CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cavaliers fans will notice a few changes when they dial up to watch their favorite team on television this season.
The biggest is the name of the team’s TV home, which has been rebranded as FanDuel Sports Network Ohio. The change is in name only, meaning the channel position remains the same on your cable or satellite provider. It also means that, like its predecessor, Bally Sports Ohio, FanDuel Sports Network is owned by Diamond Sports Group. So, any issue you might have had with Bally Sports Ohio carries over, too.
In Northeast Ohio, FanDuel Sports Network Ohio is available to stream on FuboTV (free trial) or DirecTV Stream (free trial).
Fans who watched live games through Diamond’s direct-to-consumer platform, Bally Sports+, can continue to do so on the FanDuel Sports Network app.
The broadcast team of play-by-play announcer John Michael, color analyst Brad Daughtery and sideline reporter Serena Winters will return, with Daugherty taking over as Michael’s regular partner after splitting duties with Austin Carr the last couple of seasons.
Carr, instead, becomes the full-time co-host of “Cavaliers Live” alongside Cayleigh Griffin before and after each FanDuel Sports Network Ohio telecast. He replaces Campy Russell, who, the network said, is stepping away from his broadcast duties “to focus his full attention on his work with Cavs alumni.”
Carr will still “throw the hammer down” from time to time, filling in for Daugherty on select broadcasts. New to the lineup this season is former Cavaliers sharpshooter Daniel “Boobie” Gibson, who will appear occasionally on “Cavaliers Live.”
FanDuel Sports Network Ohio is scheduled to broadcast as many as 78 regular-season Cavs games, starting with the season opener against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday.