14-05-2025
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.
