The Detroit Pistons on Wednesday announced a new local media television rights agreement with Scripps Sports beginning with the 2026‑27 NBA season. The move returns Pistons basketball to free, over‑the‑air television on WMYD TV20 Detroit. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
TV20 Detroit, owned by the E.W. Scripps Co., will produce and air all locally available pre-season and regular season games. Fans will be able to watch games for free via over‑the‑air television as well as through participating cable and satellite providers.
Scripps, which operates both TV20 Detroit and WXYZ — Detroit’s ABC affiliate — will pair WXYZ’s local news with TV20 Detroit’s broadcast platform to deliver comprehensive Pistons coverage for fans throughout the market.
“This move is for our fans,” says Tom Gores, owner of the Detroit Pistons. “They have been huge all season and throughout this playoff run. Their energy and support have lifted our team and helped fuel our resurgence. It’s a new era of Pistons basketball and we want to make sure that more people in Detroit and throughout Michigan can be part of the journey.”
Arn Tellem, vice chairman of the Pistons, says, “This partnership with Scripps Sports is an exciting moment for the Detroit Pistons. Basketball has always been deeply woven into the fabric of our city, and we’re proud to expand access to our games. We look forward to partnering with Scripps to deliver outstanding broadcasts and programming that reflects the energy, pride and passion of Detroit.”
The agreement marks the Pistons’ return to a primarily local broadcast television home for the first time since 2005, and removes barriers for fans by eliminating the need for a paid television subscription to watch locally televised games.
“Over-the-air broadcasting has proven to be one of the most powerful ways to connect sports teams with their fans,” says Brian Lawlor, president of Scripps Sports. “As we are seeing right now, the fandom around the Pistons is high and every fan deserves to have access to Detroit Pistons games.”
As part of the partnership, the Pistons and Scripps Sports will produce comprehensive game‑day coverage, including pregame, in‑game, and postgame programming. The agreement also includes a weekly, half‑hour Pistons show, along with original team‑focused content integrated across broadcasts and digital programming across Scripps’ family of channels.
“TV20 Detroit is honored to be the official new TV home of the Detroit Pistons,” says Mike Murri, regional vice president and general manager of WXYZ/TV20 Detroit. “This partnership ensures everyone across metro Detroit can experience the excitement of Pistons basketball while strengthening our commitment to bringing the community together around the teams and moments that matter most.”
Scripps Sports says it intends to engage its stations across the state of Michigan in the coming months to create a broad network of exposure and reach for Detroit Pistons basketball throughout the state. Additionally, the Pistons and Scripps Sports plan to collaborate on a direct‑to‑consumer streaming application, with further details to be announced at a later date.
