A severely punished Clippers team is also facing a reduced television profile during the upcoming 2026–27 season as it grapples with declining competitive prospects and media industry upheaval.
The NBA levied a historic set of penalties on the Clippers late Wednesday for circumventing the salary cap with star forward Kawhi Leonard. The sanctions include the removal of five first-round draft picks, a $30 million fine, and suspensions for owner Steve Ballmer and other senior team executives. Television-related matters were not directly part of the punishments, but the Clippers will likely be much harder to watch during the forthcoming season.
Locally, the Clippers have not yet disclosed their broadcast plans for the 2026–27 campaign. The team is among those previously tied to Main Street Sports Group, the shuttering regional sports network operator that stopped airing live games with the conclusion of the first round of last season’s NHL playoffs.
With the new NBA season quickly approaching, several other teams that had been with Main Street Sports have finalized alternate broadcast plans. In many instances, that new path has included London-based DAZN, which announced a deal with the Magic on Thursday, adding to recent agreements with the Cavaliers, Pacers, Spurs, and Timberwolves; it also signed a Gotham Sports pact that brings in the defending champion Knicks and Nets.
