With play-by-play rights in hand for the National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning, Las Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers and Utah Mammoth, negotiations with other NHL franchises could come with a bit more ease for Brian Lawlor and his team at The E.W. Scripps Co.
While that not may necessarily be the case, Scripps Sports can celebrate winning a fifth pro hockey team, thanks to a “landmark” multi-year rights deal with the on-ice home of Filip Forsberg.
The agreement with the Nashville Predators begins with the 2026-2027 NHL season. That’s perhaps a sigh of relief for some Preds die-hards, as a retransmission consent impasse has blocked Scripps’ two Nashville DMA stations from reaching Comcast Xfinity subscribers just as the team is fighting for a playoff spot — and sits one point behind the Los Angeles Kings for the final position.
Come this autumn, the new agreement hands Scripps Sports the keys to produce and distribute all local pre-season, regular season and first-round playoff Predators games that are not allocated exclusively to national broadcasts.
Scripps Sports will also broadcast live 30-minute pre-game and post-game shows for every locally broadcast Predators game.
The new broadcast home of the Predators will be WNPX-TV, which this summer will adopt new branding as “The Spot – Nashville 28.”
In addition to the local TV broadcasts, the Predators and Scripps Sports will be introducing a new, direct-to-consumer experience where fans can livestream games throughout the local broadcast territory. More details on the streaming experience will be unveiled soon, Scripps said in a Tuesday announcement.
“We are incredibly excited to partner with Scripps Sports in delivering broadcasts of Preds games for free to our fans,” said Sean Henry, Chief Executive Officer of the Nashville Predators and Bridgestone Arena. “Our partnership has been a natural fit as we are aligned on key community initiatives, and we greatly appreciate the way Scripps has embraced the Preds and our fans.”
For Scripps Sports President Lawlor, “Scripps Sports could not be more pleased to become the broadcast partner for the Nashville Predators. Nashville is a hockey town, and this partnership makes Predators games available to the widest possible local audience. The combination of broadcast television and streaming guarantees that all Preds fans can follow the action wherever they choose to watch, on whatever device they choose.”
