The Arizona Coyotes, of North American ice hockey’s top-tier NHL, have unveiled a new direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming platform for their fans, following the team's tie-up with Scripps Sports in October.
Through a deal with the streaming company Kiswe and with Scripps Sports, a division of the wider US media company, the Coyotes Central platform will bring “all locally broadcast games of the team directly to fans across Arizona.”
Go deeper with GlobalData
Fans in the local broadcast markets will gain access to every live Coyotes game which is not nationally exclusive. Coyotes Central is also set to show on-demand replays, pre- and post-match programming, as well as other exclusive team content.
The aforementioned October tie-up saw Scripps agree to broadcast all non-nationally exclusive Coyote games free-to-air for residents of Arizona and Utah from the 2023-24 season, which began that month. At the time, it was outlined that a streaming option would also come through the deal – that has now been unveiled with this announcement.
The October agreement also saw Coyotes games being made available on linear TV through KNXV.2 and on the cable network Cox.
The October deal came a day after the Diamond Sports Group (DSG), operator of the Bally Sports regional sports networks (RSNs) which was at the time going through bankruptcy proceedings, agreed to end its rights agreement with the Coyotes.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalDataThe DTC platform is available through coyotescentral.com, with monthly subscriptions being sold for $11.99, with the entire remainder of the 2023-24 campaign being sold for $24.99.
Scripps, elsewhere in the NHL, have a similar deal in place with the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Coyotes’ relationship with Kiswe, meanwhile, comes with that streaming platform provider already having experience in working with major Arizona sporting franchises – the Phoenix Suns, of basketball’s NBA, have moved their games to local television station Gray Television and Kiwse.
Xavier Gutierrez, president and chief executive of the Arizona Coyotes, has said: “This innovative direct-to-consumer option is a key component to our overall media strategy, and this partnership with Scripps Sports and Kiswe will enable us to deliver a flexible viewing option in our local broadcast market to our fans and ‘fans in waiting.'”
Late October saw the Coyotes claim that DSG owed the team almost $18 million in unpaid rights fees.
The team currently sits in seventh place in the eight-team Central Division of the NHL's Western Conference.
Glenn Booth, Kiswe’s chief executive, added: “This new deal highlights the growing trend towards the 'beam and stream' model for local sports distribution, and we are excited to continue to work with our partners to reshape sports media consumption.”
