New details on NBA's television plan, impact on Heat and what to expect next season
And now, as the league begins a partnership with two streaming services, watching Heat games might again become a bit more expensive this season, depending on the whims of the league and multiple rights-holders, and also depending on whether you currently subscribe to two major streaming services.
According to league and network sources, a significant number of the Amazon Prime Video and Peacock games this season — the first of an 11-year deal — will be exclusive, meaning they cannot be televised by regional sports networks. Some of the Amazon and Peacock games will be permitted to be carried by RSNs.
Fans of each team won't know how many games will be 'lost' to Amazon and Peacock until the schedule is announced sometime in Auguest.
Also, all NBC games will be exclusive in the new deal, and all ABC games (and select ESPN games) also will remain exclusive.
In the past deal, TNT — which is exiting NBA game coverage — had exclusivity for Thursday night games and playoff games beginning in the second round.
Amazon Prime Video costs $14.99 per month or $139.99 per year. Peacock, NBC's streaming service, is priced at $5.99 per month. If you're a Heat fan who already subscribes to both, there won' t be any added costs. There would be added costs only if you don't subscribe to either, and if any Heat games are among the exclusive-only Amazon or Peacock packages.
For some, the greater impact will be felt in the playoffs, when every game — including those on Amazon Prime and Peacock — will be exclusive. In past years, FanDuel Sports Sun could carry first-round Heat playoff games that aren't on ABC. That's no longer the case.
Also, if the Heat is relegated to the play-in tournament for a fourth consecutive season, those games will be available only on Amazon Prime, as opposed to ESPN and TNT in past years.
And some games of the early-season NBA Cup tournament — including the semifinals and finals — also will be exclusive to Amazon Prime.
Here's what to know about when games will be aired or streamed:
▪ Amazon, which has a 66-game regular-season package, will carry NBA games on Friday nights until the NFL regular-season ends, and then will stream games on Thursday and Friday nights. Amazon also will have some Saturday afternoon games.
▪ Peacock will carry a doubleheader on Mondays.
▪ ESPN, which aired games mostly on Wednesdays and Fridays in the previous contract, now will carry games on Wednesdays and some Fridays. ABC will continue to televise games on Saturday nights (after football season) and Sunday afternoons and Christmas.
▪ NBC will carry a Sunday night game after NFL season ends and will air a Tuesday night game all season.
NBC is trying an unprecedented approach on Tuesdays: One game will air on NBC affiliates in the Eastern and Central time zones on Tuesdays, and a different game (originating from the West) will air on NBC affiliates in the Mountain and Western time zones. Both games will be available on Peacock.
That clever strategy means games will air in prime time on both coasts and keeps local stations from needing to pre-empt local news. But it also means that some appealing inter-conference games — such as the Lakers vs. the Knicks — likely cannot be scheduled on Tuesdays.
But according to a source, NBC will carry two games in the entire country — on NBC — on opening night, like TNT has in past years. That essentially opens up any possible matchup for NBC on opening night.
NBA talent news
So why didn't NBC hire Dwyane Wade after using him alongside Noah Eagle on men's basketball Olympic broadcasts last year?
According to a source, NBC offered Wade a job on its primary studio set, but Wade did not want to travel every week from his Los Angeles area home to NBC's studios in Stamford, Connecticut.
Instead, NBC opted for Carmelo Anthony (who lives in the Stamford area) and Vince Carter; both will work with host Maria Taylor on Sunday night and Tuesday night games.
Wade instead opted for a job with Amazon, where he can call some games and make some studio appearances in Culver City, California, which is near his home.
▪ Expect Mike Tirico, NBC's lead voice, to work a lot with Reggie Miller. Though Jamal Crawford has been identified by NBC as its co-lead analyst, the network will see how this season goes before determining whether Crawford will be paired with Tirico and Miller on a conference finals next season.
Noah Eagle will be NBC's other primary NBA announcer, and Terry Gannon — a longtime NBC golf and Olympics announcer — will be the network's No. 3 play-by-play voice. To some, Gannon is best known as a sharp-shooting guard on North Carolina State's Cinderella NCAA championship team that beat Hakeem Olajuwon's Houston Cougars in 1983. Gannon was quite capable as a college basketball play-by-play man and analyst early in his career.
Gannon and Grant Hill will be among those calling games on Peacock; Ahmed Fareed has been named host for Monday night Peacock games.
▪ Amazon has assembled a very deep talent lineup, in some ways better than ESPN's group.
Play-by-play: Ian Eagle, Kevin Harlan, Wolves TV voice Michael Grady, Hornets TV voice Eric Collins..
Analysts: Stan Van Gundy, Brent Barry, Dell Curry; D-Wade, Steve Nash, Candace Parker will split time between games and studio. (Eagle and Harlan obviously keep their CBS NFL and college basketball jobs as well.)
Studio: Rooks, Dirk Nowitzki, Udonis Haslem and Blake Griffin, with some appearances by Wade, Nash and Parker.
News note
Former South Florida radio personality Joy Taylor, sister of UM assistant coach and Dolphins legend Jason Taylor, lost her FS-1 job this week as part of major changes at the network.
FS-1 canceled three shows, including Taylor's 'Speak' – which she co-hosted with Paul Pierce and Keyshawn Johnson, as well as 'The Facility' (which featured former NFL players James Jones, Chase Daniel, Emmanuel Acho and LeSean McCoy) and 'Breakfast Ball' (which featured former NFL player Mark Schlereth).
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC Sports
a minute ago
- NBC Sports
The Open 2025: Third-round tee times, featured groups at Royal Portrush
Rex Hoggard and Ryan Lavner share their big picture takeaways from the first two rounds of The Open, discussing how Royal Portrush has held up in its second time hosting the tournament and "refreshing" change of pace. The 153rd Open Championship continues Saturday at Royal Portrush. USA Network, NBC and Peacock will have wall-to-wall live coverage from Portrush, Northern Ireland, including these featured groups (all times EDT): 5:25 a.m.: Bryson DeChambeau, Nathan Kimsey 6:30 a.m.: Shane Lowry, Jon Rahm 9 a.m.: Ludvig Åberg, Justin Rose 9:30 a.m.: Rory McIlroy, Jordan Smith Golf Channel Staff, Round 3 tee times at The Open Matti Schmid Corey Conners Sepp Straka Hideki Matsuyama Takumi Kanaya Adrien Saddier Sebastian Soderberg Henrik Stenson Thomas Detry Jacob Skov Olesen Nathan Kimsey Bryson DeChambeau Maverick McNealy Thriston Lawrence Justin Leonard John Parry Andrew Novak Sergio Garcia Jesper Svensson Francesco Molinari Riki Kawamoto Wyndham Clark Shane Lowry Jon Rahm J.J. Spaun Dustin Johnson Phil Mickelson Jhonattan Vegas Viktor Hovland Jordan Spieth Russell Henley Antoine Rozner Romain Langasque Daniel Berger Sungjae Im Dean Burmester Matt Wallace Akshay Bhatia Jason Kokrak Lucas Glover Tommy Fleetwood Justin Thomas Aaron Rai Rickie Fowler Marc Leishman Oliver Lindell Ryggs Johnston Xander Schauffele Kristoffer Reitan Matthew Jordan Ludvig Åberg Justin Rose Harry Hall Christiaan Bezuidenhout Sam Burns Lee Westwood Jordan Smith Rory McIlroy Keegan Bradley Nicolai Højgaard Tony Finau Chris Gotterup Harris English Robert MacIntyre Tyrrell Hatton Rasmus Højgaard Haotong Li Brian Harman Matt Fitzpatrick Scottie Scheffler
The Hill
30 minutes ago
- The Hill
Amazon emissions ticked up in 2024 amid data center push
Amazon's emissions increased 6 percent last year, as the e-commerce and cloud computing giant continued to expand its artificial intelligence (AI) efforts and build out its data center footprint. The company's total emissions ticked up from 64.38 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2023 to 68.25 metric tons in 2024, according to its annual sustainability report. 'Today, in virtually every corner of Amazon, we're using generative AI to make customers' lives better and easier — and while we've made a lot of progress, we're still at the relative beginning,' Amazon wrote. 'One of the biggest challenges with scaling AI is increased energy demands for data centers.' AI requires vast amounts of energy. As major tech firms race to develop the technology, this has weighed on their efforts to cut emissions. Amazon launched The Climate Pledge in 2019, setting the goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2040. The e-commerce firm's total emissions ticked down in both 2022 and 2023 before rising this past year. Nearly three-fourths of the company's carbon footprint came from indirect emissions from other sources, primarily data center construction and fuel consumed by third-party delivery service providers, it noted. Last month, Amazon announced it was investing $10 billion in North Carolina and $20 billion in Pennsylvania to build out its data center infrastructure in the two states. It has increasingly turned to nuclear energy as a way to power its AI push without raising emissions. Last year, the company announced a series of deals to build several small modular nuclear reactors and purchased a data center co-located with a traditional nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania.
New York Post
30 minutes ago
- New York Post
Amazon's best deals of the weekend: Mixers, Macs, and more mega markdowns
New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change. It's been a big week, readers. The globe, which essentially stopped in place last week for the advent of Amazon's biggest sale of the year, Prime Day, has resumed spinning, and with it, the news. We've got the whole Trump/Epstein debacle, a couple who made a poor choice while at a Coldplay show, Colbert ousted from late night, etc — All that good stuff. But what we here at Post Wanted are most focused on, as always, are the deals. This weekend on Amazon, even in the aftermath of Prime Day, there are still plenty of Prime-Day-worthy deals for the taking, including major markdowns on some of our favorite brands, like KitchenAid, Apple, Cushionaire, Carote, and more. Below, we've rounded up our 14 favorite Amazon deals to shop this weekend. So sit back, kick your feet up, and get to scrolling. We've done all the deal-hunting for you. The only thing left to do is click and enjoy Prime shipping. Happy shopping! Amazon The CAROTE 21-piece cookware set offers a comprehensive collection for any kitchen. Featuring non-stick granite coating, each pan ensures healthier cooking and easy cleanup. With ergonomic handles and durable construction, this set includes all essential sizes, perfect for sautéing, boiling, and frying on various stovetops, including induction-compatible surfaces. Amazon The Gxorul Magnetic Portable Charger offers quick, cable-free charging on the go. Designed for MagSafe-compatible devices, it securely attaches and powers your phone efficiently. Its compact design fits in your pocket, while LED indicators show battery levels. Ideal for travel or emergencies, it ensures your phone stays charged anytime. Amazon A versatile kitchen essential, the KitchenAid Classic Stand Mixer features a durable 4.5-quart stainless steel bowl, 10 mixing speeds, and a powerful motor. Ideal for baking enthusiasts, it easily handles doughs, batters, and more. The tilt-head design allows effortless access to the bowl for efficient ingredient mixing and cleanup. Amazon The ILCCP Bug Zapper is an effective insect control device designed to attract and eliminate flying pests using UV light. It's energy-efficient, durable, and safe for indoor and outdoor use. Ideal for homes, patios, and commercial spaces, it helps reduce mosquito and insect populations without harmful chemicals, ensuring a comfortable and pest-free environment. Amazon Apple AirPods Pro 2 deliver rich audio with active noise cancellation, adaptive transparency, and a customizable fit. Powered by the H2 chip, they offer improved sound and longer battery life. Seamlessly integrating with Apple devices, they feature touch controls, spatial audio, and wireless charging for an elevated listening experience. Amazon The Chefman Countertop Microwave combines convenience with modern style. Offering multiple power levels, preset cooking functions, and a compact design, it fits seamlessly into any kitchen. Its intuitive digital interface, child safety lock, and even heating make it ideal for reheating, defrosting, and cooking meals quickly and efficiently. Amazon Stylish and eye-catching, the Fesciory Leopard Bracelet features a chic animal print with gold-tone detailing. Designed to elevate casual and dressy outfits, it's crafted with durable materials for lasting wear. The adjustable size ensures a comfortable fit, making it a thoughtful gift for fashion-forward women who love bold accessories. Amazon The WERHY Electric Scooter delivers speed, portability, and eco-friendly commuting. With a powerful motor, long-lasting battery, and intuitive LED display, it offers smooth rides up to 20 miles per charge. Foldable and lightweight, it's perfect for city travel, daily errands, or leisure riding with enhanced safety features and comfort. Amazon The Skywalker Round Trampoline provides endless outdoor fun and fitness. Its 12×15 ft. frame offers ample bounce space with a durable safety net and padded poles. Built with a rust-resistant steel frame and tightly coiled springs, it's designed for safe jumping, making it ideal for kids and adults alike. Amazon The TOLOCO Massage Gun is a powerful, handheld device designed to relieve muscle soreness and tension. With multiple speed settings and interchangeable heads, it targets various muscle groups effectively. Lightweight and portable, it's perfect for athletes and everyday users alike. Its quiet motor and ergonomic design ensure a comfortable, user-friendly experience, making it ideal for at-home recovery. Amazon The CUSHIONAIRE Women's Luna Cork Footbed Sandal With +Comfort combines style and support, featuring a flexible cork footbed that molds to the foot's shape over time. Its adjustable double-buckle straps and cushioned EVA outsole provide a secure fit and all-day comfort. With a 1.25-inch platform, it's suitable for various occasions, from casual outings to travel. Amazon The 2025 13-inch MacBook Air, powered by Apple's M4 chip, offers impressive performance and energy efficiency. It features a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine, enhancing tasks like photo editing and gaming. With up to 18 hours of battery life, a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display supporting dual 6K external monitors, and a 12MP Center Stage camera, it's a versatile choice for professionals and creatives. Amazon Amazon This article was written by P.J. McCormick, New York Post Commerce Deals Writer/Reporter. P.J. is an expert deal-finder, sifting through endless brands and retailers to deliver only the best savings opportunities on truly worthwhile products. P.J. finds Prime Day-worthy deals all year long on some of our favorite products we've tested and our readers' beloved best-sellers, from Wayfair furniture sales to the lowest prices on Apple AirPods. P.J. has been scouring sales for Post Wanted shoppers since 2022 and previously held positions at Rolling Stone, Pitchfork and Hyperallergic. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change. Looking for a headline-worthy haul? Keep shopping Post Wanted.
