The NBA's local broadcasting landscape is facing a major shakeup, as streaming service Fubo has abruptly withdrawn its offers to partner with 13 teams. This decision, reported by Tom Friend in Sports Business Journal, leaves these franchises scrambling for a new home just ahead of the 2026-27 season.

Fubo had proposed deals ranging from $8 million to $20 million to serve as a local broadcast partner for teams previously under contract with Main Street Sports Group, which owned the now-defunct FanDuel Sports Networks. However, citing "fiscal prudence," Fubo's board pulled the plug on Wednesday. The primary concern? The looming possibility that the NBA will centralize local broadcast rights by 2027-28, making any long-term partnership with Fubo a risky gamble. The board also struggled to agree on early-termination clauses, as teams were pushing for one-year deals or opt-out options after a single season to keep their options open for the NBA's potential centralized platform.

With Fubo out of the picture, teams are exploring several alternatives. London-based streaming service DAZN has stepped up its pursuit, but its offers—ranging from $8 million to just $15 million—are less attractive than Fubo's were, and notably lack the direct-to-distributor deals that Fubo had included. Another streaming platform, Victory+, is also reportedly still in the mix.

The most likely path forward, as demonstrated by the Detroit Pistons this week, involves over-the-air deals with local TV affiliates, supplemented by direct-to-consumer streaming services. According to Friend, "most teams are leaning toward airing games next season on over-the-air stations … or through DAZN's streaming service." This shift marks a significant pivot from the cable-heavy model that has dominated for decades, and could reshape how fans access their favorite teams—and how they gear up to watch them in style.