By Cameron Lee
August 12, 2026
The Charlotte Hornets and Cox Media Group have announced a new broadcast partnership that will make WSOC Channel 9 and TV64 the new local television homes of Hornets basketball during the 2026-27 season, giving fans across the Charlotte region free, over-the-air access to the team’s regular-season games.
Beginning in October, WSOC Channel 9 and TV64 will air all Hornets regular-season games that are not nationally televised. The partnership will also provide expanded Hornets coverage beyond game broadcasts, including pregame and postgame shows.
The announcement builds on a relationship between the Hornets and Cox Media Group that began over the past two seasons, when the stations simulcast select games and aired several Hornets-themed specials throughout the year.
Last season, the Hornets expanded their free, over-the-air presence after Charlotte basketball returned to local broadcast television for the first time since the 2007-08 season.
The new agreement makes free local television the primary home for the Hornets’ non-nationally televised games rather than limiting the arrangement to a handful of simulcasts. The stations are also available through AT&T U-verse, DirecTV, DirecTV Stream, DISH Network and YouTube TV, while WSOC Channel 9 is additionally available through Hulu + Live TV and FuboTV.
The Hornets and Cox Media Group also plan to expand coverage beyond Charlotte with additional markets and television stations in the Carolinas, as well as a direct-to-consumer streaming platform.
WSOC Channel 9 will air a 30-minute Hornets Schedule Release Show highlighting the team’s 2026-27 schedule following its release on Thursday, while the Hornets will host a free Schedule Release Party from noon to 3 p.m. at Truist Center Plaza. Check out the full Hornets 2026-27 schedule here.
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