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The Indiana Pacers are expanding their regional reach this season as Fox Sports South will broadcast 26 Pacers games in Kentucky. All 82 regular season games will be broadcast on Fox Sports Indiana or nationally on ESPN and TNT.
But with a thriving college basketball community in Kentucky, the Pacers will add an NBA option for Kentucky and Louisville fans to watch former Wildcat and Cardinal players playing in the league. Fox Sports South will also televise 42 games of the Memphis Grizzlies which should take care of the rest of the state's NBA fans.
Half of the Pacers telecasts will be before Christmas which should be good for the Pacers since Kentucky's season will just be getting interesting by that time. Looking over the schedule, I was surprised not to see the New Orleans Hornets on the list. You'd think they would focus on those opponents that have former Kentucky players the locals may be more inclined to watch. Surely, the Hornets on among the 42 Memphis games being shown.
Should be interesting to see how the ratings shake out. Louisville has made noise about wanting to be an NBA city with a desire to put a team in the YUM! Center.