ESPN, ABC Launching 'Saturday Night NBA on ABC' Series for 2015-16 Season
ESPN and ABC have combined forces to bring pro hoops fans a fresh prime-time slate of NBA action in the 2015-16 campaign.
Ben Cafardo of ESPN MediaZone reported Thursday that Saturday Night NBA on ABC will begin January 23, 2016. The traditional Christmas Day doubleheader will precede the brand-new schedule, which can be viewed in the table below:
| Friday, Dec. 25 | 2:30 p.m. | NBA on Christmas Day |
| Friday, Dec. 25 | 5 p.m. | NBA on Christmas Day |
| Saturday, Jan. 23 | 8:30 p.m. | Saturday Night NBA |
| Saturday, Jan. 30 | 8:30 p.m. | Saturday Night NBA |
| Sunday, Jan. 31 | 3:30 p.m. | NBA Sunday Showcase |
| Sunday, Feb. 7 | 2 p.m. | NBA Sunday Showcase |
| Saturday, Feb. 20 | 8:30 p.m. | Saturday Night NBA |
| Sunday, Feb. 21 | 3:30 p.m. | NBA Sunday Showcase |
| Saturday, Feb. 27 | 8:30 p.m. | Saturday Night NBA |
| Saturday, Mar. 5 | 8:30 p.m. | Saturday Night NBA |
| Sunday, Mar. 6 | 3:30 p.m. | NBA Sunday Showcase |
| Saturday, Mar. 12 | 8:30 p.m. | Saturday Night NBA |
| Sunday, Mar. 13 | 3:30 p.m. | NBA Sunday Showcase |
| Saturday, Mar. 19 | 8:30 p.m. | Saturday Night NBA |
| Sunday, Apr. 3 | 3:30 p.m. | NBA Sunday Showcase |
| Saturday, Apr. 9 | 8:30 p.m. | Saturday Night NBA |
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Thursday's news release also featured a statement from ESPN president John Skipper:
"The creation of Saturday Night NBA on ABC is an important moment in the long, successful relationship between ESPN and the NBA. The NBA's massive popularity continues to open doors for new, collaborative opportunities, and this new series demonstrates ESPN's commitment to showcase the NBA as often – and across as many platforms – as possible. Saturday night games will be highlighted by the NBA's biggest stars, top rivalries and most compelling storylines. We expect to establish this series as a big-game destination for NBA fans, along the lines of what we've accomplished in college football with Saturday Night Football on ABC.
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It's indeed an exciting time in the Association, with a fresh champion in the Golden State Warriors from an extremely deep Western Conference and a ton of exciting talent. Matt Moore of Hardwood Paroxysm weighed in on how rife the league is with parity at the moment:
"Teams I firmly believe can’t make the playoffs next year: Sixers, Lakers, Wolves, Nuggets. That’s it. That’s the entire list.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) July 15, 2015"
In addition to the Warriors and the new-look San Antonio Spurs sporting LaMarcus Aldridge, the Cleveland Cavaliers will keep hold of headlines as LeBron James tries to deliver a championship for the star-crossed franchise from the East.
The NBA regular season is an 82-game marathon that takes its toll on players, especially with tight schedules and back-to-back contests at times.
Stakes aren't as high until the postseason, and the intensity tends to sag as players pace themselves. San Antonio has been known to rest its veterans for entire games. The risk is that could still happen and water down prime time if the Spurs or a like-minded squad are bumped to the Saturday slot late in the season.
But having numerous marquee matchups on prime time ought to increase overall NBA interest—and may even help the league expand its audience with a prestigious weekend time block.
This is a particularly sweet deal for ABC in making a rather seamless transition from college football to showcasing the NBA. Saturday Night NBA on ABC figures to be a big boon to ratings and another significant step forward for the ABC and ESPN duo in its 14th year as the NBA's national broadcast partner.
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