Scripps Sports
{{Short description|Sports broadcasting division of the E. W. Scripps Company}}
{{Infobox programming block
| name = Scripps Sports
| image = Scripps Sports Logo.webp
| caption =
| premiered = {{Start date and age|2022|12|15}}
| closed =
| headquarters =
| key_people = Brian Lawlor
(President){{Cite web |last=Littleton|first=Cynthia|date=August 1, 2024 |title=Friday and Saturday Night Lights: Ion Television Reaps the Rewards of Investing in Women’s Sports |url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/ion-wnba-nwsl-friday-saturday-game-nights-scripps-1236092216/ |access-date=August 4, 2024 |website=Variety |language=en}}
| channel =
| division = E. W. Scripps Company
| country = United States
| format =
| runtime =
| major_contracts = {{Plainlist|
- WNBA
- NWSL
- Vegas Golden Knights (regional)
- Utah Mammoth (regional)
- Florida Panthers (regional)
- Tampa Bay Lightning (regional)
- Las Vegas Aces (regional)
}}
| sister =
| website = {{URL|scrippssports.com}}
| parent =
}}
Scripps Sports is the sports division of the E. W. Scripps Company; it is responsible for the broadcasting of sporting events across its broadcast television portfolio, including local stations and co-owned networks (such as Ion Television).
History
Prior to the formation of Scripps Sports, in May 2022, The E.W. Scripps Company reached an agreement with the Big Sky Conference to air 14 conference football games and as many as eight women's or men's basketball games involving Montana State University and University of Montana on the Scripps owned Montana Television Network. In 2025, Scripps Sports and the Big Sky extended their agreement through the 2029–30 season.{{Cite web |date=March 8, 2025 |title=Big Sky Conference Inks Media Rights Extension With Scripps Sports Through 2029-30 |url=https://bigskyconf.com/news/2025/3/8/football-big-sky-conference-inks-media-rights-extension-with-scripps-sports-through-2029-30.aspx |access-date=March 8, 2025 |website=Big Sky Conference |language=en}}
The formation of Scripps Sports was announced in December 2022. Company president Adam P. Symson stated that the division planned to compete with regional sports networks to pursue local rights to professional sports teams for its stations, and pursue national broadcasting contracts for its Ion Media division (including Ion Television). He argued that the pay television RSN industry was an "old model" that is "not set up to move forward", and that "we are really well-situated to participate in future models with sports teams, leagues, and conferences."{{Cite web |date=2022-12-15 |title=E.W. Scripps Co. to bid for local sports rights |url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2022/12/15/Media/ew-scripps-co-local-sports-rights.aspx |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=Sports Business Journal |language=en}}
In April 2023, Scripps Sports announced its first broadcast contract, a regular season package of Friday-night WNBA basketball games for Ion.{{Cite web |last=Steinberg |first=Brian |date=2023-04-20 |title=WNBA Gets Friday-Night Showcase on ION in New Pact With Scripps |url=https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/wnba-scripps-ion-friday-night-basketball-1235589597/ |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2023-04-21 |title=Scripps makes first sports rights move with WNBA deal |url=https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/scripps-makes-first-sports-rights-move-with-wnba-deal/ |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=SportBusiness |language=en-US}} In March 2025, Scripps announced it had acquired the local rights to the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces.{{Cite web |last=K. Miller|first=Mark|date=March 14, 2025 |title=Scripps Sports To Broadcast Regular Season WNBA Las Vegas Aces Games On Vegas 34 |url=https://tvnewscheck.com/programming/article/scripps-sports-to-broadcast-regular-season-wnba-las-vegas-aces-games-on-vegas-34/ |access-date=March 13, 2025 |website=TV News Check|language=en-US}}
The following month, with AT&T SportsNet winding down, Scripps Sports reached an agreement for regional rights to the Vegas Golden Knights of the NHL. The games would be syndicated to stations within the team's designated market (with KMCC as flagship; the station moved Ion to a digital subchannel and became an independent station), and offered via the subscription-based over-the-top service KnightTime+.{{Cite web |title=VGK and Scripps Partner on Multi-Year Agreement to Air NHL Team's Games |url=https://www.nhl.com/goldenknights/news/vgk-and-scripps-partner-on-multi-year-agreement-to-air-nhl-teams-games/c-344154412 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230504212656/https://www.nhl.com/goldenknights/news/vgk-and-scripps-partner-on-multi-year-agreement-to-air-nhl-teams-games/c-344154412 |archive-date=May 4, 2023 |access-date=May 4, 2023 |website=NHL.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Winslow |first=George |date=2023-05-05 |title=Scripps Inks Multiyear Deal to Air Vegas Golden Knights NHL Games |url=https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/scripps-inks-multiyear-deal-to-air-vegas-golden-knights-nhl-games |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230505223601/https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/scripps-inks-multiyear-deal-to-air-vegas-golden-knights-nhl-games |archive-date=May 5, 2023 |access-date=2023-05-05 |website=TVTechnology |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=How to Watch the Vegas Golden Knights |url=https://www.nhl.com/goldenknights/news/how-to-watch-the-vegas-golden-knights |access-date=September 24, 2023 |website=NHL.com |language=en}} In October 2023, it also reached an agreement with the Arizona Coyotes, after Bally Sports Arizona rejected its contract with the team and subsequently shut down not long afterward.{{Cite web |date=2023-10-13 |title=Financially troubled Bally Sports Arizona will no longer provide coverage of local teams |url=https://www.12news.com/article/sports/nhl/coyotes/financially-troubled-bally-sports-arizona-will-no-longer-provide-coverage-of-local-teams/75-0e170b6a-0d35-4882-b946-56aec93c8c16 |access-date=2023-10-14 |website=12news.com |language=en-US}} After initially airing on the Antenna TV-affiliated KNXV-DT2,{{cite news |last=Ortiz |first=Jenna |date=5 October 2023 |title=Arizona Coyotes land TV deal with Scripps Sports |work=The Arizona Republic |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nhl/coyotes/2023/10/05/arizona-coyotes-bally-sports-tv-deal/71071505007/ |access-date=5 October 2023}} KASW moved its The CW affiliation to that channel and similarly converted to an independent station to accommodate Coyotes games (Scripps would later relinquish its CW affiliation entirely, with majority owner Nexstar Media Group taking over KAZT-TV under a time brokerage agreement, and moving The CW to it in February 2024).{{Cite web |last=Dachman |first=Jason |date=November 17, 2023 |title=Arizona Coyotes Move to New Scripps Sports OTA Station |url=https://www.sportsvideo.org/2023/11/17/arizona-coyotes-move-to-new-scripps-sports-ota-station/ |access-date=November 21, 2023 |website=Sports Video Group |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=November 15, 2023 |title=Arizona Coyotes Moving to New Home with Scripps Sports |url=https://www.nhl.com/coyotes/news/coyotes-moving-to-new-home-with-scripps |access-date=November 16, 2023 |website=Arizona Coyotes |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Alex |date=January 8, 2024 |title=Nexstar Media Enters Into Time Brokerage Agreement with KAZT-TV in Phoenix, Arizona |url=https://www.nexstar.tv/nexstar-enters-into-time-brokerage-agreement-with-kazt-tv-in-phoenix/ |access-date=January 8, 2024 |publisher=Nexstar Media Group |language=en-US}}
On November 9, 2023, the National Women's Soccer League announced Scripps Sports as a rightsholder beginning in the 2024 season, with Ion to air Saturday night doubleheaders. Ion also aired the 2024 NWSL Draft.{{Cite web |last=Lucia |first=Joe |date=2023-11-09 |title=NWSL announces new media rights deals, reportedly paying $60 million annually |url=https://awfulannouncing.com/soccer/nwsl-new-media-rights-deals-espn-amazon-scripps-cbs.html |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=Awful Announcing |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Tannenwald |first=Jonathan |date=2023-11-09 |title=The NWSL signs new broadcast deals with CBS, ESPN, Amazon, and ION worth $60 million a year |url=https://www.inquirer.com/soccer/nwsl-tv-streaming-cbs-espn-amazon-prime-video-ion-20231109.html |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=Inquirer.com |language=en}}
In April 2024, the NHL deactivated the Coyotes franchise, and their players and personnel were acquired by a new Salt Lake City-based expansion team owned by Ryan Smith. Scripps' KUPX-TV in Salt Lake City, which had been televising Coyotes and Golden Knights games, will continue to carry the former's games, but now as the Utah Mammoth's flagship station.{{cite web|title=Utah NHL games to air free on Utah 16|url=https://www.fox13now.com/sports/nhl-in-slc/utah-nhl-games-to-air-free-on-utah-16|access-date=April 19, 2024 |magazine=Sportico|date=April 18, 2024}} The team's telecasts are produced in-house by SEG Media, a unit of team owner Smith Entertainment Group that also produces Utah Jazz NBA games for KJZZ-TV via a similar arrangement.{{Cite web |date=September 20, 2024 |title=SEG Media Launches New DTC Streaming Service for Utah Hockey Club in Partnership With Kiswe |url=https://www.sportsvideo.org/2024/09/20/seg-media-launches-new-dtc-streaming-service-for-utah-hockey-club-in-partnership-with-kiswe/ |access-date=September 20, 2024 |website=Sports Video Group}}{{Cite web |last=KUTV |first=Megan Brugger |date=2024-09-20 |title=Smith Entertainment Group launches new UtahHC+, SEG+ streaming platforms |url=https://kutv.com/news/local/utahhc-seg-smith-entertainment-group-launches-new-streaming-platforms |access-date=2024-10-09 |website=KUTV |language=en}}
In July 2024, the Florida Panthers announced a deal with Scripps Sports to move its games from Bally Sports Florida, with WSFL-TV in Miami as flagship station.{{Cite web|title=Florida Panthers, Scripps Sports partner on multi-year agreement to air National Hockey League team’s games|url=https://www.nhl.com/panthers/news/florida-panthers-scripps-sports-partner-on-multi-year-agreement-to-air-national-hockey-league-team-s-game|access-date=July 2, 2024 |website=NHL.com}}
On August 18, 2024, Ion aired the finals of the Manhattan Beach Open beach volleyball tournament as part of a one-off deal with the Association of Volleyball Professionals.{{Cite web|title=Miss the Olympics already? Here's how to watch the beach volleyball stars' next high-stakes match|url=https://www.wptv.com/sports/miss-the-olympics-already-heres-how-to-watch-the-beach-volleyball-stars-next-high-stakes-match|access-date=August 13, 2024 |website=WPTV}}
In April 2025, Scripps Sports announced a five-year agreement to broadcast the women's Fort Myers Tip Off on Ion. Scripps also announced an agreement with Sports Illustrated to launch the SI Women's Games. The games will feature women, representing "Team America" and "Team World", competing in basketball, gymnastics, tennis, flag football, volleyball, and combat sports.{{Cite web|title=ION announces five-year agreement with Fort Myers Tip-Off|url=https://awfulannouncing.com/scripps/ion-five-year-agreement-fort-myers-tip-off.html|access-date=April 9, 2025 |website=Awful Announcing|date=April 9, 2025}} Later on May 14, Scripps Sports signed a deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning to carry their games on WXPX-TV, which would become an independent station, taking over the rights from FanDuel Sports Network Sun.{{Cite web |last=Lerner |first=Drew |date=2025-05-14 |title=Tampa Bay Lightning leaving FanDuel Sports Network for local affiliate |url=https://awfulannouncing.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning-leaving-fanduel-sports-network-local-affiliate.html |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=Awful Announcing |language=en-US}}
Programs
= Current national broadcast rights =
= Current regional broadcast rights =
= Former regional broadcast rights =
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Team !League !Flagship station !Affiliates !OTT subscription outlet |
| Arizona Coyotes (2023–2024)
|NHL |KASW/Phoenix, Arizona | | |
On-air talent
=WNBA=
- Larry Smith (Studio host){{Cite web|last=Weiss|first=Jim|title=State Farm® WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on ION to tip off May 16 with the most regular-season games on TV|url=https://scripps.com/press-releases/state-farm-wnba-friday-night-spotlight-on-ion-to-tip-off-may-16-with-the-most-regular-season-games-on-tv/|website=Scripps|date=May 6, 2025|access-date=May 6, 2025}}
- Autumn Johnson (Studio analyst)
- Meghan McKeown (Studio analyst)
=NWSL=
- JP Dellacamera (Lead play-by-play){{Cite web|last=Weiss|first=Jim|title=Scripps Sports builds upon successful first year of NWSL on ION, announces game plans, new studio team for 2025 season|url=https://scripps.com/press-releases/scripps-sports-builds-upon-successful-first-year-of-nwsl-on-ion-announces-game-plans-new-studio-team-for-2025-season/|website=Scripps|date=March 4, 2025|access-date=May 6, 2025}}
- Jill Loyden (Lead color)
- Maura Sheridan (Secondary play-by-play)
- Jordan Angeli (Secondary color)
- Seb Salazar (Studio co-host)
- Kylen Mills (Studio co-host)
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Scripps Sports}}
{{EWS CORP}}
{{Sports television in the United States}}