AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – The Detroit Pistons announced their 2009-10 local television schedule today with 78 of the team’s regular-season games being televised by FOX Sports Detroit. Including four exclusive ESPN broadcasts as part of the NBA’s national television schedule, all of Detroit’s 82 regular-season games will be available on television.
“We are thrilled to have FOX Sports Detroit serving as the exclusive local provider of Detroit Pistons Basketball,” said Pete Skorich, Executive Vice President of Broadcasting and Multimedia for the Pistons. “In addition to award winning game coverage, programming such as PISTONS LIVE, Pistons In Focus and The Pistons Weekly will give our fans the most complete coverage both on and off the court. Our partnership with FSD also delivers team coverage throughout the entire State of Michigan and Northwest Ohio which we are very excited about.”
FOX Sports Detroit, beginning its 13th season of broadcasting Pistons games, will be the exclusive local television provider for Pistons Basketball. The network will televise 78 regular season and two preseason contests (October 5 vs. Miami and October 23 at Milwaukee). A substantial number of the FSD telecasts will also be available in high-definition on FOX Sports Detroit HD (HD schedule to be announced at a later date).
“It continues to be an honor to be the exclusive local carrier of Pistons basketball to their loyal fans,” said Greg Hammaren, Senior Vice President/General Manager, FOX Sports Detroit. “FOX Sports Detroit in 2009-10 is set to deliver a comprehensive package of Pistons game night programming – starting one hour prior to tipoff, all the way through the postgame comments from the players and coaches. In keeping with our network’s marketing slogan for this season, FOX Sports Detroit is truly the place for fans to ‘Get Your Game On.’”
Highlights of the regular-season broadcast schedule include two games pairing Detroit against Kobe Bryant and the NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers (November 17 and December 20), four games with the Eastern Conference Champion Orlando Magic (November 3, November 6, January 31 and February 17), two games featuring LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal and the Cleveland Cavaliers (November 25 and March 16) and one game with the Boston Celtics (January 20). FSD will also air two games featuring Chauncey Billups and the Denver Nuggets (December 10 and February 26) and two games featuring Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Antonio McDyess and the San Antonio Spurs (January 6 and February 21).
Eleven Pistons games will air on FOX Sports Detroit Plus, an auxiliary channel made available by cable and satellite providers. FS PLUS telecasts occur when Pistons games coincide with Detroit Red Wings games already slated for FS Detroit. FS PLUS channel numbers can be found at www.foxsports.com/detroit.
Calling the action again this season on FOX Sports Detroit is the popular longtime duo of George Blaha and Greg Kelser, joined by sideline reporters Eli Zaret and Ryan Field.
Accompanying the FSD telecasts is PISTONS LIVE, providing exclusive and extensive pre- and post-game coverage originating from the arena and the network’s new high-definition studio. A new feature show, Pistons In Focus, will be part of FSD’s game night programming while the popular Pistons Weekly program will premiere each week on FOX Sports Detroit Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m.
FOX Sports Detroit’s coverage of the Pistons is available to 3.2 million cable and satellite households throughout Michigan and portions of Northwest Ohio. FOX Sports Detroit programming is simulcast on FOX Sports Detroit HD, now available 24/7 via cable and satellite providers.