The Arizona Coyotes have found a broadcast partner for the 2023-24 season.
The Coyotes on Thursday signed a multi-year agreement with Scripps Sports to provide over-the-air television coverage of all locally broadcast Coyotes games to residents of Arizona and surrounding states within the team’s coverage area.
On the same day, it was announced that the Coyotes and Bally Sports Arizona had received approval to terminate a multi-year contract.
The season opens on Friday, October 13th against the Devils in New Jersey.
Scripps owns ABC15 Arizona, which will air 81 of the 82 games. One Coyotes game (Dec. 21 in San Jose) will be broadcast nationally on ESPN+. People can watch channel 15.2 (KNXV.2), the antenna TV network, over the air (using an antenna). Antenna TV is also on his COX channel 95.
Coyotes play-by-play announcer Matt McConnell, color analyst Tyson Nash and hosts Todd Walsh and Jody Jackson will all return to the broadcast.
Part of the deal includes a monthly 30-minute “Club Insider” program that profiles the team, players and organization on and off the ice. The program will be broadcast on KASW (Phoenix) and KWBA (Tucson).
Bally Sports refuses to sign with Coyotes
Thursday marked the end for Bally Sports in Arizona, as Diamond Sports Group, parent company of bankrupt Bally Sports, received approval from a federal bankruptcy court in Texas to deny the Coyotes local rights.
“The Debtors have concluded that the Coyote Agreement is not necessary. [its] Diamond Sports Group said in a statement, “It is unlikely to be beneficial to the business and unlikely to result in net income,” according to Front Office Sports.
The team had a contract with DSG through the 2024-25 season, with rights fees due to be paid on November 1st and December 1st.
The Coyotes were the last team to affiliate with Bally Sports Arizona after the Suns, Mercury and Diamondbacks left the network this year.
NHL teams currently in contact with Bally Sports are the Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, St. Louis Blues, Minnesota Wild, Columbus Blue Jackets, Anaheim Ducks, Carolina Hurricanes, Nashville Predators, Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Ross. Angeles Kings.
Diamond Sports, which owns 19 networks under the Bally Sports umbrella, has been in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings since filing for bankruptcy in the Southern District of Texas in March. The company also plans to broadcast other NHL teams, but continues to pursue an extension of the deadline to submit a formal restructuring plan.