Steve Nash is returning to Turner Sports and adding a new NBA role. Also: a Fox Sports executive has expressed interest in NHL rights; the NBA and USA Basketball have a reached a deal with Twitch; ESPN is setting aside five ACC football games to air exclusively via live stream.
Nash returning to Turner, adding NBA role
Turner Sports announced Tuesday that former NBA player Steve Nash will return to its UEFA Champions League coverage this season and add a new role on TNT NBA broadcasts. Nash, who primarily served as a UCL studio analyst last season, will this year contribute live and taped packages throughout the season. In addition, he will also contribute standalone studio segments during TNT’s Tuesday night NBA games. [Turner]
Fox Sports exec touts NHL interest
In an interview published Monday, Fox Sports SVP/sales Mark Evans told The Big Lead that Fox is interested in pursuing NHL media rights when they become available. Evans: “[The NHL] could be a place that we’d like to delve back into.” Fox last held national NHL rights in the 1990s. Sports Business Journal reported earlier this year that Fox is interested in the NHL and that the league is open to splitting media rights among multiple partners. [The Big Lead 8.5]
NBA/USAB reach deal with Twitch
The NBA and USA Basketball have reached a deal with the digital platform Twitch to become the exclusive streaming partner of USA Basketball, it was announced Tuesday. Under the deal, Twitch stream all five USA men’s basketball exhibition games this month, each of which will be available via linear television on NBA TV. It will also stream some USA women’s basketball games and a number of other events, including training camps. [NBA]
ESPN setting aside some ACC football games for streaming service
ESPN will broadcast five ACC football games exclusively via live stream on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX), it announced last week. ACCNX is a digital offshoot of the new ACC Network and will also include hundreds of smaller events, including nearly 300 volleyball and women’s soccer games. It will only be available to those who subscribe to the ACC Network, meaning that a cable subscription with all other ESPN channels except for ACC Network will not suffice. [ESPN PR 8.1]
