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George Blaha.
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“The Detroit Pistons are extremely pleased that through the efforts of Channel 20, Detroit, WDIV and FSN Detroit, as well as the NBA’s national partners, 89 of a possible 90 pre and regular-season games will be televised,” said Peter Skorich, Senior Vice President of Broadcasting with the Pistons. “We are thrilled to be able to offer selected games on free over-the-air television in High Definition, allowing Pistons fans that have the necessary technology the absolute best viewing experience available.”
Channel 20, Detroit will televise 28 regular-season games this season and three preseason contests - 16 of which are available in High Definition on Channel 20, Detroit’s Digital Cable 21. The station kicks off its regular-season television schedule on Wednesday, November 2 with a one-hour Season Preview Special beginning at 7:00 p.m. followed by the Pistons’ season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers at 8:00 p.m. (EST). Other schedule highlights include one of the three Eastern Conference Finals re-match games against Shaquille O’Neal and the Miami Heat (March 22) and two games against Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers (January 29 and March 4). Channel 20, Detroit will televise the only two meetings between Pistons head coach Flip Saunders and his former team, the Minnesota Timberwolves (January 24 and February 1) and two meetings with Larry Brown and the New York Knicks (March 17 and April 16). The station will broadcast single games featuring LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers (February 27) and Ron Artest and the Indiana Pacers (March 24). Pistons Game Night pregame show will air prior to 15 of the telecasts and each game broadcast will be replayed at 12 midnight and 3 a.m.
“Channel 20, Detroit is very excited about entering our second season as the local broadcast home of Pistons basketball,” said Sarah Norat-Phillips, President & General Manager of Channel 20, Detroit. “This relationship has been a win/win situation for the station, the team and most importantly the fans. In addition, this season’s foray into High Definition broadcasting of Pistons games, using our Digital Channel 21, ushers in a new whole era for Detroit Sports on television, one that we are proud to deliver and one that we already know the fans will really love.”
WDIV-TV will televise seven selected weekend Pistons match-ups. The network will televise two Friday night match-ups, one of which will mark Larry Brown’s return to The Palace of Auburn Hills on December 2 at 8:00 p.m. The station will also broadcast five Saturday match-ups: vs. Toronto (November 5), at Dallas (November 19), vs. Utah (January 7), at Indiana (February 4) and at Charlotte (March 18). Five of the seven games will include a special Pistons Game Night pre-game show and four of the games will be shown in High Definition. Each Pistons game on WDIV will be replayed later in the evening at 1 a.m.
“We are pleased to welcome back the exciting tradition of Pistons Basketball to our prime time line up this year and we are looking forward to a great season,” said Steve Wasserman, Vice President/General Manager of WDIV-TV.
FSN Detroit will televise 36 regular-season games as well as four preseason contests. Highlights of their regular-season broadcast schedule include two match-ups against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers (December 31 and April 12) and three match-ups against Jason Kidd and the re-tooled New Jersey Nets (November 30, February 14 and March 26). Also included are two games against playoff rival Philadelphia (February 3 and March 29) as well as two games featuring Grant Hill and the Orlando Magic (January 3 and February 10). FSN Detroit will carry a live Pistons pregame show at 7:00 p.m. for all weeknight 7:30 p.m. telecasts with Pistons Insider airing at 6:30 p.m.
“Pistons fans across the entire state will be thrilled with FSN Detroit’s schedule this season,” said Greg Hammaren, General Manager of FSN Detroit. “Once again, the Pistons and FSN Detroit have hooked up to deliver more Pistons games than anyone else. From the Pistons road opener in Boston to the last game of the season against the Wizards at the fabulous Palace, FSN Detroit will be there. We can’t wait for the season to begin.”
Prior to the beginning of the season, Channel 20, Detroit will air a special one-hour training camp special on October 10 at 7:00 p.m. Additional programming throughout the basketball year will include The Pistons Weekly, aired Sunday nights at midnight on WDIV and Tuesday nights at 6:30 p.m. on FSN Detroit beginning October 23, and Primetime Pistons, which will air Saturday nights at 7:00 p.m. on Channel 20, Detroit beginning November 19.
