All Hornets

Will the Hornets Axe Their Deal with Bally Sports?

The Charlotte Hornets could have a new TV partner in the near future.

Schuyler Callihan

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
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The New Orleans Pelicans recently ended their deal with Diamond Sports Group (Bally Sports) to stream games and it's very possible that other NBA franchises will look to do the same in the near future. The Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies and Detroit Pistons are four other teams that Bally is reportedly considering to drop ahead of the 2024-25 season.

Diamond Sports Group filed for bankruptcy in March of 2023, putting the future of their streaming deals in doubt. Last summer, new Charlotte Hornets co-owner Rick Schnall was asked about the organization's plans for a future TV deal if something were to fall through with Bally.

"We're obviously under contract through the 2025-26 season with Bally Sports and we expect them to live up to that contract. They're obviously in Chapter 11, so that's an ongoing negotiation and the NBA is very concerned and very involved in that. There will be a place to watch the Hornets. We think it'll be Bally Sports under the terms of the contract, but if not we will have alternative plans."

For example, the Pelicans will now televise their games on local station WVUE-TV Fox 8 through Gray Television. What makes me think something could be going on behind closed doors is that the Hornets have not determined where their preseason games can be watched. All games can be heard on WFNZ, however.

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Schuyler Callihan

SCHUYLER CALLIHAN

schuylercallihan(at)gmail.com  Twitter:@Callihan_ Schuyler Callihan is the lead publisher of Mountaineers Now, All Panthers, and All Hornets on FanNation/Sports Illustrated. He took over publishing duties of All Panthers in 2020 and wanted to expand his professional coverage in the Queen City by running the operations at All Hornets. Schuyler attended Bethany College in Bethany, West Virginia before finishing up his schooling at Alamance Community College in Graham, North Carolina. The Wheeling, West Virginia native made the move to North Carolina in 2015 and has been in Charlotte since 2021.

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