The National Basketball Association's new digital basketball channel is
getting ready to take flight.
NBA TV inked its a six-year carriage deal Wednesday with DirecTV Inc. for
distribution on its "Total Choice Premiere" and premium sports packages.
The network already has a multiyear pact with EchoStar Communications Corp.
NBA TV will begin airing live NBA games next year, perhaps as soon as
February.
The network is born out of the league's new $4.6 billion TV pact with Turner
Sports and ABC/ESPN.
NBA TV, operated by the NBA and with Turner parent AOL Time Warner Inc. as a
minority partner, gets rights to 96 games.
Other programming will include Women's NBA and National Basketball Development League Games, as well as international games.
