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Cablevision buyout makes Altice the fourth-largest US cable operator
Cablevision, an iconic US cable TV company founded in 1973, has been purchased by France's Altice for $17.7 billion. The sale has been approved by shareholders and is expected to go through in the first half of 2016. "Nearly half a century later, the time is right for new ownership of Cablevision and its considerable assets," said CEO James L. Dolan. Not included in those assets, however, is Cablevision's Madison Square Garden company -- the Dolan family will keep the downtown New York arena, along with Radio City Music Hall and the Rangers and Knicks pro sports franchises. It's also holding onto AMC Networks, the home of Mad Men, Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead.
The NBA's first 4K broadcast unfortunately involves the Knicks
The good news is that what might be the first Ultra HD broadcast for a game from one of the major US sports leagues is happening right now. The bad news? That 4K game involves the currently 5 - 35 New York Knicks playing the Milwaukee Bucks in the UK. Also Sports Business Daily reports you can't really watch it, unless you're in the UK and have an invite to the O2 arena to see it, or are inside the NBA HQ in New York City. A BT Sport press release notes a deal with the league to show more games in the UK and Ireland, which includes the production of games in 4K. While we'd love to see what otherworldly trick Giannis Antetokounmpo will have for us next, for now we'll have to handle watching it in mere HD on NBA TV, where the Knicks are currently down by 20 points. Update: Multichannel News got a look at the stream in New York, and reported that while 4K "provided real courtside vistas" even a few million more pixels couldn't fix what's wrong with these Knicks. They lost the game, 97 - 75. [Image credit: Randy Belice via Getty Images]
ESPN 3D will broadcast 14 NBA games this year starting with Heat/Knicks December 17
While ESPN 3D's NCAA football plans are still leaking out in dribs and drabs (Ohio State is featured in the next two broadcasts, hosting Indiana on September 9 and at Wisconsin on the 16th) it has finally released its plans for the NBA season. Basketball fans can look forward to 14 planned broadcasts this season, with eight regular season matchups and six games in the playoffs, including three in the Western Conference Finals. LeBron, Dwyane, Chris and the rest of the Heat kick things off with a visit to Madison Square Garden against the Knicks December 17, with plenty of highlight matches among those that follow. Check the full schedule after the break, with so few on the slate you'll want to make sure you're free.
