Seen On Screen: NBA on TSN Adds 105 Regular-Season Games; FS1 Airs Season 2 of Beyond the Wheel Doc Series

Seen on Screen provides a roundup of recent sports-programming news, including new original programs and game-schedule announcements. In this week’s edition, TSN announces that it has added 105 regular-season NBA games to its lineup, FS1 and NASCAR Productions begin airing the second season of Beyond the Wheel, ESPN’s NBA Countdown adds new faces to the panel, Sling TV adds NHL Network to its sports package, Turner Sports hosts a special edition of Open Court focusing on athletes and social issues, Golf Channel calls on viewers to vote for year-end program, Sportsnet brings more than 100 NBA games to Canadian viewers, Rip Hamilton and Raja Bell return for NBA Crossover, ONE World Sports offers one month of free access for November, Combate Americas inks deal with Azteca Television, and Premier Boxing Champions fights will be covered by nine networks coming in 2017.

TSN announced on Oct. 20 that it has added 105 regular-season NBA games to its lineup. The additions are highlighted by 16 games featuring Lebron James and defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers and 29 games featuring fan-favorite Golden State Warriors with Steph Curry and the newly acquired Kevin Durant. NBA on TSN coverage began Tuesday Oct. 25 with the Cavaliers’ season opener on their home court against conference rivals New York Knicks.

The NBA on TSN regular-season coverage complements the network’s package of 41 Toronto Raptors games, as well as NBA All-Star Weekend, the NBA Playoffs, and the Finals. NBA on TSN is available for live streaming and on-demand viewing to TSN subscribers through TSN.ca and the TSN GO app.

…FS1 and NASCAR Production collaborate once again to bring viewers the second season of the documentary series Beyond the Wheel. The film series focuses on the sport’s most memorable moments, narratives, and influential characters, going back to the its inception. The first of the series, “Bonneville 71,” premiered Oct. 26 on FS1’s NASCAR Race Hub programming block. The short film focused on the feats of Hall of Fame driver Bobby Isaac. The next film, “Suenos de NASCAR,” tracks the rise of NASCAR XFINITY driver Daniel Suarez and will air Nov. 9 at 6 p.m. ET. The final film, “Miracle at Daytona – The Tiny Lund Story,” recounts how Dewayne “Tiny” Lund risked his life to save a fellow driver from his burning Maserati at the Daytona International Speedway days before going on to win the Daytona 500. Release date for the third film is to be determined but will air sometime in early 2017. All films will air on FS1 and will also be available on FoxSports.com and Fox Sports Go following the premiere.

…ESPN’s NBA Countdown gears up for the 2016-17 NBA season with a new cast of characters. Beginning an hour before games, the show will have Michelle Beadle hosting a panel with former NBA players Jalen Rose, Chauncey Billups, and Tracy McGrady as analysts. The studio show has experienced a high turnover rate in the past compared with rival NBA on TNT, which has had the same core panel of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, and Kenny Smith for 15 years. In the past, Countdown has featured the likes of Magic Johnson, Bill Simmons, Mike Tirico, Bill Walton, and Michael Wilbon as analysts. In embracing the new direction, ESPN aims to provide more continuity for the show, with a cast that can match the iconic NBA on TNT panel.

…Sling TV will carry the NHL Network as part of its Sports Extra package, marking the first time the network has been made available by an OTT provider. NHL Network provides live coverage of games and events, as well as studio shows NHL Now, NHL Tonight, and On the Fly. The provider will offer more than 75 games throughout the rest of the 2016-17 season.

…To tip off the NBA season, Turner Sports hosted a special Open Court: Sports and Society roundtable show as part of opening-night festivities on TNT. The hour-long program from the NBA on TNT roadshow in Cleveland covered a wide range of topics, including protests by athletes and their impact on social issues. The panel was hosted by the NBA on TNT team: Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley, along with special guests Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Brown, NBA All-Star Chris Paul, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, and others.

…Golf Channel is calling on viewers to vote on their favorite memorable moments from the 2016 season to determine year-end programming. The “Fan Favorite” voting period began Monday Oct. 24 and will continue through Sunday Nov. 6. The top-10 popular rounds will air across 10 consecutive nights from Monday Dec. 19 through Friday Dec. 30.

…Sportsnet is bringing more than 100 NBA games to Canadian fans this season. The lineup includes the Christmas Day games, 29 Golden State Warriors games, and 18 Cleveland Cavaliers games.

…NBA veterans and analysts Raja Bell and Rip Hamilton return to CBS Sports for the upcoming basketball season with their show, NBA Crossover With Rip and Raja. The veterans, along with host Nick Kostos, debate hot topics in basketball and around the world of sports, offering their insight as former players in a conversational and fast-paced format. NBA Crossover airs live on Thursdays at 3 p.m. ET from the CBS Sports Digital Studios in Fort Lauderdale and will be available to watch on demand immediately after airing.

…ONE World Sports will offer one-month Freeview for the entire month of November. Viewers of participating affiliates CenturyLink, Paul Bunyan, RCN, Shentel, and Cincinnati Bell will be given the opportunity to watch ONE World Sports’ lineup of sports from the collegiate to the professional.

…Combate Americas has finalized a deal with Spanish-language broadcaster Azteca to provide to both Mexican and American audiences coverage of fights now taking place in Mexico City. In addition to continued coverage in English via UFC Fight Pass, Hispanic-themed promotion for mixed martial arts will air on Azteca television subsidiaries, with live coverage of the fights monthly and highlight shows on a weekly basis.

…Premier Boxing Champions has reached deals giving fight cards to nine networks for 2017. Fights will be broadcast on a varied basis on ESPN/ESPN Deportes, Fox, FS1/Fox Deportes, NBC, Spike, Bounce TV, and Showtime, with some shown on Showtime sibling CBS.