Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets unveiled their 2026-27 direct-to-consumer product on DAZN Thursday afternoon, becoming the ninth NBA team to join the platform with the Grizzlies likely up next.
The Hornets unveiled their 2026-27 direct-to-consumer product on DAZN Thursday afternoon, becoming the ninth NBA team to join the platform with the Grizzlies likely up next.
“If you had told us seven, eight months ago that this is where we would be at the start of NBA season, I think we definitely would’ve taken it,” DAZN SVP/Strategy & Business Development Zander Berlinski said. “... But we recognize the work is just beginning.”
DAZN’s local television journey has been a relative maze. Initially, back in December 2025, it explored investing in cash-strapped Main Street Sports Group. Then it considered a straight-out purchase of Main Street. Then, rather than inherit Main Street’s debt, it approached Main Street’s MLB, NBA and NHL teams one-by-one. In July, it brokered a deal with the Knicks and Nets, and now it has one-third of the NBA -- with an intent to bid for the league’s centralized hub for the 2027-28 season.
“We really think this is sort of step one in a multi-step journey for us where we continue to scale both on the regional level, but hopefully also from a national point of view as national rights come up and continue to build the platform,” Berlinski said.
If nothing else, DAZN’s deal-making has been creative and flexible, the Hornets being the latest example. Back in August, the Hornets struck a one-year, linear broadcast deal worth roughly $7M-$8M with Cox Media Group to air games for free on Cox’s WSOC Channel 9 or TV64. And although DAZN already had full exclusive deals with the Cavaliers, T’Wolves, Spurs and Pacers, it was willing to do a DTC-only package with the Hornets (similar to DTC-only arrangements with the Knicks, Nets, Magic and Wizards) to show, as Berlinski said, the company won’t take a “templated cookie cutter approach.”
Sources said the Hornets will receive a rights fee in the $1M-$2M range, and -- as with the other DAZN teams -- will have an exit clause to join the NBA’s aggregated hub when it launches. The NBA’s in-house broadcast arm will produce the Hornets games for both Cox and DAZN and will provide alternate broadcasts on DAZN that are usually reserved for League Pass (such as betting feeds).
The Hornets and DAZN also have a collaborative advertising revenue share deal, while DAZN will commit marketing dollars to educate the team’s North Carolina and South Carolina audiences on the platform.
“It obviously strengthens our local broadcast strategy, our relationship with Cox Media Group and WSOC and TV64 that we announced a couple weeks ago,” said Mike Behan, the Hornets chief business and revenue officer. “We view this as a core component to complimenting that relationship as well and providing access across the two-state region.”
Customers can begin registering for the standalone Hornets DAZN app as soon as Thursday, with a monthly pass (two streams in one location, plus downloads) costing $19.99 and a season pass going for $119.99. There is also a monthly ultimate pass for $24.99 (five streams in two locations, plus multiview, downloads, alternate angles and feeds, and a one-time 15% discount at the Charlotte Hornets Shop, 20% off select Hornets game tickets) and a $139.99 ultimate season pass.
The Grizzlies are the last NBA team without a local broadcast deal for the 2026-27 season but are expected to finalize their exclusive package with DAZN in the coming weeks. Other non-exclusive agreements are conceivable, although the Suns -- whose app is operated by DAZN-owned ViewLift --will not stream on DAZN, sources said. However, insiders believe the Nuggets, Rockets and Bulls (other ViewLift clients) are possible DAZN options to keep an eye on.