Thunder Fans React To Griffin Media Agreement To Air Some Friday Games This Season

Sports fans are used to being quick on their feet to find the game they're looking for across different apps and streaming services. But for the last eight weeks of this season, more Thunder fans can count on a slam dunk every Friday.

Tuesday, January 9th 2024, 6:23 pm

By: Amy Slanchik

"News On 6 Now" will be the exclusive home of the Thunder's Friday night games beginning at the end of this month.

"I mean, it's pretty cool. It gives me other ways to watch it, and I can watch it more,” Eighth grader Mikah Wheeler said.

He keeps up with the Thunder in between shooting hoops himself at the YMCA near 51st and Yale.

"I have this app called Sling,” Wheeler said. “And sometimes they broadcast the games on there, so that's usually what I watch it on."

But if the game isn't on there, he said he usually watches it on YouTube a day later.

But soon, fans can watch the games on our channel called "News On 6 Now." If you're using an antenna, all the action is on channel 6.3. If you have Cox, you'll find the games on channel 53.

"So now I can watch it every Friday,” Wheeler said.

"It's super dope to have, you know, easy access,” basketball fan Jay Rushing said. “Cause you know it's kinda hard to find Thunder games when they're not on local TV, so it's really good to have that opportunity now."

Thunder VP of Broadcasting Dan Mahoney explained that what is going on with Bally Sports offers a unique opportunity.

"Next season and beyond is in a total state of flux,” Mahoney said. “We don't know what's going to happen. It's in the middle of a bankruptcy court process. Anything can happen. What we wanted to do is take advantage of this opportunity while we have it."

And what timing, while the Thunder are having a great season, winning six of their last eight games.

"I think we got a pretty good squad this year. OK City might go pretty far this time,” Rich Crawford, another fan, said.

The first game to air on News On 6 Now will be on January 26th against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Amy Slanchik

Amy Slanchik is passionate about storytelling. She joined the News On 6 team in May of 2016 after spending almost two years in Fort Smith, Ark. She is a proud University of Oklahoma graduate.