The Phoenix Suns were early to a move the NBA is now starting to embrace: putting games on free local television.
Under Mat Ishbia, the Suns and Mercury have been available over the air, opening the door for anyone in Arizona with an antenna to watch. In a league where rights fees keep climbing and exclusivity usually wins out, Phoenix went the other way and chose access.
“When the team extended its partnership with Gray Media, Ishbia said, “This has always been about the fans. We were the first to make games available free over-the-air, bringing Suns and Mercury games to more fans in Arizona than ever before,” said Ishbia when the team extended its partnership with Gray Media. “We’re excited to keep our games free and accessible - growing our fanbase and the game of basketball by ensuring everyone in Arizona has access to watch the Suns and Mercury.””
That approach has now started to spread. The Atlanta Hawks became the fifth NBA team to make its games available on local over-the-air television, joining Phoenix, Detroit, Miami and Milwaukee.
The bigger point is simple: the Suns moved first. Ishbia accepted the risk of giving up some money in the short term because he saw the value in making the team easy to find. The logic is straightforward enough - access builds fandom, fandom builds loyalty, and loyalty can eventually turn into real business.
Not every change reshapes the league right away. Sometimes you only see its impact when other teams start copying it. On that front, Phoenix looks like a trendsetter.
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