More Pistons fans will be able to watch their team next season without paying for a streaming service.
That seems like a pretty good idea.
The Pistons are expanding their over-the-air television reach into Grand Rapids for the 2026-27 season, according to Coty M. Davis of The Detroit News.
Games will air for free on The Spot Grand Rapids 17 and FOX 17 WXMI-TV as part of an expanded agreement with The E.W. Scripps Company.
The Pistons already had an arrangement to broadcast games on The Spot Detroit 20 and WXYZ in the Detroit market. Now the footprint is getting considerably larger.
It’s also another example of how quickly the local NBA television business is changing.
Regional sports networks once controlled much of this territory. Increasingly, teams are looking for combinations of streaming services and traditional over-the-air television that make games easier to find.
The Cavaliers and Pacers are among those who could be headed down similar roads.
Sports Business Journal reported last month that DAZN is nearing agreements for local broadcast rights with Cleveland, Indiana, Minnesota, San Antonio and Memphis. The Magic and perhaps the Hornets could land streaming-only deals with DAZN as well.
Several teams are still expected to make at least some games available free over the air. That’s the part fans should like.
The NBA eventually hopes to launch a centralized local streaming platform, potentially as soon as the 2027-28 season. Until then, everybody seems to be figuring this out as they go.
The Pistons have figured out at least one part of it. If you live in Grand Rapids, watching them just got easier.
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