Nexstar Media Inc. and streaming video network SportsGrid Inc. have announced a multi-year agreement to launch “SportsGrid Network,” the nation’s first-ever diginet devoted to sports wagering and fantasy sports.
Beginning September 1, SportsGrid Network will be distributed across nine digital subchannels licensed to Nexstar in nine major U.S. markets, including San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Tampa, Portland, Nashville, Norfolk, Grand Rapids, Knoxville, and Des Moines.
SportsGrid is the nation’s first and only 24-hour sports wagering and fantasy sports program service. SportsGrid’s content is currently distributed across over-the-air broadcast and cable television, connected Smart TVs, a variety of streaming platforms, mobile devices, and on the internet. The new network will be available on recently vacated digital sub-channels licensed to Nexstar.
At its launch, SportsGrid Network will feature 18 hours of exclusive live original programming hosted by a team of on-air personalities, sports and gambling experts, and guest contributors, as well as a variety of pre-produced programming and encore presentations of the network’s most popular shows. The network’s mission is to provide real-time sports news, data, analytics, and statistics to engage sports audiences whenever and wherever they choose.
“Nexstar’s national reach across 199 owned or operated television stations in 116 markets throughout the US is a great platform for distributing our content to fantasy sports fans and gamblers everywhere. This initial nine-station launch of SportsGrid content will inform and entertain millions of sports fans across all screens and devices and provide them with expert reporting, commentary and analysis using our exclusive proprietary SportsGrid analytics platform. Finally, this agreement provides both companies the opportunity to share content and to strategically expand the network to additional Nexstar markets,” Louis Maione, Founder and President of SportsGrid, said.
“Our nation is sports obsessed and we are delighted to deliver SportsGrid’s programming to address the rapidly growing interest in sports betting and fantasy sports. Distributing SportsGrid’s programming across digital subchannels in nine of our markets will enable us to connect with new audiences and continue expanding a new and fast growing revenue stream. As the nation’s #1 provider of content to fans of sports wagering and fantasy sports, SportsGrid is the perfect partner for this effort,” Sean Compton, President of Nexstar Media Inc.’s Networks Division, said.
