After a 23-year absence, NBA broadcasts are back on NBC, bringing with them familiar sounds but with a modern twist. While Jim Fagan won't be physically present, his voice, a staple of NBC Sports, will be resurrected through AI technology. This, coupled with John Tesh's iconic "Roundball Rock" theme, represents NBC's strategy of blending broadcast nostalgia with contemporary production techniques for their NBA return.
This approach of reviving classic elements through modern technology highlights NBC Sports' ambition to reclaim its NBA presence. While AI recreates Fagan’s distinctive delivery and the laser peacock logo returns, the network is simultaneously repositioning how basketball is broadcast, moving analysts from traditional booths to courtside positions next to team benches.
"We’re obviously going to lean into the past, but we’re going to build forward and grow the game and grow with the game," executive producer Sam Flood explained during a media conference call. The main challenge is balancing the expectations of viewers who remember the original broadcasts with the demands of today's technologically advanced viewing experience.
The shift in viewer expectations since 2002 has necessitated a reevaluation of fundamental broadcast elements. In the past, scoreboards only appeared after scoring plays. Today, audiences expect constant graphics, real-time statistics, and persistent score displays. "If we went all the way back and did our old-school telecast, you wouldn’t see the scoreboard in full-time," Flood noted. "The scoreboard would come in after every score on the old ‘NBA on NBC.’ There was no permanent clock. It’s a different expectation from an audience."
Graphics team leaders Tripp Dixon and Chad Hudson have crafted the broadcast package, incorporating nostalgic components, such as the animated peacock and classic color schemes, into contemporary formats. The AI-generated Fagan voiceovers will provide continuity between segments, recreating the announcer's tone while delivering modern content. "They’ll feel that familiar beat and that familiar look that made the ‘NBA on NBC’ so special," Flood said.
Beyond the AI recreation, NBC is making a significant change by eliminating the traditional broadcast booth for Monday night Peacock exclusives. Instead, analysts will be positioned at floor level, near the team benches. They will attend morning shootarounds with their assigned teams to gather insights. During games, they’ll provide team-specific commentary. "They’ll be sitting as close as possible to the bench of their respective teams, and they will break down the game as if they’re calling it from that lens," Flood explained.
This strategy is inspired by NBC's NHL coverage. Noah Eagle tested the basketball configuration with Austin Rivers and Robbie Hummel, confirming analysts could maintain visual contact across the court without issues.
These innovations coincide with distribution plans across NBC and the Peacock streaming service. Monday games will stream exclusively on Peacock, featuring the bench-side coverage. Tuesday doubleheaders will be regionally broadcast. Mike Tirico acknowledged the scheduling complexities. "Our job is to improve every night," Flood said. "If you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse."
Tuesday’s season opener is significant as a technical showcase. The Oklahoma City Thunder’s championship banner ceremony against the Houston Rockets marks the first NBA game on NBC since 2002 and Peacock’s first NBA broadcast. For NBC Sports, the task is to satisfy longtime viewers and attract younger audiences. "The cadence of promotion and the ability to tell the story of this league is going to be front and center for everything we do across all the platforms at NBC," Flood said.