The St. Louis Blues organization has agreed to a deal to present three regular-season games over-the-air on various Gray Media-affiliated stations across the Midwest, including First Alert 4 (KMOV-TV) and Matrix Midwest. The partnership between the team and media conglomerate will reach more than 4.8 million television households in the region for games down the stretch run, expanding accessibility to these contests to view the games utilizing an antenna, along with cable, satellite and streaming providers.
Blues games are typically televised on the FanDuel Sports Network West RSN owned by Main Street Sports Group, a company that recently emerged from Ch. 11 bankruptcy. Yet these contests will not be simulcast on the regional sports network, marking the first time in 15 years that Blues games will be available for free to fans on local broadcast television. FanDuel Sports Network on-air talent and production crew members will be retained to produce the games airing over the air on Gray Media stations, along with pregame and postgame coverage.
“Considering our long-standing relationship with Gray Media and their presence across the Midwest, they are a perfect partner to help us explore our broadcasting options as part of our ongoing efforts to grow our reach among existing and future Blues fans,” Chris Zimmerman, president and chief executive officer of business operations for the St. Louis Blues, said in a statement. “The opportunity to deliver a package of local Blues broadcasts through over-the-air television was a valuable addition to our latest broadcast agreement with FanDuel Sports Network that we look forward to leveraging with these games on KMOV, Matrix Midwest and the Gray Media multi-state affiliate network.”
On Saturday, Feb. 22, the matchup between the Blues and Winnipeg Jets will air on KMOV and Matrix Midwest in St. Louis. A few weeks later when the Blues face the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, March 8, the game will also air on these over-the-air channels. Concluding the three-game slate is a Tuesday night matchup against the Montréal Canadiens on March 25. All games will also air on a variety of affiliates in Kansas City, Springfield, Cape Girardeau and Cedar Rapids among other cities. Local listings will provide precise information pertaining to these over-the-air broadcasts.
“As a life-long St. Louisan and Blues fan, it’s truly exciting to bring these games to our local platforms once again for our viewers,” JD Sosnoff, vice president and general manager of KMOV-TV and Matrix Midwest said in a statement.
Although the transaction involves three regular-season games, this follows a trend of more professional sports organizations offering broadcasts on over-the-air television. Before the NHL season commenced, the Anaheim Ducks announced that 65 games would be broadcast over-the-air in Los Angeles. The Seattle Kraken joined TEGNA last year to carry games on broadcast television in the Seattle region, and Scripps Sports broadcasts games for the Vegas Golden Knights, Utah Hockey Club and Florida Panthers.
“Partnerships like this with major sports franchises locally and across the country show Gray Media’s dedication to our community,” Mike King, senior managing vice president and chief marketing officer for Gray Media, said in a statement. “What a win for St. Louis and the entire region.”
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