Atlanta News First becomes official home of Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks have officially entered into a local broadcast agreement with Gray Media for the 2026-27 season. This strategic move establishes Atlanta News First as the official home of the team. According to reports from NBA.com, the transition includes a specific branding shift where Atlanta News First will become "Atlanta Hawks First" as of July 16. This partnership ensures that the team's games will be broadcast over-the-air, providing a free viewing option for the local audience and expanding the team's accessibility via traditional television signals. Multiple news organizations have highlighted the accessibility and scale of this deal. The Business Journals and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution both emphasize that Hawks games will now be broadcast free to viewers.

Coverage from the Sports Business Journal focuses on the tactical alignment with Gray Media, noting that the team is leveraging the company's statewide reach to increase its visibility across the region. Furthermore, WALB has confirmed that it will carry the Atlanta Hawks games for free during the 2026-27 season, underscoring the distributed nature of the Gray Media network. This shift represents a transition in how the franchise manages its local media rights. As noted by Awful Announcing, the core of the agreement is an over-the-air deal, which differs from subscription-based regional sports networks. By partnering with Gray Media and its associated outlets, the Hawks are moving toward a model that removes the paywall for local fans. This context is critical for the 2026-27 season as the team seeks to maximize its viewership throughout the state using established broadcast infrastructure.

Looking forward, the primary focus remains on the implementation of the new broadcasting schedule for the upcoming 2026-27 season. Observers will be monitoring the transition of Atlanta News First into "Atlanta Hawks First" following the July 16 announcement. The scope of the coverage will extend across the statewide reach of Gray Media's network, including stations such as WALB. Future developments will likely center on the actual delivery of these free broadcasts as the team begins its next competitive campaign on the new over-the-air platform.