NEW YORK — Direct broadcast satellite service provider DirecTV has teamed up with The E.W. Scripps Co.’s Scripps Sports to offer fans of the WNBA all of broadcast TV network ION’s 15 weeks of its Friday night televised matchups.
“State Farm WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on ION” regular season games will be offered to DirecTV subscribers as part of their existing packages, which include ION Television.
Specifically, DirecTV will deliver live WNBA games from regional or local broadcasts to its streaming, satellite and U-verse customers in homes and businesses nationwide as a
complement to ION’s weekly national doubleheaders.
ION is available on channel 305 to DIRECTV streaming and satellite customers and 1068 (high definition) and 68 (standard) in U-verse homes.
This move brings additional national channels that will appear in the guide immediately adjacent to ION’s channel each Friday night.
Scripps’ local stations, which broadcast WNBA games into their local communities, will program the extra channels in the DirectTV lineup, providing fans with as many as three additional out-of-market WNBA contests.
DirecTV SVP of Content & Programming Rebecca Nelson commented, “The WNBA is already growing by leaps and bounds, and we’re pleased to bring these new opportunities to current and future fans watching in or out of their homes.”
Matthew Hijuelos, VP of Distribution for Scripps, added, “This is a win for WNBA fans. Combining the power of Scripps’ local market presence with the reach of ION on
DirecTV, we can bring audiences even more ways to watch the WNBA action this season. At the same time, we’re able to expand the ways that advertisers can reach
these highly engaged sports fans.”
