As crowds make the trek down from UF and Florida St., Orange Bowl giving Broward more than just basketball

By Zachary Baru

Sunrise, Florida - Just a few minutes of looking around the arena, noticing groups making the drive and speaking with fans from all around, it is quickly evident that the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic is offering more than just a game for the county.

In Broward County's only NCAA Division 1 basketball game all year, with Florida Atlantic in Palm Beach County and the University of Miami in Miami-Dade, today's double-header is offering fans in Broward a unique opportunity to see the highest level of college basketball.

Photo: Aaron Baru

But it's more than just fans from in the county.  A quick glance around the 19,250-seat Amerant Bank Arena shows groups all over, and from all over.  Groups of fans from the University of Florida, and others from Florida St., two of the teams in this year's Classic.  It's students, team staff, event officials, media, and of course the teams themselves.  So much goes into making a Division 1 basketball game happen, and all those involved bring money right back into the local economy itself.  From hotels, to restaurants, to any dollar spent while visiting here, Broward County's only Division 1 game of the year is an important spot on the county's events calendar.  

Year-after-year, the Orange Bowl Committee hosts this game, creating another opportunity for the Orange Bowl to contribute to South Florida in more than just one football game a year.  The Orange Bowl Basketball Classic gets youth groups involved, noticed all throughout the arena's three levels, and creates another opportunity during the year to engage with the region.  The Orange Bowl is now much more than just football, and today the focus is all on basketball.

As thousands contribute to the region's local economy, it is important to remember that events like these are the lifeblood of a local economy.  A region cannot just focus on conventions, not just on tourism, but on all types of events.  Between today and last night, with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra having performed on top of where the basketball court is just 12 hours ago, over 15,000 fans will have passed through this arena, many of which making the trip from out of the county.  It is a win for Broward, as today's Classic is yet another example of how events play a big part in boosting the region's economy.

Energetic crowds power Orange Bowl Basketball Classic early in afternoon

By Zachary Baru

Sunrise, Florida - It may only be just after 12 Noon in Sunrise, but it feels like an early evening game here at the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic.

A mixtures of some fans from Massachusetts, but mostly of Florida State, the crowd inside the arena has been involved and engaged right from the first half of play. What seems like an 80/20% crowd in favor of Florida St. is made up of many large groups spread out throughout the arena, creating a great atmosphere at the home of the defending National Hockey League champion Florida Panthers.  

Photo: Aaron Baru

A glance around the 19,250-seat arena shows large groups throughout all three levels of the arena - plaza, club and balcony.  Some groups are students from Florida St., others appear to be local youth groups involved with the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic.  A great example of how this event, year-after-year, engages with the community and turns the Orange Bowl into more than just a once-a-year football game in Miami Gardens.

While many early season events have multiple games with early starts and more than quiet crowds, this seems to be anything but that.  The crowd, while not full, is very engaged and loud for an early afternoon start.  

When it comes to the four teams involved, and especially Florida and Florida St., South Florida only has limited opportunities to see these teams in action, in their local area.  This neutral-site early season event gives Broward County a great chance to see the teams they love, and even fan-favorites like UMass and George Washington that have considerable alumni living here in South Florida.  This is yet another example of why games like this are so important to the communities they serve each year. 

Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter @zbaru and reached at zachbaru@gmail.com.  Zach also writes SportsBusinessBoston.com and WesternMassSportsBiz.com.

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Coverage of the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic

For the second straight year, SportsBizAmerica.com is proud to once again cover the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic, live from inside the Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida.

This event, held each year by the Orange Bowl Committee, further establishes the Orange Bowl's commitment to sports and the community of South Florida.  Unlike the Orange Bowl, held in Miami Gardens, the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic is hosted 20 miles north in Broward County in the city of Sunrise.  

The Classic brings top NCAA division 1 men's basketball teams each year to the tournament, this year hosting Florida St. vs. Massachusetts in the first game, and the University of Florida vs. George Washington in the second game of the double-header.

Stay tuned to SportsBizAmerica.com all day for updates live from Sunrise, as we tap into the business-side of everything happening at the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic.  Live tweets and photos will also be available on Twitter @zbaru.

It’s “back-to-the-future” for NBC Sports

By Zachary Baru

Yes you heard it correctly, NBCUniversal announced its newest sports network - one you may have heard of already.  Many sports fans will find a familiar name in the “NBC Sports Network”, or NBCSN for short.  

NBCUniversal previously owned the first NBCSN from January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2021.  Upon its end, the sports broadcasting landscape was a bit different from what we say in present day.  Most of the talk throughout the media focused on the demise of linear television, and the transition to streaming.  Now, with linear still around, and hanging on a thread from sports and news, many linear networks with a large investment in television must rely on sports for revenue.  As the focus of shows transitions to streaming, the market for live TV falls mostly on sports and news, the two biggest reasons people still tune in at a given time for television entertainment.

In a time where you can watch whatever, whenever you want on streaming, sports will always be best live.  Whether the rational is not finding out the score, or betting, sports live will always be king.  NBCUniversal knows this, and certainly sees the increase in ratings since sports betting has expanded to more states.  

This begs the question, “why not just focus on streaming live?”  With the current amount of investment in NBC Sports through NBC, USA, and NBC Sports regional networks, ditching linear all together seems a bit pre-mature.  Additionally, NBCUniversal already has existing deals with YouTube TV, Fubo, Sling and other live TV providers.  Ditching linear completely does not seem to be in NBC’s future.

The NBC Sports Network is set to launch once again on Monday, November 17.  Deals are already inked with sister company Xfinity, and Google’s YouTube TV.  Sports on linear TV is not dead, and shows no signs of going away anytime soon.

Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter @zbaru and reached at zachbaru@gmail.com.  Zach also writes SportsBusinessBoston.com and WesternMassSportsBiz.com.

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The NBA’s 2025-26 TV and streaming schedule is out, showing new strategy across platforms

The NBA has officially released its 2025-26 TV and streaming schedule, a move demonstrating the league’s continued transition into streaming. The schedule spreads games across traditional networks such as ABC, NBC, and ESPN, while focusing heavily on streaming platforms like Peacock and Amazon Prime Video. This move reflects a $76 billion, 11-year media rights deal announced earlier this year with Disney, NBCUniversal, and Amazon. It’s a clear sign that the league is betting big on reaching younger audiences, with NBCUniversal’s $2.45 billion annual commitment bringing a new broadcast presence via Peacock and local NBC affiliates. 

This new distribution model introduces a complex viewing experience that could confuse fans as much as it could engage them. Peacock will stream a Monday night doubleheader, while Tuesdays will have games on both NBC and Peacock. Amazon Prime Video joins with a Thursday package, including 10 NBA Cup games and knockout rounds. 

With the new deal, Amazon becomes a major player in the NBA media landscape. Prime Video’s exclusive coverage of 66 regular-season games, including Black Friday matchups and playoff rounds, solidifies Prime Video as a global streaming leader for basketball, along with being a third-party destination for NBA League Pass. For the NBA, this isn’t just about revenue, it’s about exposure and growing its streaming presence. 

As the season tips off on October 21 with an NBC and Peacock doubleheader, the real question will be whether this new approach expands the NBA’s audience or complicates it, as the league’s media future has changed dramatically through 2035.

How the Oklahoma City Thunder ended up in OKC

By Zachary Baru

The road to bringing an NBA championship to Oklahoma City has been well-deserved, but also a long and confusing turn of events.  It's a story that combines five cities, a sequence of relocations, and one of the worst natural disasters ever in U.S. history.  This is the story of how Oklahoma City became world champions of basketball, and how a series of moves in the league turned a college sports town into one of, if not the loudest arena in the NBA.

It all starts in Seattle.  The Seattle SuperSonics had a dedicated fan base and won the NBA Finals in the 1978-79 season, beating the Washington Bullets.  The team would not win another championship in Seattle, and by the mid-2000's their arena, KeyArena, was showing its age.  At the same time, the Charlotte Hornets became the New Orleans Hornets after the 2001-02 season.  This may not have seemed like it would have anything to do with the Sonics, but no one could have expected the magnitude of destruction that the city of New Orleans would endure during Hurricane Katrina on August 23, 2005.  After three seasons in New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina would force the Hornets to temporarily move to Oklahoma City.  The Hornets would be known as the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets, and the team would mostly remain in OKC for two seasons.  

As if the situation could not be any more confusing, the team would mostly remain in OKC for two seasons because even though the Hornets would move to the Ford Center, they would still play three games at the New Orleans Arena in 2005-06, and six games in New Orleans in 2006-07.  During the time the Hornets played at Oklahoma City's Ford Center, now known as Paycom Center, the team enjoyed enthusiastic crowds that were arguably very different than most NBA arenas.  The crowds were described by media in the NBA as "college-like", and very young and vibrant.  The league noticed, and so did potential ownership groups in Oklahoma City.

The Hornets finally moved backed to New Orleans at the beginning of the 2007-08 season, going back to the name "New Orleans Hornets".  The Hornets once again played at New Orleans Arena, now the Smoothie King Center.  The franchise would remain the Hornets until the end of the 2012-13 season, when the team would rebrand as the New Orleans Pelicans for the beginning of the 2013-14 season. 

Not entirely related, but for those who are interested, the Hornets name was at this point moved back to Charlotte.  After losing the Hornets after the 2001-02 season, the Charlotte Bobcats became an expansion team at the beginning of the 2004-05 season.  Once the New Orleans Hornets became the Pelicans at the beginning of the 2013-14 season, the Charlotte Bobcats would become the Hornets one year later for the start of the 2014-15 season.  Yes, the name change happening at the same time proved to make too much sense.  

In all seriousness, and to conclude this confusing sequence of events, it was the beginning of the 2007-08 season and Oklahoma City was left without a team.  The once vibrant crowds of the Ford Center were no more, but the idea of pro basketball in OKC was coming closer and closer to reality.  One year earlier in 2006, an Oklahoma City group led by Clay Bennett purchased the Seattle SuperSonics and Seattle Storm of the WNBA.  It was said that their intention was to keep the team in Seattle if a new arena deal could be reached, but after negotiations with the city of Seattle failed, the ownership group announced relocation plans.  The Seattle Storm would stay put at KeyArena drawing large and boisterous crowds.  The SuperSonics on the other hand, would move to become the Oklahoma City Thunder for the start of the 2008-09 season.

After many strong seasons, both on and and off the court, the Oklahoma City Thunder would finally win an NBA championship in the 2024-25 season.  And so after a series of twists and turns, after a horrible natural disaster, and after five different cities each tried to have a franchise of their own, Oklahoma City finally would have a franchise that is not only known for some of the best fans in the league, but is now world champions.

Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter @zbaru and reached at zachbaru@gmail.com.  Zach also writes SportsBusinessBoston.com and WesternMassSportsBiz.com.

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Fever-Liberty make another historic night for WNBA on ABC

The WNBA continued its upward ratings trend this past Saturday, as the Indiana Fever-New York Liberty game became the third most-watched WNBA telecast ever on ABC. According to Nielsen, the game averaged 2.2 million viewers, peaking at an impressive 2.8 million viewers. The nationally televised contest not only showcased star Caitlin Clark, but also served as a testament to the league’s rapidly rising popularity.

Saturday's viewership numbers represent a significant 76 percent increase over last season’s WNBA on ABC regular season average. Across the ESPN family of networks, WNBA ratings are up 14 percent compared to the 2023 season. These year-over-year gains highlight the growing interest in the league and is yet another example of the increasing value of its media rights.

ABC’s success in drawing big audiences for marquee matchups shows the importance of strategic scheduling and high-profile rivalries. With continued investment in broadcast production and growing popularity surrounding young stars, the WNBA is proving that it can deliver strong ratings on network television.

For advertisers and broadcasters, Saturday’s ratings provide even more proof that the WNBA is not just a great product on the court, but also lucrative. As the league looks to future expansion and even more media exposure, growth in viewership will be an important step in the league’s quest to gain fanfare and attention nationwide.