ATLANTA , Oct. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ION makes its debut as the domestic linear broadcast television partner for Athlos NYC, a first-of-its-kind women’s-only track and field event, on Friday, Oct. 10, marking the beginning of a multi-year partnership between Scripps Sports and the ATHLOS league. Brooks Running Shoes has signed on to be the presenting sponsor of the telecast, which has attracted the best-of-the-best in the track and field world. Headliners include an elite lineup of athletes: Faith K ...

The business of sports in focus today with the power player summit underway here at Bloomberg headquarters and a big focus has been the embrace of women's sports. So let's look back in history at the biggest live women's sporting event of all time. Picture it.Mexico City, September 5th, 1971. Football teams from Denmark and Mexico facing off before a crowd of 110,000 fans at Aztec Stadium for Copa 71. An unofficial but monumental World Cup match.While women's international football or soccer as we call it h ...

Business Opportunity - Women's sports represents a tremendous business opportunity for investment [1] - Emerging leagues face the challenge of building an audience from scratch [2][3] Revenue & Media Deals - Traditional big four sports leagues generate significant revenue from media deals due to massive audiences [2] - Emerging leagues struggle to secure lucrative media deals due to the lack of a large existing audience [2]

Core Points - The E.W. Scripps Company reported $540 million in revenue for Q2 2025, a decrease of 5.8% from the previous year [7][25] - The company experienced a loss attributable to shareholders of $51.7 million, or 59 cents per share, compared to a loss of $13 million, or 15 cents per share, in the prior-year quarter [9][17] - Key highlights included a station swap with Gray Media, a renewed agreement with WNBA, and a successful refinancing of $750 million in bonds [4][5][8] Financial Performance - Revenue for the Local Media segment was $335 million, down 8.3% year-over-year, while Scripps Networks revenue was $206 million, down 1.4% [10][12] - Total costs and expenses decreased to $457 million from $479 million in the prior-year quarter [7] - The company’s net leverage improved to 4.4x, down from 4.9x at the end of Q1 2025 [7] Strategic Initiatives - The company is focusing on its Scripps Sports strategy, capitalizing on the popularity of women's sports and the decline of regional sports networks [3] - The recent station swap with Gray Media aims to enhance local news coverage and financial performance [4] - Scripps plans to expand its local sports and news strategies in key markets, leveraging new duopolies created by the station swap [4] Revenue Drivers - Sports programming contributed positively to revenue performance, with streaming and connected TV revenue growing 57% in Q2 [3] - The WNBA and NWSL partnerships are significant contributors to the Networks division, helping to stabilize revenue amidst economic uncertainty [3][12] - Political revenue was significantly lower at $2.6 million compared to $28.2 million in the prior-year quarter, reflecting the absence of an election year [18] Financial Condition - As of June 30, cash and cash equivalents totaled $31.7 million, with total debt at $2.7 billion [13] - The company completed refinancing transactions that improved its financial position, including paying off $719 million in term loans [14] - The Scripps Howard Fund raised over $125,000 for flood relief efforts in Central Texas [7]

Business Innovation - A chef and basketball enthusiast, Jenny Nguyen, established a women's sports bar in Portland in 2022 [1] - The concept is evolving from a niche market into a broader movement [1]

Business Expansion - Over a dozen new bars dedicated to women's sports are being established [1] - Many founders are first-time businesswomen [1] Funding & Operations - New bars are raising funds, renting spaces, and finalizing booze lists [1]

Industry Recommendation - Women's sports should establish independent federations, leagues, and governing bodies [1] - These organizations should not be mere appendages of men's organizations [1]

Industry Perspective - Women's sports organizers are hesitant about radical change after decades of fighting for equality [1] - The future of women's sports lies in innovation, not mimicking men's leagues [1]

Industry Perspective - Women's sports organizers, after decades of striving for equality, are hesitant about drastic changes [1] - The future of women's sports lies in innovation rather than replicating men's leagues [1]

Industry Perspective - Women's sports organizers are hesitant about radical change after decades of fighting for equality [1] - The future of women's sports lies in innovation, not imitating men's leagues [1]