Back To The Future: Golden Knights Replace AT&T SportsNet With Scripps Sports To Broadcast Free Over-The-Air Games On TV
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz,com Publisher/Writer
The Vegas Golden Knights went old school with their new TV broadcast deal, cutting a new TV rights deal with Scripps Sports to broadcast VGK games on free over-the-air broadcasts.
With the business dynamics of regional sports networks changing drastically, the Golden Knights saw their six-year broadcast rights deal with AT&T SportsNet end and started a multi-year deal with Scripps Sports.
The National Hockey League approved the broadcast rights deal, which is the first in the league where fans can watch NHL games for free over the air.
The agreement allows The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) to televise all non-nationally exclusive Golden Knights games with full distribution on cable, satellite and over-the-air television. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Golden Knights owner Bill Foley liked the deal because the Knights brand will get more exposure across Rocky Mountains states like Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and even northern Arizona and eastern California.
Scripps will air VGK games on local channel 34, KMCC-TV, which will be rebranded into an independent station before the NHL 2023-24 season. Scripps owns Channel 13, the ABC affiliate in Las Vegas.
The VGK’s current TV broadcasters led by play-by-play man Dave Goucher and analyst Shane Hnidy will continue for the Scripps Sports broadcasts, with pregame and postgame shows continuing as well.
“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,” VGK president Kerry Bubolz said.
The Golden Knights are the first professional sports team to reach a deal with Scripps Sports, which launched in December. It is the second deal Scripps has announced in the past 15 days. The first was an agreement with the WNBA, which announced April 20, to televise games on ION on Friday nights during the regular season starting May 26.
