The Celtics-Lakers rivalry will reportedly highlight the NBA’s Christmas Day schedule. Also: NFL Network is heading direct-to-subscriber via NFL+ and “Stanford Steve” is joining College Gameday.
Celtics, Lakers, set for first Christmas meeting since 2008
The Celtics and Lakers are scheduled to play each other on Christmas Day for the first time since 2008, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Warriors-Nuggets, Mavericks-Suns, Bucks-Knicks and Sixers-Heat make up the remainder of the traditional five-game Christmas schedule. Timeslots for the games were not immediately available.
Last season, all five Christmas Day games aired on both ABC and ESPN. There will be no repeat of that this year, as ABC has a primetime NFL game.
The 2023-24 regular season is set to begin with a rare all-Western Conference Opening Night doubleheader of Lakers-Nuggets and Suns-Warriors, per Charania.
In other schedule-related news, #1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama is set to begin his career in a home game against Dallas on October 25, per reporter Marc Stein. (Charania 8.10 a, b; Stein 8.10)
NFL Network going direct-to-subscriber via NFL+
The NFL+ subscription service will now include NFL Network, marking the first time that the league-owned channel has been available direct-to-subscriber. NFL Network will be available to watch across all devices — including television — as part of the now-$7/mo base subscription. The price was previously $5/mo.
A new $15/mo “NFL+ Premium” subscription also includes NFL RedZone, again across all devices. The league had sold RedZone direct-to-subscriber in the past, but only on tablets and phones.
NFL+ will continue to provide live coverage of all local and primetime games, but only on phones. (NFL PR)
“Stanford Steve” joining College Gameday
“SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt” producer and contributor “Stanford Steve” Coughlin is joining ESPN’s College Gameday as a betting analyst, replacing Chris “The Bear” Fallica. Coughlin, who joined ESPN as a production assistant in 2004, will also serves as a betting analyst on the ESPN show “Daily Wager.” (ESPN PR)
