Gray Television announced this week that it has inked a deal to broadcast 10 New Orleans Pelicans NBA games on its affiliates in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama during the 2023-2024 season, ending more than three decades of airing only on pay-TV.
The first game scheduled is Friday January 12, 2024 as the Pelicans take on the Denver Nuggets at 8pm. The new distribution agreement with Gray will make Pelicans games available to more than three million households across three states, the station group—the second largest in the nation—said.
Live games in the New Orleans market will be aired on WVUE-TV FOX 8 and Bounce through its free over the air broadcasts along with its carriage on all major cable and satellite pay TV systems including COX, Spectrum, Comcast, DirecTV and Dish Network. In addition, Gray will simulcast these games on Louisiana television stations in Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lake Charles, Monroe, and Alexandria. The games will also be simulcast on Mississippi stations in Biloxi, Jackson, Hattiesburg and Meridian and in Mobile, Alabama.
Gray says it will seek distribution arrangements for these Pelican games by television stations located in additional markets in Louisiana and Mississippi that are owned by other broadcasters.
“We know people in this region are passionate about their sports. We are thrilled to partner with the Pelicans and make these games available for all fans,” explained New Orleans resident and Pelicans fan Sandy Breland, who is also Gray’s Chief Operating Officer. “The Pelicans welcome the opportunity to partner with Gray Television in this 10-game deal that will provide over-the-air viewing access to Pelicans games for more than 3 million households and over seven million people across the Gulf South region,” said New Orleans Pelicans President Dennis Lauscha.
Calling the Pelicans broadcasts will be Emmy award winning play-by-play announcer Joel Meyers, former NBA star and color analyst Antonio Daniels and sideline reporter Jennifer Hale.
Gray made a similar deal with Phoenix pro basketball teams last spring; the move back to broadcast represents the latest in a trend of professional sports teams seeking better deals and more viewers as lucrative sports contracts expire and pay-TV continues to be decimated by cord cutting.
