The Cavaliers’ new local TV deal with DAZN arrived with a familiar cast list - and one glaring omission.
In Tuesday’s announcement, Cleveland said fans “will continue to enjoy their familiar on-air team: play-by-play announcer John Michael, analyst Brad Daugherty, reporter Serena Winters and pre- and postgame host Cayleigh Griffin.”
Austin Carr was not included.
Carr, 78, has spent 29 years on the Cavs’ broadcast team, and the silence around his name made it look as if his run in the booth might be over. That possibility got louder after the final postgame show of the Cavs’ 2025-26 season, when Carr sounded like a man taking a final lap.
“First of all, I really want to thank the fans of Cleveland,” Carr said. “You really have stuck with us, stayed behind us, the whole way - good or bad. And that, to me, is really what it’s all about, and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Carr still remains with the organization as the Cavs’ Director of Community Relations, even if his TV future now looks uncertain.
Long before he became a staple on Cleveland broadcasts, Carr was the No. 1 pick in the 1971 NBA Draft after a decorated three-year run at Notre Dame. He was also taken first overall in the 1971 ABA Draft, but he chose to sign with the Cavs.
Carr played 10 NBA seasons, with his first nine coming in Cleveland from 1971-80. Over 635 games, he averaged 16.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.9 assists while shooting 44.9% from the field in 29.9 minutes per game.
He was part of the group that delivered Cleveland’s first winning season, Central Division title and playoff berth in 1975-76, including the “Miracle of Richfield” run. Carr is also one of eight former Cavs standouts with a retired number in Cleveland.
On the air, he became just as recognizable as he was on the floor. Carr won five Lower Great Lakes Emmy Awards as part of the Cavs’ broadcast team in 2014, 2017, 2018, 2022 and 2024, and he had been a fixture on Cleveland TV during the NBA season since 1997.
For generations of Cavs fans, “A.C.” or “Mr. Cavalier” meant the same thing: the voice behind lines like “He throws the hammer down!” and “Get that weak stuff outta here!”
He was also on the call with the late Fred McLeod for the 2016 Finals, when Cleveland stormed back from a 3-1 deficit against Golden State to win the championship.
Maybe the new broadcast setup still leaves room for Carr down the line. Maybe it doesn’t. But if this is the end of his time on TV, it’s the end of an era.
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There is a catch, though, and it matters. Of the 82 regular-season games, 17 nationally televised matchups will not be on DAZN, while 15 games will be available free through an over-the-air partner, leaving at least 50 games exclusive to the platform. DAZN says it will offer several subscription plans at different prices and will also carry select regional sports programming for free, so the next question for Cavs fans is what that setup will actually cost, and how easy it will be to get every game. [Read more 🡒]