• Loading stock data...
Thursday, October 9, 2025

How Caitlin Clark Made Scripps Sports Look Like Geniuses

  • The over-the-air channel Ion airs the WNBA on Fridays and NWSL on Saturdays.
  • Scripps Sports president Brian Lawlor spoke to FOS senior writer Mike McCarthy at Tuned In.
The Indianapolis Star

When Brian Lawlor was hired as the president of the new Scripps Sports at the end of 2022, he had a problem. His company had a widely available over-the-air network, Ion, and no sports on it. As he embarked on setting a strategy, he saw that Scripps’s problem could be a solution for some sports leagues.

“Other than the NFL, most leagues have a reach problem,” he told Front Office Sports senior writer Michael McCarthy on Tuesday. “They struggle to reach the masses.”

And here he was with a channel that, theoretically, was on every television in the country.

The rights for major men’s leagues were already “gobbled up,” he said at the Tuned In sports media summit in New York. So he pitched Scripps’s newly formed board on a different strategy in November 2022. “We think we have a platform that will solve reach problems” for leagues, he recounted. With the board sold, he struck a deal with the NBA for Friday night WNBA games on Ion. 

A year later, that paid off spectacularly, with the explosion of interest in the WNBA thanks to the rookie class led by Caitlin Clark.

“We suddenly looked smart,” Lawlor said of Clark joining the league. “I’d never sat in front of the board and said, Caitlin Clark’s coming and it’s gonna be a game-changer.”

WNBA ratings have surged with Clark on board, and advertisers have flocked to rights holders as a result.

“We got to the point where there was almost more demand than we had supply,” Scripps’s chief revenue officer said in an interview published by Ad Week on Monday. “I think we did a really good job of accommodating every advertiser that wanted to be part of it. However, the demand was a bit overwhelming, which was a good thing.”

When the NBA was negotiating its new $76 billion media-rights deal—which ultimately included up to $3 billion for the WNBA—Lawlor was slightly worried about competing with giants like Disney and Comcast, he said.

“Everything I’m reading says you’re going to deal the WNBA rights along with this,” he told the league. “Where do we stand? We’re obviously not going to be bidding against [Comcast] for the rights.”

The league assured him, he recalled, that “the audiences you’re bringing now are huge.”

The giants—Amazon, Disney, Comcast—still ended up with a $2.2 billion, 11-year deal to air WNBA games. But Lawlor was confident that the Fridays arrangement would continue in some form. 

“We have a little bit of work to do—I’m guessing we’re going to have to open up the wallet a little bit more,” he said. “But yeah, I would expect that we’ll have a long-term relationship with them.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Alexis Ohanian

Alexis Ohanian Tweaks Track Rivals With Promise of Instant Payments

Athletes will be paid minutes after finishing their races at Athlos.
Maverick Carter, LeBron James
exclusive

New International Basketball League Plans Launch, Without Maverick Carter

The venture plans to launch men’s and women’s leagues next fall.
Bucks

Bucks Reportedly Discussed Giannis Deal With Knicks This Summer

Antetokounmpo’s future will be a major NBA storyline this year.

Featured Today

Paul Cartier

Sports Organists Are Still Thriving in the Era of Raucous Arena Music

“When they walk out and they see a real organ guy, it’s like, ‘Wow.’”
Sep 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Jackson Chourio (11) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field.
October 4, 2025

Milwaukee Moneyball: Brewers Are Beating MLB’s Deeper Pockets

Milwaukee is holding its own against big-budget competitors.
Kōloa Rum Company Rum Rusher
September 27, 2025

Panthers Bubbly, Jets Wine, Manning Whiskey: The Sports Booze Boom

A sommelier dives into the sports booze trend—and tries Jets wine.
Nov 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers fans wave Terrible Towels against the Baltimore Ravens during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium
September 26, 2025

Steelers’ Irish Roots Are Deeper Than NFL Dublin Game

The Steelers have history and the foundation for a future in Ireland.
Mar 19, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; USA shortstop Trea Turner (8) throws to first base for an out during the first inning at LoanDepot Park.

Fox Picks Up Media Rights to 2026 World Baseball Classic

The network will repeat its role in the international baseball tournament.
Sep 27, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs running back Josh McCray (2) runs against Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green (41) and defensive back Keon Sabb (3) in the second half at Sanford Stadium.
exclusive
October 2, 2025

College Football Viewership Is Up Double Digits. Here’s Why

Average game viewership is up by more than 10% so far.
October 6, 2025

Mark Sanchez Charged With New Felony in Indianapolis Case

The broadcaster and ex-NFL quarterback faces up to six years in prison.
Sponsored

How Jenny Just Is Shaping the Future of Sports Ownership

Jenny Just on bringing her investment experience to sports ownership.
The NBC Sports broadcast team works Michigan State's football game against Boston College on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.
October 2, 2025

NBC Sports, Peacock Stay on YouTube TV With Long-Term Deal

The broad-based agreement keeps NBC channels with the key distributor.
Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) throws the ball during the first half of a NCAA college football game against Alabama in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, September 27, 2025.
October 1, 2025

Alabama-Georgia Draws 10.4M Viewers, Drives Record CFB Season Pace

ABC drew 10.4 million viewers for Alabama-Georgia.
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (9) pulls down a touchdown reception against Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland (26) in the fourth quarter during their football game Sunday, November 13, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.
September 24, 2025

Packers-Cowboys Game Is Getting Super Bowl–Like NBC Treatment

The network will bring its pregame show to Dallas.
Sep 18, 2025; College Park, Georgia, USA; Indiana Fever forward Aliyah Boston (7) reacts as the Fever defeat the Atlanta Dream during game three of round one for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at Gateway Center Arena at College Park.
September 19, 2025

Fever Upset of Dream Brings Ratings Boost to WNBA Semis

The Indiana Fever will face the Las Vegas Aces in the semifinals.