ABC airs the NBA in a new primetime package next year called Saturday Night NBA on ABC. The Saturday night game, which premieres on January 23 transitions ABC from the college football season, which sees the network air primetime games on Saturday night, in the fall to basketball in the winter.
Sunday NBA doubleheaders appear as a casualty of the move. The weekend schedule will see ABC air a primetime Saturday night game followed by one on Sunday afternoon rather than two on Sundays. The Saturday night games occur on eight weekends during the twelve-week homestretch leading into the playoffs.
“The creation of Saturday Night NBA on ABC is an important moment in the long, successful relationship between ESPN and the NBA,” ESPN President John Skipper said in a release. “The NBA’s massive popularity continues to open doors for new, collaborative opportunities, and this new series demonstrates ESPN’s commitment to showcase the NBA as often – and across as many platforms – as possible. Saturday night games will be highlighted by the NBA’s biggest stars, top rivalries and most compelling storylines. We expect to establish this series as a big-game destination for NBA fans, along the lines of what we’ve accomplished in college football with Saturday Night Football on ABC.”
Here’s ABC’s schedule for NBA basketball for the 2015-16 season:
| Date | Time (ET) | Broadcast |
| Fri., Dec. 25 | 2:30 p.m. | NBA on Christmas Day |
| Fri., Dec. 25 | 5 p.m. | NBA on Christmas Day |
| Sat., Jan. 23 | 8:30 p.m. | Saturday Night NBA |
| Sat., Jan. 30 | 8:30 p.m. | Saturday Night NBA |
| Sun., Jan. 31 | 3:30 p.m. | NBA Sunday Showcase |
| Sun., Feb. 7 | 2 p.m. | NBA Sunday Showcase |
| Sat., Feb. 20 | 8:30 p.m. | Saturday Night NBA |
| Sun., Feb. 21 | 3:30 p.m. | NBA Sunday Showcase |
| Sat., Feb. 27 | 8:30 p.m. | Saturday Night NBA |
| Sat., Mar. 5 | 8:30 p.m. | Saturday Night NBA |
| Sun., Mar. 6 | 3:30 p.m. | NBA Sunday Showcase |
| Sat., Mar. 12 | 8:30 p.m. | Saturday Night NBA |
| Sun., Mar. 13 | 3:30 p.m. | NBA Sunday Showcase |
| Sat., Mar. 19 | 8:30 p.m. | Saturday Night NBA |
| Sun., Apr. 3 | 3:30 p.m. | NBA Sunday Showcase |
| Sat., Apr. 9 | 8:30 p.m. | Saturday Night NBA |
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