NBC Shifts Programming for NBA Basketball Games
The network is moving popular syndicated programs to The CW to accommodate a full evening of professional basketball action.
Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Basketball
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NBC is rescheduling its evening programming in Mount Pleasant to air NBA basketball games on October 20, 2026. Popular shows Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! will move to The CW for this evening.
Why it matters
The scheduling change allows the station to broadcast a full slate of NBA games that dominate the evening television lineup. Viewers must tune in to a different channel to watch their usual syndicated favorites.
The evening features three NBA matchups starting at 3 p.m., 7 p.m., and 9:30 p.m. News 2 at 11 p.m. is pushed back to midnight, while the 5:30 p.m. News 2 and 6 p.m. NBC Nightly News slots are impacted by the sports coverage.
The players
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is a major American commercial broadcast television network that is a flagship property of NBCUniversal.
The CW
The CW is an American English-language commercial broadcast television network that is jointly owned by Nexstar Media Group and Warner Bros. Discovery.
The details
The station is shuffling its lineup to prioritize professional basketball, ensuring fans do not miss the games. Regular network and local programming is scheduled to return to normal on October 21, 2026.
Timeline
NBA basketball games air on NBC on October 20, 2026.
Regular programming resumes on October 21, 2026.
Season Trajectory
This move follows the historical trend of live sports preempting traditional network television, which often sees broadcasters prioritize high-value sports rights over syndicated content. The scheduling change highlights how live sports continue to dictate network programming strategies to maximize audience reach.
Viewers looking for Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! must adjust their channel settings to The CW for the evening. Those tracking the late news should prepare for a midnight broadcast time instead of the standard 11 p.m. slot.
The takeaway
Check your local listings to ensure your DVR and evening routines are updated for the channel shifts. NBA fans can enjoy an uninterrupted evening of games, while syndicated show viewers should remember to switch to The CW for the night.
Further reading
For more on the current local basketball coverage, visit the Basketball section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WCBD 2 - Charleston.
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