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Cavaliers Sign Multiyear Broadcast Deal With DAZN

The Cleveland team moves to a new local TV partner as Main Street Sports Group winds down its regional sports network operations in 2026.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Basketball

Wide photograph of an empty arena exterior at dusk with a warm entrance glow, a parked broadcast truck in the distance, and cables stretched across wet pavement.
The Cleveland Cavaliers signed a multiyear broadcast deal with DAZN, roughly $20 million annually, as Main Street Sports Group winds down its regional sports network in 2026. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The Cleveland Cavaliers signed a multiyear broadcast deal with DAZN after their previous regional sports network partner, Main Street Sports Group, announced it would wind down operations in 2026. The deal is reportedly worth about $20 million annually, roughly a 43% decrease from the Cavaliers' previous contract.

Why it matters

The Cavaliers' local TV home has shifted repeatedly, from SportsChannel Ohio to Fox Sports Ohio, then Bally Sports and FanDuel. The regional sports network business has unraveled after its parent company faced bankruptcy and financial trouble, forcing teams to find new broadcast partners.

The reported DAZN deal is worth about $20 million a year, roughly 43% less than the Cavaliers' previous contract. DAZN initially made 15 games available to stream for free, while the full long-term game allotment has not been detailed.

The players

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers are the NBA franchise based in Cleveland, Ohio, and they have had to move their local broadcasts across several regional networks in recent years.

DAZN

DAZN is a global sports streaming service that has expanded into U.S. live sports rights, including the Cavaliers deal.

Main Street Sports Group

Main Street Sports Group operates regional sports networks and is winding down operations in 2026 after financial trouble at its parent company.

The details

DAZN struck a deal with DirecTV and U-verse to carry Cavaliers games, and the streaming service initially made 15 games available for free. The Cavaliers' games are now scattered across Peacock, Prime Video and DAZN this season, reflecting the fragmented broadcast landscape for Cleveland teams.

Timeline

  1. 2024 season: The Guardians left Bally Sports Great Lakes after the season.

  2. 2025: The Guardians began producing and distributing games with Major League Baseball.

  3. 2026: Main Street Sports Group announced it would wind down operations.

  4. This season (2026-27): Cavaliers games are spread across Peacock, Prime Video and DAZN.

Season Trajectory

The Cavaliers' move reflects a broader shift in which NBA teams are abandoning traditional regional sports networks after the Bally Sports collapse. The Guardians' 2025 partnership with Major League Baseball shows a parallel path, with teams increasingly producing and distributing their own games.

Cavaliers fans will need to check multiple services, including Peacock, Prime Video and DAZN, to find each game this season. The cost and availability of local coverage depend on which streaming partner carries a given matchup.

The takeaway

Fans should check which service carries each Cavaliers game before the season, since broadcast rights are now split across several platforms. Following the team's official announcements will help confirm where games air.

Further reading

For more on the Cavaliers' season and the NBA landscape, see Basketball coverage.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Ideastream Public Media.

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Have you changed how you watch local sports games because of the broadcast shifts?