Tegna made a wise decision last year when it bought Locked On. Since cutting a check for $13.8 million to acquire Locked On, Tegna has seen the network launch a YouTube channel that helped grow its reach by 48% with over 115 million total views and downloads of the network’s podcasts.
Locked On offers localized podcasts for teams across all sports. Its biggest area of growth has been hockey. NHL podcasts have seen audiences increase by 159%.
“Locked On’s growth reflects what sports fans all over the country have been asking for – sports news, interviews, analysis and commentary that is available anywhere and anytime,” Tegna’s Chief Digital Officer Adam Ostrow said in a statement.
Video will be a major focus for Tegna and Locked On moving forward. Tegna’s local television stations will integrate Locked On content into their apps for Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and other connected television platforms.
“Locked On’s ongoing commitment is to provide an extensive lineup of professional and collegiate sports coverage for our audience of avid fans,” Locked On President and Founder David Locke said. “As we move into our second year with Tegna, we’ll be expanding our local sports content and live event coverage to sports fans everywhere.”
