NBA playoff telecasting has long been a battleground of exclusivity, from NBC’s iconic 1990s doubleheaders and TNT’s gritty turn-of-the-century takeover to the ESPN-ABC era’s ironclad lock on marquee matchups, broadcasting rights that ballooned to $24 billion in 2014. The latest 11-year media rights deals worth approximately $77 billion now demand surgical scheduling to maximize eyeballs, something that league commissioner Adam Silver and his executive team are proud of.

As part of the latest agreement, this year’s round one games will be part of national coverage for the first time. But not everyone is happy with this development. The iconic Mike Breen, often referred to as the voice of the NBA, took the time to call out Silver’s decision to end tradition and adopt a national model.

“This is the first time ever that no longer can home team announcers and broadcasters can televise the first round,” Breen said while announcing last night’s New York Knicks vs. Charlotte Hornets matchup. The entire playoffs are exclusive to national TV partners only. They mentioned this earlier in the season. I personally think, Clive, it’s a poor decision. Fans want to hear their team announce at least in the first round because for so many of us, and it’s been in all my favorite teams growing up, the home team announcers – they become part of the family, such a big part of why you root for the team.”

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The latest deal means Amazon Prime, ABC/Fubo, and the NBA own the rights to first-round telecasts, stripping regional networks of access. Breen feels this prioritizes national reach over regional splits.

“I get it, the networks pay a fortune to get exclusivity,” Breen added. “Obviously, I work for one of the networks, and it’s important for them, but I just think the fans deserve to be thrown a bone every once in a while…because this will be our final telecast of the season as is Eric Collins, Dell Curry doing it for the Hornets.”

Breen has been the unmistakable voice of the NBA for over two decades, rising from a Knicks radio reporter in 1991 to lead play-by-play announcer. At 64, his high-energy “BANG!” punctuates clutch moments, cementing his status as basketball’s premier broadcaster.

His warning call should not be brushed aside. The fans are the life of the league. Silver does not want a repeat of the 2023 viewership numbers (2.85 million). It was the lowest since 2001 and put the league in a tough spot from a sponsorship perspective. Keep the stakeholders happy, and allow the league to expand, both figuratively and literally.

After the NBA, is the NHL the next victim of this plague?

Just as the NBA’s blockbuster media deal yanked first-round playoff riches from crumbling regional networks, the NHL awaits a similar fate. The premier hockey league has a seven-year partnership with ESPN and TNT in the United States, beginning in 2021-22 and running through the 2027-28 season. With rumors of renewal talks doing the rounds, a similar workaround might be on the cards to boost viewership numbers.

“The playoffs are critical,” admitted APMC COO Jason Walsh. “It’s the highest viewpoint of the year, and we look forward to it from the perspective of viewership, but also from our ability to deliver the sponsors the number of impressions that they need.”

“But from a fan perspective, having the locals still being involved in the playoffs is incredibly important. The fans are along for the season’s journey. They know where to go to watch their games, they get them for free on Victory+, and they get to hear from their guys, their announcers. That’s a big deal.”

With national exclusivity gobbling prime inventory, the NHL’s smaller-market fragility risks amplifying the plague. Teams across the league are already dealing with financial issues; this could be another hit that fans take, ruining their overall gameday experience.