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The National Hockey League’s (NHL) Vegas Golden Knights have agreed a multi-year deal with Scripps Sports to show all locally broadcast games for free in Nevada and four surrounding states.
Contract:
- Scripps to air all non-nationally exclusive Golden Knights games with full distribution on cable, satellite and over-the-air television
- Games to be shown on Scripps’ local station KMCC-TV, which will be rebranded as an independent station before the 2023/24 NHL season
- Scripps-owned Las Vegas ABC affiliate KTNV to provide marketing platform for KMCC and the Golden Knights telecasts
Context:
Golden Knights games were previously shown on the AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain regional sports network (RSN). The RSN’s parent company Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) has reportedly informed teams it plans to shut down its AT&T SportsNet networks, prompting the Golden Knights to find a new local rights partner.
The NHL franchise is the first sports team to partner with Scripps, which last month reached a deal with the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) to air games on broadcast network Ion.
Comment:
“This deal is a significant win for our fans because they will be able to see our games on television and for free, if they wish,” said Kerry Bubolz, Golden Knights president and chief executive.
“That was our goal in finding a new TV partner. We wanted to serve our fanbase in the best way possible.”
Coming next:
Game two of the Golden Knights’ second round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers takes place on 6th May.
