with Saturday Night Football on ABC,” said ESPN president John Skipper.
ABC and ESPN will now combine to televise NBA games four days per week: Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
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