Sinclair, Inc. has formed a partnership with the Portland Trail Blazers that will see the company distribute in-market games played by the professional basketball team on free broadcast TV in the Pacific Northwest.
The arrangement starts with the upcoming National Basketball Association (NBA) season, which is slated to begin in mid-October. As part of the deal, Sinclair will air games on a digital sub-channel of a main network affiliate in a handful of markets, including Portland, Eugene, Yakima and Seattle.
The following stations will carry games from the Portland Trail Blazers, starting in October:
- KATU (Channel 2.2) in Portland
- KEPR (Channel 19.3) in Yakima
- KIM A (Channel 29.3) in Pasco
- KTVL (Channel 10.3) in Medford
- KUNS (Channel 51.2) in Seattle
- KVAL (Channel 13.3) in Eugene
Starting January 1, the games will also air on KUNP (Channel 16) in Portland, Sinclair said in an announcement.
In markets where multicast network TBD is carried on cable, those customers will also get Portland Trail Blazers telecasts, except in Portland where the games will air on cable TV through the multicast network Charge. Comcast (Xfinity), Charter (Spectrum), Astound and Northwest Fiber are some of the pay TV providers in the Pacific Northwest that will offer Portland Trail Blazers games in the mentioned markets.
The games will be distributed on local TV through a newly-formed broadcast network called the Rip City Television Network. “Rip City” was a nickname bestowed upon the team by former play-by-play announcer Bill Schonely in the early 1970s.
“We’re looking forward to collaborating with the Trail Blazers to expand Rip City basketball’s reach through over-the-air broadcasts, which significantly broaden audience reach,” said Rob Weisbord, the Chief Operating Officer and President of Local Media at Sinclair. “Now, more fans across the Pacific Northwest can enjoy unparalleled access to the Trail Blazers through our KATU family of networks.”
In addition to broadcast TV distribution, Rip City Television Network will also offer games through a new direct-to-consumer streaming service called BlazerVision, which will launch in tandem with the 2024-25 season. The streaming service will cost $20 per month or $120 per season, and can be purchased through the NBA app on supported devices like Apple and Android phones and tablets, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Xbox One and PlayStation 5. Full-season and half-season ticket holders will receive a one-year complementary subscription to BlazerVision, the team said.
“Launching the Rip City Television Network and BlazerVision is a turning point for our fans,” Dewayne Hankins, the President of Business Operations at the Portland Trail Blazers, said in a statement. “We’ve put our fans first and started a new chapter, making it easier than ever to enjoy Trail Blazers basketball. Whether on TV or streaming with BlazerVision, we believe this is the best way to create lifelong fans and keep them connected. This is a big win for all of Rip City.”
