INDIANAPOLIS — The 2025-26 season marks the end of the Pacers’ relationship with FanDuel Sports Network Indiana. Next season, fans might be able to find them on network or a channel created by Fubo.
Fubo, the sports TV streaming service owned by Disney, is making a pitch to the Pacers and the 12 other NBA teams who lost their regional television broadcast homes with the winding down of Main Street Sports Inc according to a report from Tom Friend of the Sports Business Journal.
According to the report, Fubo is pitching the teams on a “hybrid direct-to-distributor and direct-to-consumer model” that would provide teams rights fees in the neighborhood of $10 million.
Earlier this month the 13 teams that had regional rights deals with Main Streets Sports Inc. were told by the NBA that they should seek new local and regional broadcast partners for the 2026-27 season with Main Street winding down. Main Street was formed following the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of Diamond Sports Group in March of 2023 and it quickly struggled to make rights fees payments to teams. The NBA reportedly told teams that they would receive some of their lost fees.
The NBA is also reportedly working on putting together its own regional sports television hub but it has informed the teams it will not be able to pull that off in time for the 2026-27 season so they suggested signing rights contracts either for one year or with opt-outs after one year. According to the Sports Business Journal story, Fubo is offering such an opportunity.
According to the story, Fubo is hoping “some majority” of the 13 teams would join it’s platform or it would rescind its interest. The 12 other teams are Hawks, Hornets, Cavaliers, Pistons, Clippers, Grizzlies, Heat, Bucks, Timberwolves, Thunder, Magic, and Spurs.
Pacers Sports and Entertainment CEO Mel Raines spoke to the IndyStar earlier this month about the Pacers plans and said the organization would explore all opportunities.
“We’re throwing a very wide net and looking to both potential over-the-air partners and direct-to-consumer partners and looking at every possible option to reach as many of our fans as we can next season over local television,” Raines said then.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Streaming service reportedly making pitch to Pacers, several other NBA teams
Reporting by Dustin Dopirak, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
