Coyotes sign agreement with Scripps Sports to broadcast live games

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Arizona Coyotes have reached a four-year deal with Scripps Sports, becoming the second team in the NHL to broadcast games.

Under the deal announced Thursday, Scripps will broadcast all Coyotes games overseas to about 3 million people in Arizona and Utah. The Las Vegas Golden Knights are his only other NHL team whose games are broadcast over the air.

“One of the challenges[with the regional sports model]is that the number of households that have access to our games is actually decreasing,” Coyotes President and CEO Xavier Gutierrez said. he said. “It really went against what we were trying to do. It really helps our fan base and especially as we’re building a young and exciting team, trying to get new fans. There is.”

The deal comes a day after Diamond Sports Net Arizona agreed to terminate its television rights agreement with the Coyotes. Diamond Sports has been filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Texas since March. The company announced in its financial report last fall that it had $8.67 billion in debt.

The Coyotes become the third Arizona sports franchise to seek a replacement for the Diamonds and Bally Sports Arizona.

The NBA’s Phoenix Suns have moved their games to local television and streaming service Kiswe. Major League Baseball has taken over broadcasting of the Arizona Diamondbacks this season after a federal bankruptcy judge granted a motion in July to reject a rights agreement with Diamond Sports.

All but one Coyotes game will be available on the Antenna TV network and Cox cable via KNXV.2 (over-the-air channel 15.2 with antenna).

The Coyotes’ broadcast team will remain in place and broadcasts will include pregame and postgame coverage.

The Coyotes are also working on streaming options for fans to watch games.

“There’s a lot of confusion in the media right now and we were concerned after the Suns moved on from Barry and obviously after Dobacks decided to move on,” Gutierrez said. “We were the last team to sign Barrie and were very concerned that our games would not be seen in the market.”

Arizona opens the season on October 13th against New Jersey.