And so it begins, on an October afternoon, with ABC/ESPN letting us know there will be wall-to-wall LeBron James-reunion talk on Christmas.

In announcing their plans for the upcoming season, the networks noted that their NBA Countdown show will air live from AmericanAirlines Arena on Christmas Day, when the Heat host James' first game back since he left for the Cleveland Cavaliers in June during free agency.

The networks said the on-site broadcast will be a first for the show on Christmas Day, with hosts Sage Steele, Jalen Rose and Doug Collins to begin broadcasting at AmericanAirlines Arena at 2 p.m., with the Heat and Cavaliers to play at 5 p.m.

ESPNews broadcast last Saturday's Heat-Cavaliers exhibition from Brazil, with their anchors calling the game from the network's Bristol, Conn., studio.

The Heat and Cavaliers meet four times this season. Former Heat players James Jones and Mike Miller also are on Cleveland's roster

iwinderman@tribune.com. Follow him at twitter.com/iraheatbeat or facebook.com/ira.winderman