DETROIT PISTONS ANNOUNCE NEW LOCAL TELEVISION MEDIA RIGHTS AGREEMENT WITH SCRIPPS SPORTS
Pistons Basketball Returns to Free, Over‑the‑Air Television in Detroit and Michigan Beginning in 2026‑27
DETROIT, May 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Detroit Pistons announced today a new local media television rights agreement with Scripps Sports beginning with the 2026‑27 NBA season. The move returns Pistons basketball to free, over‑the‑air television for fans throughout Detroit, metro Detroit and the state of Michigan. Per team policy, terms of the partnership were not disclosed.
Under the agreement, WMYD TV20 Detroit, owned and operated by The E.W. Scripps Company, will become the official local broadcast home of the Detroit Pistons. TV20 Detroit will produce and air all locally available pre-season and regular season games. Fans will be able to watch games for free via over‑the‑air television as well as through participating cable and satellite providers. Scripps, which operates both TV20 Detroit and WXYZ – Detroit's ABC affiliate – will pair WXYZ's award-winning local news leadership with TV20 Detroit's broadcast platform to deliver comprehensive Pistons coverage for fans throughout the market.
"This move is for our fans. They have been huge all season and throughout this playoff run. Their energy and support have lifted our team and helped fuel our resurgence," said Pistons Owner Tom Gores. "It's a new era of Pistons basketball and we want to make sure that more people in Detroit and throughout Michigan can be part of the journey."
"This partnership with Scripps Sports is an exciting moment for the Detroit Pistons," said Arn Tellem, Vice Chairman of the Detroit Pistons. "Basketball has always been deeply woven into the fabric of our city, and we're proud to expand access to our games. We look forward to partnering with Scripps to deliver outstanding broadcasts and programming that reflects the energy, pride and passion of Detroit."
The agreement marks the Pistons' return to a primarily local broadcast television home for the first time since 2005 and removes barriers for fans by eliminating the need for a paid television subscription to watch locally televised games.
"Over-the-air broadcasting has proven to be one of the most powerful ways to connect sports teams with their fans," said Brian Lawlor, President of Scripps Sports. "As we are seeing right now, the fandom around the Pistons is high and every fan deserves to have access to Detroit Pistons games. Scripps Sports is proud to partner with the Pistons to deliver their games to more fans than ever before – because the best team in the East deserves the best broadcast platform in the NBA."
"TV20 Detroit is honored to be the official new TV home of the Detroit Pistons," said Mike Murri, Regional Vice President and General Manager of WXYZ/TV20 Detroit. "This partnership ensures everyone across Metro Detroit can experience the excitement of Pistons basketball while strengthening our commitment to bringing the community together around the teams and moments that matter most."
As part of the partnership, the Pistons and Scripps Sports will produce comprehensive game‑day coverage, including pregame, in‑game and postgame programming. The agreement also includes a weekly, half‑hour Pistons show, along with original team‑focused content integrated across broadcasts and digital programming across Scripps' family of channels.
Scripps Sports intends to engage its stations across the state of Michigan in the coming months to create a broad network of exposure and reach for Detroit Pistons basketball throughout the state. Additionally, the Pistons and Scripps Sports plan to collaborate on a direct‑to‑consumer streaming application, with further details to be announced at a later date.
- pistons.com -
ABOUT THE DETROIT PISTONS
Since their arrival in 1957, the Detroit Pistons have become one of the most storied franchises in the NBA. With over 2,500 regular-season and playoff victories, the club has celebrated three NBA Championships (1989, 1990, 2004), five NBA Finals appearances (1988, 1989, 1990, 2004, 2005) and 11 Eastern Conference Finals appearances. In October 2019, the club opened the new Henry Ford Detroit Pistons Performance Center located in the New Center area, a campus that serves as the organization's practice facility and corporate headquarters. Since its purchase by Michigan native Tom Gores in 2011, the organization has focused on operating as a community asset while promoting a culture of innovation and industry-leading thought.
ABOUT SCRIPPS SPORTS
Scripps Sports serves professional and college sports leagues, conferences and teams with local market depth and national broadcast reach. Scripps Sports currently has partnerships with the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL), Major League Volleyball (MLV), Pro Cheer League (PCL), ATHLOS track-and-field, the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning, 2024 and 2025 Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, 2023 Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights, the Utah Mammoth, the Nashville Predators, the Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA, Denver Summit FC of the NWSL and the NCAA's Big Sky Conference. Scripps Sports is owned by The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ:SSP).
Contacts:
Kevin Grigg
Detroit Pistons
KGrigg@pistons.com
Dan Whelan
Platinum Equity
dwhelan@platinumequity.com
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SOURCE Detroit Pistons