Suns Sign New Free-TV Deal

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
112,537
Reaction score
51,772
This is great news for the fans of the Suns and Mercury in Arizona to have more availability to television coverage.

Here is a snippet from Arizona Sports.

By Arizona Sports:

The Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury announced Friday they have agreed to a five-year television and streaming partnership with Gray Television, departing Bally Sports Arizona regional network.

Gray Television includes KTVK (Arizona’s Family 3TV), KPHO (Arizona’s Family CBS5) and the statewide KPHE (AZ Family Sports Network), which will help the teams reach the Phoenix, Tucson and Yuma media markets. The deal also includes Kiswe, an interactive video company.

 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
112,537
Reaction score
51,772
Below is a link to the release from the Suns plus an excerpt:


“Cord cutters, cable subscribers, fans with an antenna – everyone will be able to watch Suns and Mercury games on Arizona’s Family,” added Ishbia. “Coupling that with a partnership with an industry leader like Kiswe to provide an innovative digital streaming solution allows us to transform the way fans watch our games, giving them more options and access than they’ve ever had.”

The Suns and Mercury will have all non-national exclusive games broadcast between KTVK and KPHE. The Suns will have a minimum of 70 games broadcast, with at least 40 regular-season games on KTVK and the remaining on KPHE. The Suns' deal spans up to five years, while the Mercury's is a two-year agreement.


 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
112,537
Reaction score
51,772
As a Suns fan, I really appreciate Mat Ishbia's effort to provide more television coverage to fans in Arizona.

As an out of area DirecTV subscriber, I'm hoping if I get the local channels, I will get all the Suns games.

I'm guessing the playoffs will remain a national thing.
 

Folster

ASFN Icon
Joined
Jun 23, 2005
Posts
15,839
Reaction score
6,064
As a Suns fan, I really appreciate Mat Ishbia's effort to provide more television coverage to fans in Arizona.

As an out of area DirecTV subscriber, I'm hoping if I get the local channels, I will get all the Suns games.

I'm guessing the playoffs will remain a national thing.
Fans will also be able to watch games through a DTC (Direct-To-Consumer) streaming option alongside the over-the-air broadcast product powered by Kiswe. Subscribers will be able to access the DTC streaming through a Suns or Mercury branded app on their smartphones or Smart TVs. The 2023 Phoenix Mercury season will stream DTC for free.
 

SunsTzu

ASFN Lifer
Joined
Aug 28, 2003
Posts
4,766
Reaction score
1,435
This has been a long time coming, so glad the Suns are at the forefront. RSN cable package model has been dying a slow death for over a decade.
 

Hoop Head

ASFN Icon
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Posts
15,976
Reaction score
10,863
Location
Tempe, AZ
This is great news and definite W for Ishbia as owner. I'm sure I'm not alone in recalling Suns games broadcast on old Channel 45 KUTP over the air with Cotton and Al McCoy. The Suns were accessible to everyone in the valley then. It'll take a little time but I'd love to see this become a Suns town again and this will definitely help.
 

Chaplin

Better off silent
Joined
May 13, 2002
Posts
44,680
Reaction score
14,138
Location
Round Rock, TX
Interested in seeing how this works with league pass for those of us not in Arizona.
 

Cheesebeef

ASFN IDOL
Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2003
Posts
88,109
Reaction score
60,420
Interested in seeing how this works with league pass for those of us not in Arizona.
I think it probably only pertains to Phoenix and the app will have a geotracker like the casino apps where you can’t use them out of state.
 

Chaplin

Better off silent
Joined
May 13, 2002
Posts
44,680
Reaction score
14,138
Location
Round Rock, TX
I think it probably only pertains to Phoenix and the app will have a geotracker like the casino apps where you can’t use them out of state.
Geo blocking is irrelevant with League Pass. This new network should have a deal with the nba to offer games on League Pass. I hope.

The new app itself wouldn’t work just like the Ballys app wouldn’t work for me now.
 

Cheesebeef

ASFN IDOL
Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2003
Posts
88,109
Reaction score
60,420
Geo blocking is irrelevant with League Pass. This new network should have a deal with the nba to offer games on League Pass. I hope.

The new app itself wouldn’t work just like the Ballys app wouldn’t work for me now.
Right… so I think it has zero effect on League Pass. It’s just a new local carrier so I would assume everything with League Pass out of market stays the same.
 

Hoop Head

ASFN Icon
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Posts
15,976
Reaction score
10,863
Location
Tempe, AZ

Hoop Head

ASFN Icon
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Posts
15,976
Reaction score
10,863
Location
Tempe, AZ
This was picked up by ESPN also, they have it on the NBA page's headlines. No new info other than hinting this could be something other teams follow. Also mentioned that all Mercury games will be free on the app this season, which is cool. I expect app info to drop soon.

 

AzStevenCal

ASFN IDOL
Supporting Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2004
Posts
35,866
Reaction score
14,554
This is great news and definite W for Ishbia as owner. I'm sure I'm not alone in recalling Suns games broadcast on old Channel 45 KUTP over the air with Cotton and Al McCoy. The Suns were accessible to everyone in the valley then. It'll take a little time but I'd love to see this become a Suns town again and this will definitely help.
And before that I watched Al McCoy doing the games on Channel 5. Of course, 5 was an independent then, not a network affiliate.
 

Folster

ASFN Icon
Joined
Jun 23, 2005
Posts
15,839
Reaction score
6,064
For those out of towners with friends and family in the valley. You can buy them an HD Homerun or Sling AirTv that will allow you to watch the antenna feed remotely. I have a Sling Air TV device that allows me to do this with my antenna.
 

Shaggy

Site Owner Administrator
Administrator
Moderator
Joined
Sep 29, 2008
Posts
9,018
Reaction score
2,952
Location
Arizona
About time. Glad I will be able to watch them again. I wasn't a fan paying $15/month for Bally sports.
 

Hoop Head

ASFN Icon
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Posts
15,976
Reaction score
10,863
Location
Tempe, AZ
About time. Glad I will be able to watch them again. I wasn't a fan paying $15/month for Bally sports.

Especially with how bad that app is. It would buffer at weird times, cut to commercials mid game, and the stream was very low quality. I know I'm not the only one who had issues with it as I'd regularly see similar complaints in game threads about the above issues.
 

Hoop Head

ASFN Icon
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Posts
15,976
Reaction score
10,863
Location
Tempe, AZ
Wouldn't it be amazing if they used an updated version of this? Just swap out the players and highlights, use a remastered version of the music, and a whole generation can fall in love with the Suns like those of who grew up in the 90's.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media
 

Staff online

Forum statistics

Threads
534,818
Posts
5,246,622
Members
6,273
Latest member
sarahmoose
Top