SVG Sit-Down: Scripps Sports President Brian Lawlor on ION's WNBA Rights Deal, Plans for the RSN Market By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor
Tuesday, April 25, 2023 - 3:01 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
When E.W. Scripps Co. launched its Scripps Sports division last December, the broadcasting giant said it was seeking partnerships with sports leagues and teams that were currently limited by aging distribution deals. Although much of the focus has been on how Scripps Sports could change the game for struggling regional sports networks, the division made its first big splash on the national side of the business, inking a multiyear deal with the WNBA to televise games on Friday nights on ION.
With its first big deal on the books, Scripps Sports is on the lookout for more local and national rights that could benefit from distribution on its widely available Ion network and its 61 over-the-air stations.
SVG sat down with Scripps Sports President Brian Lawlor, who had led the Local Media division since 2009, to discuss the company's local- and national-sports roadmap, details on the WNBA deal, how leagues and teams have reacted, and how he sees the industry evolving.
Scripps Sports' Brian Lawlor Our goal is to start with the professional teams, get some big deals done, lay in that foundation, and see what makes sense after that.
Let's start with the big WNBA news. Who will be responsible for producing the WNBA Friday Night Spotlight broadcasts? And will Scripps be creating a custom graphics package for WNBA games on ION?
The WNBA is handling production of the broadcasts. With only five weeks until our first games, we will launch with the existing WNBA production look. We expect that will evolve to our own look during the term of the agreement. The on-air brand will be ION.
How does this deal reflect Scripps's commitment to growing its sports portfolio, and what does it portend for the future?
When we launched Scripps Sports in December, that reflected our commitment to what we think is a solution for teams and leagues that are reaching only a fraction of their fanbases. We see Scripps Sports as a solution whether with ION for national reach or our local markets for teams needing to connect and engage with more of their supporters. We certainly expect that the WNBA is just the first partner we will work with.
Can you provide an overview of Scripps Sports' ambitions and game plan in terms of national and local sports?
We have two different functions at Scripps. First, we have 61 TV stations serving more than 40 markets. On the other side of our company, we own eight national networks, the largest of which is ION. We have a strategy for both.
We acquired ION during the pandemic, and it is now the fifth-highest-rated TV network in America, behind ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox. It's fully distributed to cable and satellite, but it's also fully distributed over the air just like any other [broadcast network]. We have a product that is fully distributed throughout the country, and we see a good opportunity to use this platform to distribute league-wide sports.
The other half of our sports strategy is [focused on] our 61 television stations. In some markets, we may have more than one television station: such as in Detroit, where we have WXYZ, our ABC affiliate, and WMYD, an independent full-power over-the-air station. It has local news, some local sports, and some syndicated programming, but it is totally unencumbered. We believe stations [like WMYD] are a viable option for any teams that are having an RSN problem right now, [such as] the Red Wings or the Pistons with Bally Sports Detroit.
With the WNBA set to debut on ION next month, what does the business model look like for Scripps's national sports broadcasts?
In terms of programming and ads, ION is similar to a cable network like TBS or TNT, but the reality is that ION is a configuration of local towers and local licenses in every market. Just like an NBC or an ABC [with] an affiliate in every market, ION has affiliates in every market, but we own almost all of them. We see an opportunity to localize [league-wide broadcasts] very much like what the NFL does on Sunday afternoons with CBS or Fox: they have a national game, but they also have games that are localized for specific markets. We have the opportunity to do the same thing and then cumulate the rating to get this larger audience that combines the national game and local games.
And what about the business model on the local side for live sports content?
Due to all the cable and satellite cord-cutting, things have changed dramatically in the RSN business. When the RSNs cut those [rights] deals originally, they might have reached 80% of all the households in [for example] Detroit, but today it is likely to be half that. They're missing more households than they're actually reaching. Well, if you [agree to] deal with us and we put your games on our station, every single game is fully distributed on cable, satellite, over the air, virtual MVPDs, OTT, FAST channels, and so on.
Even if you take the RSNs' financial problems off the table, the RSN business model was already broken for these teams because, in almost every one of these markets, the teams are often not even reaching half of their available households. That's a terrible business model for the teams because a huge portion of their fanbase can't see a single game all season. That depletes ticketing, merchandise, sports betting, and all other revenue streams because no fandom is being created since nobody can see their games. That is where local broadcasters can make a difference.
What have your conversations with leagues and teams been like thus far, and how has the market reacted to the launch of Scripps Sports?
Every [league and team] we've
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
SVG Sit-Down: Scripps Sports President Brian Lawlor on ION's WNBA Rights Deal, Plans for the RSN Market By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor 
