Photo via Awful Announcing

NBC affiliates not getting behind NBA opening day afternoon tip-off plan

NBC attempted to launch a new tradition for the 2026-27 NBA season by scheduling a 3 p.m. ET tip-off between the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons.

The network promoted the event with significant fanfare, including a marching band performance and various festivities, hoping to establish an all-day opening experience. However, the plan faced immediate resistance from local affiliates, with many stations opting to preempt the broadcast in favor of their own local programming or moving the game to secondary subchannels.

This decision left numerous viewers unable to access the game on their primary NBC channel, leading to widespread confusion and frustration across multiple markets.

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