Vegas Golden Knights See Big Jump in Ratings in First 5 Games on Over-the-Air Broadcast Channels
E.W. Scripps says that Vegas Golden Knights ratings have risen 135% over major cable broadcasts of the team in 2022.
Viva, Las Vegas! That’s what E.W. Scripps executives are likely singing these days, as the company assumed responsibility for broadcasting in-market Vegas Golden Knights games following the team’s departure from its former regional sports network home AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain.
- Scripps first won the rights to broadcast the Golden Knights to Vegas-area fans in May of this year.
- The company reports ratings for the first five Golden Knights games on broadcast channels are up 135% over cable last year.
- The Knights have also launched an in-market streaming service titled KnightTime+.
Where Are Vegas Golden Knights Games Broadcast This Season?
The Golden Knights made the switch from cable to broadcast in May, when it announced a deal with Scripps to air games on KMCC (channel 34). A new report from TV News Check indicates that thus far, the deal is bringing everything the team could possibly have wanted in terms of ratings.
TV News Check cites ratings gathered by Comscore, which show that the reigning Stanley Cup champions are averaging an 8.5 household rating across the five games that have been shown on KMCC this season. That means that 8.5% of households in the Vegas TV market have watched the games on average. The highest-rated contest was the team’s Oct. 21 game against the Dallas Stars, which drew a 10.5 rating.
All in all, the numbers represent a 135% bump in ratings over all major cable telecasts of the team last season. The figures would seem to belie the argument made by DIRECTV Chief Content Officer Rob Thun, who said in a conversation with sports writers John Ourand and Andrew Marchand that moving to broadcast channels didn’t necessarily equate to better distribution for major league teams.
“The viewership and engagement we are seeing for the Golden Knights this year have grown incredibly and should dispel any doubts about the power of an over-the-air broadcast channel to serve sports fans,” Scripps Sports President Brian Lawlor said. “The Golden Knights wanted to reach more of their fans, and they clearly are.”
How Else Can You Watch the Vegas Golden Knights In-Market?
If you don’t have a pay-TV subscription that grants you access to KMCC, and you also don’t have an over-the-air antenna, there’s still a fantastically easy way to stream each Golden Knights game not being offered on a national network like ESPN or TNT.
That would be KnightTime+, the new in-market streaming platform launched just before the start of the regular season. KnightTime+ offers two options: a $69.99 season pass, or a single-game option that allows fans to sign up just to watch one contest for $6.99.
KnightTime+ will offer 69 regular season Golden Knights games in total in the 2023-24 season, along with highlights, and behind-the-scenes team exclusives. Fans in Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and certain counties in California, Nebraska, and Arizona can access KnightTime+.
KnightTime+
KnightTime+ is a subscription-based streaming platform built specifically for Vegas Golden Knights fans. All 69 locally aired broadcasts on Scripps Sports during the 2023-24 season can be watched live on KnightTime+. Bonus content created by the Vegas Golden Knights is also available to provide a one-stop shop for anyone seeking content from the 2023 Stanley Cup Champions. Fans can access the platform on their smartphone, tablet, computer, and internet-enabled television by downloading the KnightTime+ app.