Atlanta Hawks fans just scored a major win. Gray Media and Atlanta News First have struck a new broadcast partnership that makes Atlanta News First the official local home of the Hawks, with every non‑nationally televised regular‑season game in the 2026–27 NBA season airing on WANF and the Peachtree Sports Network. For viewers in metro Atlanta, that means Hawks basketball will be widely available free over the air, a sharp turn away from the subscription‑heavy world of regional sports networks.
How the broadcasts will be carried
According to Atlanta News First, the agreement makes WANF the Hawks' official broadcast partner and brings all non‑nationally televised regular‑season games to free, over‑the‑air television across Georgia. Gray's announcement, reported by WBRC, said Gray‑owned stations in Albany, Augusta, Columbus, Macon and Savannah will also carry the full regular‑season package. The company added it will televise three preseason games and select national telecasts, with a detailed game schedule to be released later.
Executives weigh in
Hilton H. Howell, Gray Media's chairman and CEO, called the deal "a reflection of what Gray Media does best — serving our communities with the content they care about most," in the company's announcement reported by WBRC. Hawks executive Andrew Saltzman told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the move was driven by "reach and engagement" and "accessibility" for fans. WANF's general manager said the station's independence gives it flexibility to carry more games and build out Atlanta‑focused coverage around the broadcasts.
A homecoming and the wider trend
The full‑season return to free, local over‑the‑air broadcasts is being framed as a homecoming for the Hawks, a franchise that previously appeared on WPCH and the predecessors to WANF. It builds on smaller Gray partnerships that had already brought a handful of games back to antenna TV. Hoodline earlier covered Gray's 2024 Peachtree TV simulcasts of 10 games free on local TV, which marked the early stages of this shift. For teams and broadcasters alike, expanding over‑the‑air access is one way to ease subscription fatigue and reach viewers who still rely on antennas or bundled channel lineups.
What this means for fans
Fans across the Atlanta market will be able to watch on WANF's free, over‑the‑air signal as well as through WANF carriage on major pay‑TV systems. WANF is also available on YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream and Fubo, according to Atlanta News First. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the team is still sorting out on‑air talent and production details, and that familiar local voices such as Bob Rathbun or Dominique Wilkins could return to the broadcast booth. For now, Hawks and Gray officials say the focus is simple: maximizing reach and getting as many televisions as possible tuned to Hawks games without asking fans to tack on another subscription.
