The CW Plays Ball

Last month we dived into the relatively murky waters of local sports rights. I appreciate the feedback, with many people expressing their frustrations ‘chasing the broadcast’ of their local sports teams. The culprit seems to be the ascension of streaming which creates issues with accessing local broadcast depending on how your TV is set up. I don’t know if we actually solved anything but hopefully, the local sports TV landscape is a little more clearer to those of you who took the time to read last month’s blog.

There was one local sports ‘player’ who I left out last month. I can’t really call them an upstart because the brand is not new to the market. The new home of the brand is … but the brand itself has been in the market for some time.

It’s worth noting that this ‘little station that could’ grew up overnight while some of us weren’t paying attention.

For as long as I can remember, KAZT-TV, or AZTV as it is known, has always been that station where Pat McMahon furthered his illustrious career and reruns of the Andy Griffith Show could remind you of blessedly simpler times. The station was owned by a very wealthy man named Jack Londen who I believe made his money in insurance. It had a statewide footprint and provided family-friendly programming almost entirely fueled by older, syndicated shows.

In my opinion, the station truly turned the corner when they hired marketing manager Tom Carrano in 2023.

Sometime later the station became a CW affiliate and, in doing so, made some very big changes to their programming lineup to include a respectable sports portfolio. Historically, the CW network programming lineup is not exactly geared to my particular demographic tastes which is not a criticism, just a reality. I can’t say that I know exactly where to find the station on the non-linear dial but my research tells me they are on Roku, Vizio, Apple TV, Fire TV, Google Chromecast, and other streaming services.

Bonus, there is no subscription fee for the CW app.

As you search for athletic competition on your device at home don’t sleep on the CW. They are stepping up in the sports programming world in a big way. What’s most intriguing to me is they are the current rights holder for the PAC12 which was really the PAC2 but is now the PAC6, yet they still call themselves the PAC12.

Go figure.

They also carry a full slate of ACC football each Saturday with plans to also carry the conference basketball games later in the year. That’s good to know as I’m a big Georgia Tech fan that struggles to catch them each week on TV. 

But wait, there’s more.

The CW is not simply making a play for a small amount of sports programming to bolster its notoriety and attract viewership. They’re adding over 500 hours of sports programming this fall which includes the inexplicably popular Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl, LIV Golf (yeah, it’s still a thing), and for those of you who perpetually like to turn left at high rates of speed, NASCAR’s Xfinity Series. 

That’s impressive and a big investment for a network that’s historically known for vampires and rich kids sharing secrets.

Lastly, and most impressively, in my opinion, is that the CW is also getting into the local high school football space by airing games every Thursday night. This is a tremendous move on their part. What makes this even better is that they are showcasing a wide array of teams from across the state in their programming. Here’s a snapshot of their schedule … a tip of the cap to whoever came up with it. 

So the next time you’re getting ready to plant yourself in front of the TV and take in some sports action, don’t forget to take a peek at what’s on the CW. For those of you in the advertising business, you might want to take note that CW has some solid sports programming you should consider for your clients who might be overpaying elsewhere.

Need help with that? I know a guy.

If your business is looking to incorporate a local broadcast station into their local sports marketing efforts and you’re looking for some assistance, contact me at ed.olsen@linedrivesportsmarketing.com or call my cell at 602.284.6722