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New York Knicks play-by-play voice Mike Breen says the rapid shift in NBA media distribution threatens the long-term future of regional sports networks, warning that the league risks weakening one of the strongest emotional ties fans have to their teams.
Speaking in an interview with BALLISLIFE.com about the changing landscape. Breen said he fears RSNs are slowly being pushed aside as more games move to national platforms. While the NBA’s new media rights cycle is expanding the number of games airing on major broadcast and streaming outlets. He cautioned that the industry must not overlook what local broadcasts provide.
“Some of the changes are not for the better for the RSNs,” Breen said. “We have to be careful not to lose the RSNs because, for fans, that’s your connection to the team. Usually the local announcers, whether it’s TV or radio, they become part of the family.”
Breen pointed to his own upbringing as an example of the bond fans build with local voices. Listening to Marv Albert alongside Cal Ramsey or John Andariese helped form his early attachment to the Knicks. That familiarity, he said, still shapes how fans relate to their favorite teams today — not just in basketball, but across sports.
“It’s something that I think is a staple to becoming a fan of a team. We can’t lose that,” he said.
However, the NBA’s evolving national strategy appears to be squeezing out regional partners. Breen noted that, for the first time, no playoff games this season will air on local networks. Eliminating decades of tradition in markets where fans were accustomed to hearing their own broadcasters call postseason moments.
“With all the new national media rights to different broadcast outlets. The emphasis on the regional sports networks seems to be less and less,” Breen said. “For example, this year, there are no playoff games that will be on regional networks for the first time, and I think that’s a mistake.”
He acknowledged national partners invest heavily for exclusivity, including ESPN, where he works the NBA postseason and Finals. Still, he believes the league could carve out space for local crews during the playoffs without meaningfully affecting national ratings.
“Having a little side for the original broadcasters just to do some of the important games, I don’t think that there’s that much of a factor ratings-wise to impact them,” he said. “I wish they would reconsider that, but I don’t think that’s ever going to happen.”
As the league moves deeper into an era defined by streaming platforms, expanded national windows, and shifting distribution strategies, Breen urged executives not to overlook the foundational role RSNs play in cultivating fandom.
“I just think that we can’t lose sight of the fact that the regional networks are important to the fans,” Breen said. “I hope they don’t keep becoming less and less of a presence, because that’s a big part of why the younger generation develops that true passion for their team.”
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