ReachTV Elevates Its Game To Bring Live Sports to Travelers

ReachTV Elevates Its Game To Bring Live Sports to TravelersThe company is redefining sports distribution across airports, hotels, digital platformsBy Brandon Costa, Director of Digital

Tuesday, September 9, 2025 - 9:15 am

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For ReachTV CEO/co-founder Lynnwood Bibbens, the mission is straightforward: serve the traveler. When it comes to delivering live sports, however, that mission comes wrapped in a complex broadcast challenge: moving live games and original content seamlessly across airports, lounges, in-flight screens, hotels, and digital platforms.

ReachTV is a service that delivers television to 90 airports, more than 3,000 airport locations and 500,000 hotel rooms. It's blossoming portfolio includes more live sports.

Since launching in 2016, ReachTV has scaled into 90 airports, more than 3,000 airport locations, 500,000 hotel rooms, and a digital ecosystem that touches more than 50 million viewers each month. The network ties together in-terminal displays, airline Wi-Fi, lounges, and mobile devices to create a true omnichannel experience.

ReachTV is a customer-experience network, says Bibbens. We focus on the traveler first, then build the infrastructure and content to meet them at every touchpoint.

For broadcast professionals, ReachTV distinguishes itself through a dual focus: premium programming and operational reliability. He stresses that the company isn't simply about placing content on screens; it's about owning end-to-end delivery to a highly mobile, premium audience.

Scaling Through the PandemicThe pandemic posed an existential threat, but, rather than retreat, ReachTV doubled down on innovation and live-content planning. That commitment became the blueprint for the network today: a mix of live sports, original series, and localized programming designed specifically for people on the move.

The exit of CNN Airports from the market presented a defining opportunity. Within 60 days, ReachTV had secured partnerships with airports and activated its network, cementing its role as the leading media brand in the travel space.

Lynnwood Bibbens, CEO and Co-founder, ReachTV

Sports quickly became the connective tissue for travelers, with the network carrying NFL, NBA, NASCAR, and college football. Delivering those events in a nontraditional environment required broadcast-grade infrastructure and production workflows similar to those used for in-venue operations.

That's where technology partners like Uplynk entered the picture.

Three weeks before kickoff, we realized our infrastructure couldn't handle live sports at scale, Bibbens recalls. Uplynk revamped our backend, and, to this day, all our live sports run on that setup.

To ensure reliability, ReachTV operators actively monitor every feed, manage ad insertions, and troubleshoot in real time. It's not just airing content, he notes. We're actively managing it, just like a sports truck onsite. That's what ensures the right experience for viewers, advertisers, and leagues alike.

Original Programming, Ad Tech Add DepthLive sports drives audience engagement, but original programming builds brand identity. ReachTV produces award-winning series like Ticket to Success, which highlights minority-owned concessions in airports, and Cultural Eats, which spotlights regional cuisine. Airport Fits provides localized storytelling, while syndication partners extend content globally.

From an operations standpoint, the company runs full-service production studios in Miami, Atlanta, New York, and Los Angeles. The facilities support both national programming and airport-specific content, blending creative storytelling with technical precision.

ReachTV has also invested heavily in measurement and monetization, positioning itself as more than a place-based digital-media company. Integration with Nielsen One enables true cross-platform measurement, and inventory is fully programmatic and CTV-ready.

The network's Connect platform maps 120 million households and 500 million devices, enabling advertisers to retarget travelers throughout their journey. It's not just about the screen you see at the gate, says Bibbens. It's the entire ecosystem from airport to home.

Looking Ahead: Global Reach and CommerceExpansion is next on the roadmap. ReachTV expects to operate in 20 countries within the year, extending into lounges, in-flight entertainment, and multi-airline integrations. Commerce is also on the horizon: travelers may soon be able to see a product in one airport and pick it up at their final destination.

For the sports-broadcasting community, ReachTV opens a new distribution channel that reaches a highly engaged, premium audience. Bibbens envisions leagues, brands, and airports working together to seamlessly deliver both live content and commerce opportunities.

At its core, ReachTV remains committed to serving the traveler, with broadcast workflows and live-sports infrastructure built to meet industry standards. We're a customer-service network first, he emphasizes. Everything else - live sports, original content, data integration - exists to serve that mission.

LINK:	https://www.sportsvideo.org/2025/09/09/reachtv-elevates-its-game-to-br...
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