The Charlotte Hornets entered last season with modest expectations, but even those slipped away after injuries and inconsistency derailed their campaign. They finished near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, showing flashes of promise but never quite sustaining momentum.
This offseason, Charlotte focused on shoring up its roster around cornerstone LaMelo Ball, who’s expected back after missing significant time with ankle issues. The Hornets locked in Brandon Miller, fresh off a strong rookie showing, and added veteran guard Spencer Dinwiddie to provide stability and leadership on a young roster. Meanwhile, Miles Bridges returned on a new deal, giving the team a reliable scoring punch. The team also brought in Collin Sexton as another ball handler and Pat Connaughton via trade, adding depth and experience across the board.
The hype around Charlotte this year isn’t about championships; it’s about growth. Fans want to see the young guys gel and take a step forward, with playoff contention as the ultimate goal.
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What channels have Charlotte Hornets games
You can follow the Charlotte Hornets all season long across a mix of local networks, national broadcasters, and streaming platforms.
- Locally: In-market fans can catch most Hornets games on FanDuel Sports Network Southeast (FDSSE). The channel is available through select cable providers and streaming services, including the standalone FanDuel Sports Network app.
- Nationally: You’ll need ABC, ESPN, NBC, and NBA TV in your TV lineup to watch national NBA broadcasts. But don’t expect to see the Hornets on those channels much at all.
- Streaming: Amazon Prime Video will stream Thursday and Friday night games, including NBA Cup contests and the Play-In Tournament. Meanwhile, Peacock has Monday night games and simulcasts of NBC’s national broadcasts.
For the fans outside the Carolinas market, NBA League Pass is the only way to watch Hornets games not airing nationally. Though standard blackout rules still apply, like when the Hornets play your in-market team.
Want radio coverage? The Charlotte Hornets broadcast every game live on 92.7 FM WFNZ. Fans across North Carolina can also tune in through the Hornets Radio Network, which includes several affiliate stations statewide.
2025–2026 Charlotte Hornets TV schedule
The Charlotte Hornets seemed to have a renewed sense of direction at the beginning of last season. But after a tough year marred by injuries, let’s hope they’re back with a sharpened focus and a roster ready to get to it.
The front office is prioritizing stability this season. The big question is whether this is another “Trust the Process” situation or if LaMelo and the crew are ready to take that next leap.
We all know that their superstar can get hot offensively like nobody’s business. But if everyone doesn’t step up to the plate, it feels like it’ll just be another stagnant season for the Hornets. With a healthy core and calculated moves, the Hornets are aiming to elevate their game and inch closer to playoff contention.
Here’s the full Hornets TV schedule so you don’t miss any of their games.
| Opponent | Day | Time (ET) | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Preseason |
|||
| Oklahoma City Thunder | Sunday, Oct. 5 | 5:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Oklahoma City Thunder | Thursday, Oct. 9 | 8:00 p.m. | FDSSE |
| At Dallas Mavericks | Saturday, Oct. 11 | 8:30 p.m. | TBA |
| Memphis Grizzlies | Wednesday, Oct. 15 | 7:00 p.m. | FDSSE |
| At New York Knicks | Friday, Oct. 17 | 7:30 p.m. | TBA |
|
October |
|||
| Brooklyn Nets | Wednesday, Oct. 22 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Philadelphia 76ers | Saturday, Oct. 25 | 7:30 p.m. | TBA |
| At Washington Wizards | Sunday, Oct. 26 | 6:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Miami Heat | Tuesday, Oct. 28 | 7:30 p.m. | TBA |
| Orlando Magic | Thursday, Oct. 30 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
|
November |
|||
| Minnesota Timberwolves | Saturday, Nov. 1 | 6:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Utah Jazz | Sunday, Nov. 2 | 6:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At New Orleans Pelicans | Tuesday, Nov. 4 | 8:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Miami Heat | Friday, Nov. 7 | 8:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Los Angeles Lakers | Monday, Nov. 10 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Milwaukee Bucks | Wednesday, Nov. 12 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Milwaukee Bucks | Friday, Nov. 14 | 8:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | Saturday, Nov. 15 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Toronto Raptors | Monday, Nov. 17 | 7:30 p.m. | TBA |
| At Indiana Pacers | Wednesday, Nov. 19 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| LA Clippers | Saturday, Nov. 22 | 1:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Atlanta Hawks | Sunday, Nov. 23 | 6:00 p.m. | TBA |
| New York Knicks | Wednesday, Nov. 26 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Chicago Bulls | Friday, Nov. 28 | 7:30 p.m. | TBA |
| Toronto Raptors | Saturday, Nov. 29 | 6:00 p.m. | TBA |
|
December |
|||
| At Brooklyn Nets | Monday, Dec. 1 | 7:30 p.m. | TBA |
| At New York Knicks | Wednesday, Dec. 3 | 7:30 p.m. | TBA |
| At Toronto Raptors | Friday, Dec. 5 | 7:30 p.m. | TBA |
| Denver Nuggets | Sunday, Dec. 7 | 6:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Atlanta Hawks | Thursday, Dec. 18 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Detroit Pistons | Saturday, Dec. 20 | 7:30 p.m. | TBA |
| At Cleveland Cavaliers | Monday, Dec. 22 | 7:00 p.m. | Peacock |
| Washington Wizards | Tuesday, Dec. 23 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Orlando Magic | Friday, Dec. 26 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Milwaukee Bucks | Monday, Dec. 29 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Golden State Warriors | Wednesday, Dec. 31 | 1:00 p.m. | TBA |
|
January |
|||
| At Milwaukee Bucks | Friday, Jan. 2 | 8:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Chicago Bulls | Saturday, Jan. 3 | 8:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Oklahoma City Thunder | Monday, Jan. 5 | 8:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Toronto Raptors | Wednesday, Jan. 7 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Indiana Pacers | Thursday, Jan. 8 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Utah Jazz | Saturday, Jan. 10 | 9:30 p.m. | TBA |
| At LA Clippers | Monday, Jan. 12 | 10:30 p.m. | TBA |
| At Los Angeles Lakers | Thursday, Jan. 15 | 10:30 p.m. | TBA |
| At Golden State Warriors | Saturday, Jan. 17 | 8:30 p.m. | TBA |
| At Denver Nuggets | Sunday, Jan. 18 | 8:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | Wednesday, Jan. 21 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| At Orlando Magic | Thursday, Jan. 22 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Washington Wizards | Saturday, Jan. 24 | 6:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Philadelphia 76ers | Monday, Jan. 26 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Memphis Grizzlies | Wednesday, Jan. 28 | 8:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Dallas Mavericks | Thursday, Jan. 29 | 8:30 p.m. | TBA |
| San Antonio Spurs | Saturday, Jan. 31 | 3:00 p.m. | Amazon Prime Video |
|
February |
|||
| New Orleans Pelicans | Monday, Feb. 2 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Houston Rockets | Thursday, Feb. 5 | 8:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Atlanta Hawks | Saturday, Feb. 7 | 7:30 p.m. | TBA |
| Detroit Pistons | Monday, Feb. 9 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Atlanta Hawks | Wednesday, Feb. 11 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Houston Rockets | Thursday, Feb. 19 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | Friday, Feb. 20 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Washington Wizards | Sunday, Feb. 22 | 6:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Chicago Bulls | Tuesday, Feb. 24 | 8:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Indiana Pacers | Thursday, Feb. 26 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Portland Trail Blazers | Saturday, Feb. 28 | 1:00 p.m. | TBA |
|
March |
|||
| Dallas Mavericks | Tuesday, March 3 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Boston Celtics | Wednesday, March 4 | 7:30 p.m. | TBA |
| Miami Heat | Friday, March 6 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Phoenix Suns | Sunday, March 8 | 9:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Portland Trail Blazers | Tuesday, March 10 | 10:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Sacramento Kings | Wednesday, March 11 | 10:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At San Antonio Spurs | Saturday, March 14 | 8:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Miami Heat | Tuesday, March 17 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Orlando Magic | Thursday, March 19 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Memphis Grizzlies | Saturday, March 21 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Sacramento Kings | Tuesday, March 24 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| New York Knicks | Thursday, March 26 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Philadelphia 76ers | Saturday, March 28 | 6:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Boston Celtics | Sunday, March 29 | 6:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Brooklyn Nets | Tuesday, March 31 | 7:30 p.m. | TBA |
|
April |
|||
| Phoenix Suns | Thursday, April 2 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Indiana Pacers | Friday, April 3 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Minnesota Timberwolves | Sunday, April 5 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Boston Celtics | Tuesday, April 7 | 7:30 p.m. | TBA |
| Detroit Pistons | Friday, April 10 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At New York Knicks | Sunday, April 12 | 6:00 p.m. | TBA |
Data effective as of post date.
Best TV plans for watching the Charlotte Hornets
Following the Charlotte Hornets throughout the season means having the right mix of local and national TV access. The most reliable all-in-one choice is Stream with DIRECTV, which includes FanDuel Sports Network Southeast and key national channels. That’ll cover you during the Hornets’ midweek grind or a prime-time showdown. Fubo also offers NBA coverage, though its pricing shifts more often. Both services come with unlimited DVR.
If you’re an out-of-market fan, you’ll need to add an NBA League Pass subscription to your viewing roster. And to be a true completist, don’t forget you’ll also need separate subscriptions to Amazon Prime Video and Peacock for their exclusive slates of games.
Plan
Cord-cutters in the Charlotte area have a great standalone option for watching the Hornets. You can subscribe directly to the FanDuel Sports Network streaming service for $19.99 per month. This will get you a live feed of FanDuel Sports Network Southeast, the home of every local Hornets broadcast. You’ll just need to verify your zip code on their site first to confirm you’re in the correct TV market.
The value for Carolina sports fans is excellent. For a higher price, you can even tack on a FanDuel Sports Network South subscription, which bundles in additional Carolina Hurricanes and Atlanta Braves coverage. The app is available on all major streaming devices and is a great way to stay up-to-date with watching your local teams.
How to watch the Charlotte Hornets for free
Yes, you can watch the Charlotte Hornets this season without paying. But you’ll need to take advantage of trial periods and over-the-air options. Several streaming platforms, including DIRECTV, Fubo, and YouTube TV, typically offer free trials that last three days or more. That’s a perfect window if you want to catch a big Hornets matchup without committing long-term.
If you live in the Charlotte region, you can also tune into select Hornets games on WSOC-TV (channel 9) or TV 64 using a digital antenna. Because of the NBA’s new TV deal, more nationally-televised games than ever will be on over-the-air channels, giving you a great way to watch without a TV subscription.
How to watch the Charlotte Hornets FAQ
What’s the best streaming service for watching Hornets games?
DIRECTV’s streaming service is the most complete choice for Hornets fans. It carries FanDuel Sports Network Southeast for local broadcasts and includes national channels like ABC and ESPN. Fubo is another excellent choice with a similar package, but out-of-market fans will need NBA League Pass.
Where do the Charlotte Hornets play home games?
The Charlotte Hornets compete in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games at the Spectrum Center.
Who’s the current head coach of the Charlotte Hornets?
The Charlotte Hornets are led by head coach Charles Lee, who was hired in May 2024 after serving as an assistant with the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics. Lee brings a fresh perspective and defensive mindset as he guides a young roster into a new era.
Why you should trust us
Our CableTV.com Contributing Writer, Creshonda Smith, put in the legwork to craft this guide specifically for Charlotte Hornets fans. She dug through TV listings, streaming service lineups, and blackout rules to make sure you know exactly where to find every game.
At CableTV.com, our mission is simple: give Hornets fans the most accurate, up-to-date information so they can focus on watching LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and the rest of the squad chase wins. To learn more about the methods we use to create our guides, check out our How We Rank page.
