Miami Heat pivot to free over-the-air and streaming on WPLG

This move signals the continued erosion of the high-margin Regional Sports Network (RSN) model as teams prioritize reach over declining carriage fees. By shifting to an independent local broadcaster and a free streaming tier, the Heat aim to rebuild an audience base previously restricted by cable paywalls and RSN blackouts. For the broader ecosystem, this hybrid broadcast-streaming model serves as a bridge until the NBA potentially launches a consolidated streaming hub for all local rights. Industry observers should track whether the anticipated surge in reach and ad inventory value can offset the loss of guaranteed RSN rights payments, which recently faced 30-40% cuts during Diamond Sports Group’s restructuring.

The Heat’s departure from the traditional RSN model follows a turbulent period for Diamond Sports Group (rebranded as Main Street Sports Group), which once held local rights for nearly half the NBA. Although Diamond exited bankruptcy in early 2025 after restructuring $9 billion in debt, the firm has continued to shed franchises to stabilize its remaining portfolio. Per Sports Business Journal (June 2026), the Heat are the seventh NBA team to embrace over-the-air primary distribution, following the Suns, Jazz, Trail Blazers, Mavericks, Pelicans, and Pistons. Estimates suggest these teams typically receive rights fees in the $10 million range, a significant drop from the $40 million to $55 million benchmarks seen during the peak cable era.

To facilitate this transition, WPLG is partnering with Zype by Backlight to power the Local 10 Plus Platinum app, focusing on a direct-to-consumer experience that bypasses legacy hurdles. Per Awful Announcing (June 2026), a key driver for the Heat was the success of a 12-game simulcast experiment last season, where games on WPLG reportedly doubled or tripled the viewership figures of those isolated on cable. This increased scale is central to the team’s strategy of leveraging a 5.8-million-viewer reach to drive secondary revenue through merchandise, ticketing, and premium local ad sales.

This one-year deal with WPLG also reflects the league's broader strategic uncertainty. Per recent reporting from SBJ (March 2026), the NBA is exploring a centralized streaming hub that could house local games for up to 22 teams as soon as the 2027-28 season. Potential partners including Amazon, YouTube TV, and ESPN are reportedly in discussions to manage this aggregated service. By keeping the WPLG deal to a single season, the Heat remain positioned to join a league-wide platform if the economics prove more lucrative than local independent broadcasting.