Gray Television to Air Arena Football League Local Games
Gray will broadcast the games OTA to audiences in at least 34 markets
ATLANTA—Gray Television Inc. has inked a multi-year agreement with the Arena Football League to bring Saturday arena football games over-the-air to local audiences in at least thirty-four markets across the United States.
The first AFL games on Gray’s television stations will air on Saturday, April 27, 2024, and continue for the ten- week 2024 AFL season.
Gray’s local broadcast AFL games primarily focus on in-state teams matched to Gray’s local television station markets. For example, the Georgia Force (Atlanta) will air on Gray’s Georgia television stations in Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, Albany, Macon, and Columbus via Gray’s Peachtree Sports Network.
Other Arena teams with in-state games on Gray stations include the Minnesota Myth, Nashville Kats, Louisiana Voodoo, West Texas Hawks, Salina Liberty, Southwest Kansas Storm, Wichita Regulators, and Rapid City Marshals. In addition, many Gray stations in markets that are not currently affiliated with the AFL will air one or more Saturday “Game of the Week” broadcasts of the AFL.
“We’re excited to bring Spring football to local audiences,” said Sandy Breland, Gray’s COO. “This agreement provides another example of how Gray works to strengthen local communities with local and regional sports content.”
“The AFL and Gray TV partnership is a testament to the shared vision to bring spring football into the homes of local viewers,” said AFL commissioner Lee Hutton. “The strength and depth that Gray TV will provide the AFL viewership is firmly motivated in their approach to keep the product and quality to the fans always cutting edge and you never get better action than AFL football.”
The NFL Network will carry a separate package of approximately 30 games on a national basis on Thursdays and Sundays during the AFL season. Gray’s Tupelo Media Group will produce AFL games airing on the NFL Network.
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For additional information visit www.arenafootballusa.com.
George Winslow is the senior content producer for TV Tech. He has written about the television, media and technology industries for nearly 30 years for such publications as Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News and TV Tech. Over the years, he has edited a number of magazines, including Multichannel News International and World Screen, and moderated panels at such major industry events as NAB and MIP TV. He has published two books and dozens of encyclopedia articles on such subjects as the media, New York City history and economics.