A magistrate at the 36th District Court in Detroit ordered the local newspapers, TV Guide magazine and cable providers to update their channel guides after a petition signed by fans was brought to small claims. The petition argued that it was fraudulent to use the term “NBA Basketball” to describe the the kind of programming viewers saw when the Pistons lost by 17 to Memphis Saturday night.
The petition was signed by 11,834 Michigan voters — nearly twice the amount that came out to see the team host the Hawks at the Palace earlier this year — and sought no monetary damages or restitution. It only requested clarification so “future channel surfers are not victimized by this blatant bait-and-switch tactic.” As a result, all games for the foreseeable future must be labeled “NBA Basketball” as opposed to the previous NBA Basketball.
The magistrate said the verdict is good for one calendar year but can be reevaluated after the NBA Draft. The decision is unlikely to affect the Pistons relationship with its two biggest advertisers Mighty Putty and a public service announcement encouraging heavyset viewers to consider using stairs instead of elevators.
