What's Happening?
The Orlando Magic has announced a new partnership with Cox Media Group to broadcast their games on WRDQ-TV 27 and WFTV Channel 9 for the 2026-27 NBA season. This agreement will see most of the Magic's regular season games aired on WRDQ-TV 27, with select
games on Channel 9, excluding some national broadcasts. The partnership aims to enhance accessibility for fans throughout Central Florida. Dante Marchitelli will be the full-time play-by-play announcer, with former Magic forward Jeff Turner as the analyst and Kendra Douglas as the team reporter. The Magic previously had a broadcasting deal with FanDuel Sports Network, WESH 2, and CW 18. The team is also exploring a direct-to-consumer streaming partnership to further expand their reach.
Why It's Important?
This new broadcasting partnership is significant as it aims to make Orlando Magic games more accessible to a broader audience in Central Florida. By partnering with Cox Media Group, the Magic can leverage the reach and influence of Central Florida's news leader to deliver high-quality sports programming. This move could potentially increase the team's fan base and engagement by providing consistent and direct access to games and related content. The inclusion of a direct-to-consumer streaming option could further modernize the team's media strategy, catering to the growing demand for digital content consumption.
What's Next?
The complete station lineup and broadcast schedule are yet to be announced, which will provide more details on how fans can access the games. The potential direct-to-consumer streaming partnership could also be finalized soon, offering fans more flexibility in how they watch games. Stakeholders, including fans and advertisers, will likely be keenly interested in these developments as they could influence viewership and advertising strategies.
