Brian Lawlor has just landed the first significant rights agreement as head of the recently created Scripps Sports division of The E.W. Scripps Co., and it involves Friday night telecasts of select WNBA games.
The Women’s National Basketball Association and Scripps signed off on a multi-year agreement to televise games on Friday nights during the regular WNBA season on Ion, the diginet that Scripps acquired in January 2021.
Ion is the No. 5 broadcast network and reaches every U.S. TV household over-the-air and on all major pay TV and connected TV services. As such, Scripps says, this puts Ion ahead of The CW Network, the broadcast entity majority-owned by Nexstar Media Group.
“WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on ION” will feature WNBA games during two windows on Friday nights over 15 weeks, starting on May 26 and concluding on September 8.
The Friday night schedule and windows, details of which will be announced at a later date, will include games that will be available nationally as well as games made available on a regional basis.
It could serve as a blueprint for other sports rights agreements Scripps believes it has the scale to acquire and thrive with. These thoughts were noted in a 2023 NAB Show panel discussion that saw The E.W. Scripps Co. President/CEO Adam Symson affirm his belief that sports is poised to thrive in a over-the-air environment.
“The WNBA is thrilled to partner with Scripps to expand the league’s media horizon and reach basketball fans in greater numbers,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “Access to watch WNBA games is in high demand, and Scripps’ dedicated Friday night lineup of WNBA games on Ion will become much desired appointment viewing for WNBA fans.”
Symson added, “The WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on ION brings women’s professional basketball the broadest possible reach with the consistency that fans, players, teams and the league deserve. Scripps is fully committed to serving and growing the number of American women’s basketball fans who value the athleticism, professionalism and excitement the WNBA brings into their living rooms.”
The WNBA is the first sports property to air on Ion, which Scripps says will implement “an extensive promotional effort to drive awareness and tune-in for the new Friday primetime franchise.”
In particular, diginets Bounce and Scripps News will help with cross-marketing and promotion. Scripps also will use its local TV stations to promote the “WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on ION” throughout the season.
Lawlor, who until the start of 2022 was the head of Local Media at Scripps and today carries the title of President of Scripps Sports, says it was established to help leagues and teams extend their reach and connect with audiences through new distribution channels.
“We are pleased the WNBA sees the ION network as an opportunity to showcase its games with a weekly nationwide franchise designed to increase visibility and fandom for this sport,” Lawlor noted. “Women’s sports merits a national broadcast network that ensures
every American TV household can watch these amazing athletes and their gripping game play.”
According to Scripps, Ion’s multicultural audience is No. 2 behind only BET among ad-supported cable networks.
