Latest news with #BrianLawlor
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
WNBA Renews Broadcast Rights With Scripps' Ion Television
The WNBA and Ion Television, the Scripps-owned broadcast network, have renewed their media rights agreement. The initial three-year deal, which Ion reportedly paid $13 million for annually, began in 2023 and was the league's second traditional TV deal independent of the NBA's longstanding agreement with ESPN/ABC. The W also has a deal with CBS, which includes games on broadcast CBS and its cable sibling CBS Sports Network. Both the Ion and CBS Sports deals are set to expire at the end of the 2025 season. Advertisement More from Financial details as well as the length of the Ion extension were not disclosed. In April, ahead of Scripps' upfront event at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., Scripps Sports president Brian Lawlor expressed confidence that the WNBA would remain on Ion beyond this season. He referenced how the league's games on the network were not included in the new NBA media agreement forged last summer. 'The one thing you didn't see bundled in was Friday night,' Lawlor said in the interview. 'They really value what Ion brings with that national distribution, the new audience, the incredible visibility, so they protected Friday nights. I fully expect that—not just this season, but for many years down the road—we'll be long-term partners with them.' Advertisement The hysteria around Caitlin Clark last season helped Ion more than double its viewership versus 2023 as the network averaged 670,000 viewers per game, a 133% growth versus the prior season. Clark and the Indiana Fever were responsible for Ion's seven games with 1 million viewers or more. More important, more than 20 new advertisers bought commercial time on Ion last season thanks to its WNBA broadcasts. Growth continues for the network through the first four weeks of this season. Ion's total viewership is up 4% compared to the same timeframe last season, which included four Fever games. Viewership with one key demographic, women aged 18-49, is up 27% through the first four weeks of the season. Ion has the most games among the WNBA's legacy media partners this season with 50 as part of its WNBA Friday Night Spotlight, which includes the first weekly studio show exclusively dedicated to WNBA coverage. The success of the Friday 'franchise' inspired Ion to create a similar template for NWSL games on Saturdays. Certainly, the Ion renewal will get the attention of the players as they look to improve their labor standing with the league. After last year's WNBA Finals, the WNBPA exercised its opt-out clause in the CBA, which expires on Oct. 31. The players are pushing to revamp the current revenue-sharing system to be more favorable for them, one that gives them a bigger share of money coming in from the new NBA media deal and the independent Ion pact. Advertisement Best of Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Scripps Sports Basks in Florida's Hot Hockey Market
No one outside of the defending champion Florida Panthers or the Tampa Bay Lightning has benefited more from the Sunshine State becoming the center of the hockey universe than Scripps Sports. The division of the E.W. Scripps Company picked up the exclusive local broadcast rights for the Panthers last summer after the team won its first Stanley Cup, utilizing owned-and-operated affiliate stations in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Fort Myers. Advertisement More from Brian Lawlor, president of Scripps Sports, hailed the first season in South Florida as a success, with the metrics to back it up. 'I think our ratings for the Panthers in season one were up 150% (over last season on FanDuel Sports Network Florida), so we more than doubled our audience,' he said in a phone interview. 'Heck, the Panthers ratings were higher rated than the (Miami) Heat in the playoffs. That was really interesting. And that certainly wasn't the case a couple of years ago.' In their last season with FanDuel Sports Network Florida (formerly Bally Sports Florida) in 2023-24, the Panthers averaged 6,804 households (a 0.39 household rating) per regular season game in the Miami market, according to Nielsen's live-plus same day data. Advertisement Yet based on Comscore live-plus same day data for games on WSFL (Ch. 39 in Miami) this season, the Panthers pulled in 16,972 households and a 1.34 rating. Furthermore, their games averaged 7,922 households in West Palm Beach (WHDT Ch. 9) and 1,592 households in Fort Myers (WFTX Ch. 36). Comscore did not measure FanDuel Florida last season. The Panthers pact came together a season after Scripps became the local rightsholder for Vegas Golden Knights games. Vegas was also coming off its first Cup win when it signed with Scripps. The Golden Knights provided a blueprint for how the network would work with various teams in their local markets, with the wider local reach on free TV and a partnership for streaming access. Florida's run, which has done wonders for the team's business, was eye-catching for the rival Lightning as well. Last month, the Bolts announced their own deal with Scripps affiliates, which includes a streaming partnership with ViewLift. 'I think Tampa has been watching what we've been doing for a couple of years,' Lawlor said. 'They had an out in their contract with FanDuel, and they said, 'Hey, we see the success you had in Vegas and in Florida, and we have a really loyal fan base.' They've sold out more than 300 consecutive games in Tampa. So they're a lot like Vegas, a really deep, loyal fan base, big brand. Visibility for them is everything.' Advertisement Of course, the Florida sun will set at some point, as the Panthers and Lightning won't always be title contenders. However, even dour seasons aren't a huge concern for Scripps, which makes its money during the regular season and not the playoffs. Postseason trips would include rights to air the first round locally that are shared with either national broadcaster (ESPN/ABC or TNT/TBS/truTV), but nothing further. 'Every one of the teams we have has a great fan base and an engaging product,' Lawlor said. 'We're selling our sponsorships to health systems, car dealers, attorneys—and they're local. Coke isn't a sponsor of any of our broadcasts, but the local companies are. They're all about the fan engagement and the visibility in the local market. And that doesn't change whether you know you're the Stanley Cup champion or you wind up a couple of games short of the playoffs.' Although playoff games don't generate much revenue for the local affiliates, there was frustration in some circles about local partners sharing playoff games with national broadcasters. A similar agreement in the NBA came to an end after that league's first round ended in early May. That frustration is amplified by the fact that U.S. ratings for this NHL postseason are significantly down across the board. Lawlor believes the NHL is prioritizing reach over exclusivity, something that not only benefits the Panthers and other teams, but also the local media partners that are still providing pregame and postgame playoff coverage beyond the first round. Advertisement 'I haven't looked at the Panthers' [data] this week, but when I was meeting with the Golden Knights, the games on our local outperformed TNT and ESPN combined,' Lawlor said. 'They reached 62,000 households in Vegas [in the first round]. When the Golden Knights went to the second round, when it was only on TNT, 38,000. 'ESPN or TNT/TBS, those guys still only reach 60% of the households in the U.S. You're still missing a significant amount of the audience.' While Scripps is sitting pretty in Florida, it is also hoping to be fully engaged in Utah going into its third season with the team now known as the Mammoth. Scripps affiliate KUPX (Utah Ch. 16) broadcasted games for the formerly named Utah Hockey Club, yet Comcast chose to not carry the affiliate, keeping Xfinity subscribers in the state from watching the games. 'We understand that Comcast has taken that position in some markets, although they seem to be working some of that out,' Lawlor said. 'Looks like MSG, they've got worked out. Now they've got Chicago worked out. Advertisement 'We have recently re-engaged with them again now that the season's over, and I am hopeful that maybe they'll bring a different spirit to this next round of discussions.' Best of Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lightning leave FanDuel, enter new media agreement with Scripps Sports
The Tampa Bay Lightning announced on Wednesday that the team has entered a multi-year media rights agreement with Scripps Sports. The new agreement will make The E.W. Scripps the official television home of the Lightning, giving them the rights to air all preseason, regular season and first round playoff games which are not allocated to national broadcasts. The partnership will make it easier for fans all across Tampa Bay to have access to Lightning games free of charge at the start of the 2025-26 season. 'We're excited to announce Scripps Sports as the new media partner of the Tampa Bay Lightning,' said Vinik Sports Group CEO Steve Griggs. 'A world-class fan experience starts with access — and fans have made it clear they want it to be easier to find and watch our games. This partnership delivers on that. 'We're looking forward to working with Brian Lawlor and the Scripps Sports team to expand our reach and bring the excitement of Lightning hockey to more homes across Tampa Bay. We're also incredibly grateful to Steve Tello and the FanDuel Sports team for their partnership and the many unforgettable moments we've shared.' Scripps, which owns ABC Action News also plans to launch a second full-power local station serving the Tampa-St. Petersburg area that will be the broadcast home of the Lightning. That station will be branded 'The Spot - Tampa Bay 66' and will launch locally on July 1, featuring news and entertainment programming. If you're outside the Tampa Bay area and want to tune in, programming info will be made available prior to the start of the 2025-26 season. If you want to stay updated, you can log in here: 'The Tampa Bay Lightning are one of the best teams in the NHL and Bolts fans deserve easy access to all their games via cable, satellite, free over-the-air and streaming,' said Brian Lawlor, President of Scripps Sports. 'The complement of broadcast television and streaming guarantees that fans can follow the games from their living room or wherever they are in their busy lives. We look forward to sharing many winning moments with one of the league's most loyal fan bases.' 'We are honored to power the streaming experience for the Lightning and expand our support for the NHL and now seven of its teams,' said ViewLift CEO Rick Allen. 'We will make it easy for Bolts fans to stream games through their existing Lightning mobile apps and new apps on far more devices, helping the Lightning bring on-ice action and behind-the-scenes information and experiences to fans of all ages, at home or on the move.' The Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers and Utah Mammoth have recently entered similar media agreements.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tampa Bay Lightning, Scripps Sports partner on multi-year agreement to air National Hockey League team's games
TAMPA BAY, Fla. and CINCINNATI , May 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tampa Bay Lightning have entered into a multi-year media rights agreement with Scripps Sports, which will make it easier than ever for fans throughout the Tampa Bay area to watch Lightning hockey games for free beginning with the start of the 2025-26 NHL season this fall. This new agreement allows The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) to produce and distribute all preseason, regular season and first-round playoff Lightning games that are not allocated exclusively to national broadcasts. Scripps, which owns WFTS-ABC Action News serving the Tampa television market, plans to launch a second full-power local station serving the Tampa-St. Petersburg area, WXPX-TV, which will be the broadcast home of the Lightning. That station will be branded "The Spot – Tampa Bay 66" and will launch locally on July 1, featuring news and entertainment programming in addition to all locally produced Lightning games. Scripps is in discussions with cable and satellite distributors to ensure Lightning games on The Spot will be available on cable, satellite as well as over-the-air television. In addition to the local TV broadcasts, the Lightning and Scripps Sports will be introducing a new, direct-to-consumer experience where Bolts fans can livestream games within the Lightning app throughout the Bolts' broadcast territory, powered by ViewLift. More details on the streaming experience will be made available prior to the start of the 2025-26 season. "The Tampa Bay Lightning are one of the best teams in the NHL, and Bolts fans deserve easy access to all their games via cable, satellite, free over-the-air and streaming," said Brian Lawlor, president of Scripps Sports. "The complement of broadcast television and streaming guarantees that fans can follow the games from their living room or wherever they are in their busy lives. We look forward to sharing many winning moments with one of the league's most loyal fan bases." "We're excited to announce Scripps Sports as the new media partner of the Tampa Bay Lightning," said Vinik Sports Group CEO Steve Griggs. "A world-class fan experience starts with access — and fans have made it clear they want it to be easier to find and watch our games. This partnership delivers on that. We're looking forward to working with Brian Lawlor and the Scripps Sports team to expand our reach and bring the excitement of Lightning hockey to more homes across Tampa Bay. We're also incredibly grateful to Steve Tello and the FanDuel Sports team for their partnership and the many unforgettable moments we've shared." "We are honored to power the streaming experience for the Lightning and expand our support for the NHL and now seven of its teams," said ViewLift CEO Rick Allen. "We will make it easy for Bolts fans to stream games through their existing Lightning mobile apps and new apps on far more devices, helping the Lightning bring on-ice action and behind-the-scenes information and experiences to fans of all ages, at home or on the move." In the NHL, Scripps Sports also has similar media rights agreements with the Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers and Utah Mammoth. Media contacts: Scripps Sports: Jim Weiss, 770.722.2142, Brian Breseman, 813.301.6871, bbreseman@ Mahesh Kumar, About Scripps SportsScripps Sports serves professional and college sports leagues, conferences and teams with local market depth and national broadcast reach. Scripps Sports currently has partnerships with the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2024 Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, the 2023 Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights, the Utah Mammoth, the Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA and the NCAA's Big Sky Conference. Scripps Sports is a division of The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP), a Fortune 1000 American media company. About the Lightning and Vinik Sports GroupVinik Sports Group (VSG) is an entity established by Jeff Vinik to manage the three-time Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning (2004, 2020, 2021) of the National Hockey League and hold the leasehold rights to AMALIE Arena, the 19,092-seat downtown Tampa home in which the team plays its games. The venue opened in 1996 and became AMALIE Arena in September 2014 when the family-owned, Tampa Bay-based AMALIE Oil Company partnered with Vinik and the Lightning. Since 2010, Vinik has led a complete brand and business transformation of the Lightning and the arena, featuring a mostly private renovation of the publicly owned facility. Doug Ostrover and Marc Lipschultz joined the expanded ownership group of Vinik Sports Group in 2024, alongside Arctos, which initially joined in 2021. In addition to owning the Lightning and managing AMALIE Arena, Vinik Sports Group, through TBSE, manages the Yuengling Center on the campus at the University of South Florida. About ViewLiftViewLift is a technology company providing digital solutions for content owners, with particular expertise in live and on-demand video distribution. With proprietary cloud-based technology, ViewLift powers digital platforms for sports, media, and entertainment brands worldwide. Its services include content management, multi-platform distribution, real-time analytics, viewer engagement tools, and flexible monetization models (AVOD, SVOD, TVOD, and hybrid models). ViewLift enables content owners to maximize audience engagement and revenue through a seamless, scalable streaming experience. ViewLift's sports clients include the National Hockey League, 14 US top professional sports teams; LIV Golf; five Regional Sports Networks; the Professional Fighters League; and the World Racing Group. The company's media clients include NBC; TEGNA; and Kroenke Sports & Entertainment's MOTV. For more information about ViewLift, visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE The E.W. Scripps Company Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Malaysian Reserve
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Malaysian Reserve
State Farm® WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on ION to tip off May 16 with the most regular-season games on TV
ATLANTA, May 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Scripps Sports today unveiled its broadcast plans for the 2025 WNBA season, where ION will set a new standard of weekly coverage for the league by broadcasting the most regular games of the season, 50 in total, as part of its State Farm® WNBA Friday Night Spotlight series. The State Farm® WNBA Friday Night Spotlight showcases thrilling doubleheaders from across the league on Friday nights of the regular season. ION is one of the most-watched networks on television and is available on pay TV, connected TV, free ad-supported streaming platforms and over-the-air in more than 128 million homes. 'We're proud to be the home for women's sports and lead the way in the number of regular season WNBA games on television due to our nationwide multiplatform audience reach,' said Brian Lawlor, president, Scripps Sports. 'From new franchises entering the mix to the establishment and continuation of rivalries, there is a lot of buzz around the WNBA right now, and we are thrilled to have the chance to capture that energy through our coverage.' Among the WNBA on ION plans and highlights this season: In the Studio The WNBA on ION Studio Show, the first weekly game broadcast studio show dedicated to the WNBA, will return in 2025 and will again feature: 30-minute pre-game shows including player interviews, highlights from the week's games, spotlights on upcoming matchups on ION and in-depth feature stories from around the league. Halftime shows that break down games and provide insights from the studio host and analysts. Wrap-up/preview shows in between games. Originating from Atlanta, the WNBA on ION Studio Show team features award-winning news and sports anchor Larry Smith as host, alongside analysts Autumn Johnson, the NCAA's lead personality covering women's basketball, and Meghan McKeown, basketball analyst for the Sun, NBC/Peacock, Big Ten Network, ESPN and FOX. Jay Hoover serves as studio show producer, with Nicole Denne as executive producer. On the Court The new WNBA season tips off on Friday, May 16, on ION and features a national doubleheader of debuts: The first game will see the regular season premiere of Paige Bueckers , selected No.1 overall by the Dallas Wings in the recent WNBA draft presented by State Farm®, as the Wings host the Minnesota Lynx. , selected No.1 overall by the Dallas Wings in the recent WNBA draft presented by State Farm®, as the Wings host the Minnesota Lynx. The nightcap features the first-ever game of the league's newest franchise, the Golden State Valkyries, as they take on the Los Angeles Sparks. Other WNBA on ION schedule highlights include: A'ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces hosting Kelsey Plum and the Los Angeles Sparks in Plum's return to Vegas for the first time since the blockbuster trade that sent her to L.A. ( May 30 ). and the Las Vegas Aces hosting and the Los Angeles Sparks in Plum's return to Vegas for the first time since the blockbuster trade that sent her to L.A. ( ). Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever facing off against Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings in a showdown of the most recent No.1 draft picks as the Fever visit Dallas ( June 27 ). and the Indiana Fever facing off against and the Dallas Wings in a showdown of the most recent No.1 draft picks as the Fever visit ( ). The WNBA going international as the Atlanta Dream and newest star Brittney Griner plays Skylar Diggins , Nneka Ogwumike and the Seattle Storm in Vancouver for the first regular season game ever played outside the United States (Aug.15). plays and the Seattle Storm in for the first regular season game ever played outside (Aug.15). Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark going head-to-head as Reese's Chicago Sky takes on Clark's Indiana Fever ( Sept. 5 ). Growth Last Season The return of the WNBA on ION follows a successful 2024 season where average viewership for the State Farm® WNBA Friday Night Spotlight increased by 133% over 2023 and attracted more than 23 million unique viewers across games and wrap shows. To access complete details about the WNBA on ION, and find ION channel information, visit Follow @IONWNBA on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) for future updates. *Sources for data: Nielsen L+SD national panel one-minute qualifier for reach, average program performance 05/14/2024-09/13/2024; FAST – Roku, Samsung TV+, LG, Vizio, Xumo, Plex, Amazon Fire Channels, Pluto, CW and Tablo. Scripps media contact: Jim Weiss, (770) 722-2142, About ION A leading general entertainment network, ION's lineup features major cable and broadcast shows, original series, live sports and special event programming. ION is part of The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP), a diversified media company focused on creating a better-informed world. As one of the nation's largest local TV broadcasters, Scripps serves communities with quality, objective local journalism and operates a portfolio of more than 60 stations in more than 40 markets. About Scripps Sports Scripps Sports serves professional and college sports leagues, conferences and teams with local market depth and national broadcast reach. Scripps Sports currently has partnerships with the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2024 Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, the 2023 Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights, the new Utah Hockey Club, the Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA and the NCAA's Big Sky Conference. Scripps Sports is a division of The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP), a Fortune 1000 American media company. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE SCRIPPS
