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Monday, October 4th, 2010 at 10:37 am | 4 responses 4 Like

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NBA TV Live From MiamiNBA TV becomes the network to broadcast Miami Heat’s first game.

by Kyle Stack / @KyleStack

Each of the major pro sports leagues is expected to operate its own TV channel these days, but the NBArarely gets credit for becoming the first to do so. That was the case in 1999, when NBA TV launched as a24-hour network.

It still operates with NBA ball featured around the clock, but the network has expanded its coverage like neverbefore. And now it will take center stage as it hoststhe first game of the Miami Heat’s refurbishedchampionship-seeking team. Tomorrow in Miami, theHeat play host to the Detroit Pistons and NBA TV willbe there to broadcast the game with an all-star crew.

TNT’s Marv Albert will handle the play-by-play whileKevin McHale and Chris Webber from NBA TV will sitbeside Albert to break down the game. TNT’s CherylMiller will work the sidelines. The chance tobroadcast the game with original coverage has anunusual amount of value for a preseason game –NBA TV typically shows live NBA preseason andregular season games with feeds and announcersfrom local networks.

“As a basketball fan, you want to see the initial time these guys hit the floor as a team,” said Scooter Vertino,VP of Digital Content for NBA TV. “I wouldn’t want to insult the intelligence of our viewers by overselling it butI’m excited. When this was presented to us, I thought it was a can’t-miss opportunity to get out there and showwhat we can do.”

While LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh might not play the number of minutes they’ll likely inregular season contests, the interest of how they’ll play together makes their first preseason game unlike anormal preseason debut.

“You only get to be first once and this is kind of cool to be that once,” Vertino said of NBA TV’s ability tobroadcast the game.

The network’s increased exposure also helps them promote the game. NBA TV is in 53 million U.S. homesthis season, compared to 45 million last season. It’ll feature up to 275 live games this year, which is more thanany other professional sports league TV network. They’ll have 85 hours of original programming during thepreseason, with 20 live games in 17 days.

Team previews start Oct. 7 beginning with the Los Angeles Lakers and NBA Real Training Camp returns withbehind-the-scenes access to team practices of the Lakers, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks andWashington Wizards. A new segment, On the Road with Reggie, will feature TNT’s Reggie Miller traveling totraining camps for the Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Nets for interviews with players andcoaches. All of it is done in an attempt to bring fans a little closer to everything that unfolds with teams before

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4 Responses to “NBA TV Live From Miami”JTaylor21 Posted: Oct.4 at 10:52 am

NBA TV is the sh*t, F*CK The Worldwide Follower.

Eboy Posted: Oct.4 at 10:53 am

Uhm….not sure if anyone saw it, but NBATV carried the Heat’s firstscrimmage on Friday night. Let’s be frank too….NBATV needs some realsponsors…they have the worst advertisers of any sports broadcast networkanywhere. As for me, I’ll stick to the local broadcast down here, I don’t needto hear the broadcast team discuss each possession of the first preseasongame as if they’re speaking about Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

Boing Dynasty Posted: Oct.4 at 12:44 pm

@Eboy, its called Real Training Camp, they go to every team in the leauge,every year its not somthing special for the Heat.

Eboy Posted: Oct.4 at 1:13 pm

Yeah, it was (and I’m aware of Real Training Camp)…..they never show anentire scrimmage, including pregame announcements, national anthem, andhave Mike Fratello sitting in to add color commentary as well as watchingfans come in and out to fill the auditorium. Stop with your stupid hating. Justbecause no one outside of LA cares about a Lakers scrimmage, don’t get allpi*sy. TO quote The Philosopher……LONG…LIVE….THE KING!!!!

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the season begins. Miller’s segment will likely run on the team preview shows and the the near-nightly NBAGametime before being re-purposed to NBA.com.

“I worked with [Reggie] the last few years at TNT,” Vertino said. “He’s the type of guy who’s always early,always prepared, always has a Plan B.”

NBA TV and NBA.com’s move to Atlanta in 2007 permitted Turner Sports to take control of the platforms. Italso allowed TNT and NBA TV talent to switch back and forth between networks, if necessary. Thecommonality among the two networks can be found in the free-wheeling, chemistry-rich nature of the on-airtalent. Miller, like his sister Cheryl, is outspoken and at ease in front of the camera. The same rings true for theother analysts, from Charles Barkley on TNT to McHale on NBA TV. In fact, McHale and Webber hit it off thefirst time they met.

Vertino described a night when a team of NBA TV folks, including McHale and Webber, went to dinner inAtlanta. The purpose of it was to give the two former NBA All-Stars an opportunity to become acquainted witheach other.

“I don’t know if it’s because they’re both Midwest guys or both from the Big Ten or because they’re both bigmen but after that dinner they clicked,” Vertino explained. (McHale grew up in Hibbing, Minn. and played at theUniversity of Minnesota while Webber grew up in the Detroit area and played at the University of Michigan.)

NBA fans will get their first taste of that chemistry in a game situation tomorrow with the Heat contest. ButWebber, McHale and the rest of the Turner Sports crew will be in the studio and at the games around the clockin what should be one memorable NBA campaign.

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SLAM ONLINE | » NBA TV Live From Miami http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/2010/10/nba-tv-live-fr...

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