NBA TV is a television specialty channel. It is dedicated to showcasing the sport of basketball in the United States. The network is financially backed by the National Basketball Association (NBA), which also uses NBA TV as a way of advertising their out of market package NBA League Pass.
Early years
Started in 1999 as nba.com TV, the channel, which had its studios at NBA Entertainment in Secaucus, New Jersey, began a multi-year deal with American television companies Cox Communications, Cablevision, and Time Warner on June 28, 2003, allowing the network to expand to 45 million American homes, and 30 different countries. NBA TV replaced Time Warner's CNN/SI on many cable systems after that network shut down a year earlier.
Programming
NBA TV offers basketball news every day, as well as programming showcasing basketball players' individual lifestyles, life as a basketball team during an NBA season, famous games of the past, and live games typically four days a week during the NBA season. Live games on NBA TV are subject to local blackout restrictions, since NBA TV does not have exclusive broadcast rights to any of its games. Games carried by NBA TV are always also carried by each team's local rights holder.
The channel also shows international games, typically on Saturday evenings, with special emphasis on the Euroleague and the Maccabi Tel Aviv team from Israel. In April 2005, the channel televised the Chinese Basketball Association finals for the first time. NBA TV carries at least 90 regular-season games per season, all broadcast in high definition, as well as some first-round playoff games. It also broadcasts WNBA games nationally (subject to local blackout).
The channel's flagship program is NBA Gametime Live, a show in which a host and studio analysts go over the latest news, highlights, and look in at games in progress. The show is live six days a week, not airing on most Thursdays due to NBA's coverage of The NBA on TNT. An edited one hour/thirty minute version of the broadcast is repeated throughout the late night/early morning hours.
NBA TV shows
All Access with Ahmad Rashād
Basketball International
FIBA World Basketball
NBA Action
NBA Gametime Live
NBA TV Fantasy Hoops
NBA TV Hardwood Classics/Greatest Games
NBA TV News in Review
NBA Stories
NBA Vault
The Run
This Week in the D-League
NBA 360
NBA Roundtable
Personalities
The studio host and analysts vary every night on NBA Gametime Live.
Studio hosts
Andre Aldridge (2005-2009) Rick Kamla (2002-present) Ernie Johnson (2008-present) Ahmad Rashad (2006-present) Marc Fein (2008-present) Bob Fiscella (2009-present) Matt Winer (2010-present) Larry Smith (2010-present)
Studio analysts
Brent Barry (2009-present) Eric Snow (2008-present) Kenny Smith (2008-present) Stephen A. Smith (2008-present) Gary Payton (2008-present) Chris Webber (2008-present) Cheryl Miller (2008-present) Charles Barkley (2008-present) David Aldridge (2008-present) Antonio Davis (2008-present) Eddie Jordan (2008-present) Sam Mitchell (2008-present) Bernard King (2008-present) Reggie Theus (2008-present) Mike Fratello (2008-present) LaPhonso Ellis (2009-present) Derrick Coleman (2009-present) Scot Pollard (2009-present) Kevin McHale (2009-present) Syleys Roberts (2010-present) Matt Harpring (2010-present)
Ownership
On October 8, 2007, it was reported that Turner Sports, a division of Time Warner, was to take over the channel's operations, according to Hoopsworld: "NBATV: Surprisingly there has been little said about the NBA's decision to sell off NBATV to one of its media partners. Talks had gone on for as ESPN/ABC and Turner both explored scenarios with the league. Ultimately it seems Turner has won out, and will take over operation of the league's flagship cable channel, that reaches some 12 million subscribers. The exact changeover date is not clear, but several months ago a Bloomberg report cited sources saying senior level producers were offered contract buyouts in September."
Turner Sports relaunched the channel on October 28, 2008, using analysts carried over from NBA on TNT. The studio was also upgraded, and the show now airs live from Studio B at Turner Studios in Atlanta, Georgia; Studio B is adjacent to Studio J, home of Inside the NBA.