The E.W. Scripps Company wants to flip the script on how advertisers see it this upfront season, and it’s doing so with a little help from Caitlin Clark.
With upcoming opportunities around Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever and an ION rebrand, Brian Norris, the company’s chief revenue officer, told ADWEEK that he wants marketers to be clear on “what Scripps stands for,” as the company is “all in” on investing in content and tech across its divisions of Scripps Sports, Scripps Networks and Scripps News.
“I want marketers to know that we’re here to support their brands, and they can develop these authentic connections via the sports landscape,” Norris said. “They shouldn’t be afraid to support news and know what we bring to the table, which is going to be longer-form storytelling opportunities.”
Norris walked ADWEEK through the company’s pitch deck to marketers ahead of its presentation on April 9 at New World Stages, showcasing the opportunities through women’s sports, the importance of an ION rebrand to content offerings and how the company is offering progam-level transparency.
Heavy investment in women’s sports
Among the highlights, the pitch deck showcases how the first year of Friday night WNBA games on ION raised viewership for the league by 24%, with a return set for the season kickoff in May. Those numbers are in a position to increase even more in 2024, with the company featuring eight matchups with the Indiana Fever, the team set to add Caitlin Clark at the upcoming WNBA draft.
With the offering, the company boasts more Caitlin Clark games than any other WNBA broadcaster, according to Norris.
In addition to Friday night WNBA games, the company is showcasing its upcoming Saturday night NWSL doubleheaders, which are already underway in the first year of Scripps’ contract with the league. With the deal, ION is featuring 50 NWSL games—which Norris also noted is more than any other broadcaster—with live studio programming surrounding both sports nights.
“We have some incredible sponsorship partners like State Farm who have made commitments to Scripps in women’s sports, but we have plenty of other opportunities for brands to get in at the ground floor,” Norris said. “When we look at the sports landscape, these opportunities don’t come around all too often.”