Story byLogan StacyTue, December 16, 2025 at 11:25 PM UTC·11 min readSabrina Hiller, a Timberwolves fan in Minnesota, spends $20 a month to “maybe watch half of the games because of blackouts, buffering, and other broadcast issues.”Patrick Simon, a Hornets fan in North Carolina, feels like he was forced to spend $100 a season to just watch the Hornets because there is no other way to watch local games. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementYasmeen Hasan, an NBA fan in Chicago, said she was unable to watch Bulls games last season, even if she wanted to pay for them, because of a lack of a streaming option. Their stories are just three of many stemming from the rising cost and challenges associated with being a local basketball fan in an era of high cable costs, extensive streaming services and complex regional broadcast rights deals.
