Major League Pickleball and Gray Media Announce Local Media Partnerships to Provide Expanded 2025 MLP Event Distribution in Multiple Team Markets
Gray Media (NYSE: GTN) and Major League Pickleball (MLP) have announced local media partnerships to expand distribution of MLP events in multiple team markets for the 2025 season. The partnership will broadcast matches of the Atlanta Bouncers, Carolina Hogs, St. Louis Shock, and Columbus Sliders through Gray's local networks.
The coverage begins with MLP Orlando (Apr. 24-27) and MLP Columbus (May 1-4) events, featuring matches on Peachtree Sports Network, Palmetto Entertainment and Sports Network, Matrix Midwest, and Rock Entertainment Sports Network. The 2025 MLP season includes 10 regular season events, a Mid-Season Tournament, and two weeks of playoffs from April to August, plus the MLP Cup in November.
Gray Media, the nation's largest owner of top-rated local television stations, reaches approximately 37 percent of US television households across 113 markets, with 78 markets having the top-rated television station and 99 markets with first or second highest-rated stations during 2024.
Gray Media (NYSE: GTN) e Major League Pickleball (MLP) hanno annunciato partnership con media locali per ampliare la distribuzione degli eventi MLP in diversi mercati di squadra per la stagione 2025. La collaborazione trasmetterà le partite di Atlanta Bouncers, Carolina Hogs, St. Louis Shock e Columbus Sliders attraverso le reti locali di Gray.
La copertura inizierà con gli eventi MLP Orlando (24-27 aprile) e MLP Columbus (1-4 maggio), con partite trasmesse su Peachtree Sports Network, Palmetto Entertainment and Sports Network, Matrix Midwest e Rock Entertainment Sports Network. La stagione 2025 di MLP comprenderà 10 eventi di stagione regolare, un torneo di metà stagione e due settimane di playoff da aprile ad agosto, oltre alla MLP Cup a novembre.
Gray Media, il più grande proprietario nazionale di stazioni televisive locali di prima fascia, raggiunge circa il 37% delle famiglie televisive statunitensi in 113 mercati, con 78 mercati che ospitano la stazione televisiva più vista e 99 mercati con stazioni classificate al primo o secondo posto nel 2024.
Gray Media (NYSE: GTN) y Major League Pickleball (MLP) han anunciado alianzas con medios locales para ampliar la distribución de los eventos de MLP en varios mercados de equipos para la temporada 2025. La asociación transmitirá los partidos de Atlanta Bouncers, Carolina Hogs, St. Louis Shock y Columbus Sliders a través de las redes locales de Gray.
La cobertura comenzará con los eventos MLP Orlando (24-27 de abril) y MLP Columbus (1-4 de mayo), con partidos en Peachtree Sports Network, Palmetto Entertainment and Sports Network, Matrix Midwest y Rock Entertainment Sports Network. La temporada 2025 de MLP incluye 10 eventos de temporada regular, un torneo de mitad de temporada y dos semanas de playoffs de abril a agosto, además de la MLP Cup en noviembre.
Gray Media, el mayor propietario nacional de estaciones de televisión locales de primer nivel, alcanza aproximadamente al 37% de los hogares con televisión en EE. UU. en 113 mercados, con 78 mercados que cuentan con la estación de televisión más vista y 99 mercados con estaciones clasificadas en primer o segundo lugar durante 2024.
Gray Media (NYSE: GTN)와 Major League Pickleball (MLP)은 2025 시즌을 위해 여러 팀 시장에서 MLP 이벤트 배포를 확대하기 위해 지역 미디어 파트너십을 발표했습니다. 이 파트너십을 통해 Atlanta Bouncers, Carolina Hogs, St. Louis Shock, Columbus Sliders의 경기가 Gray의 지역 네트워크를 통해 방송됩니다.
방송은 MLP Orlando(4월 24-27일)와 MLP Columbus(5월 1-4일) 이벤트부터 시작되며, Peachtree Sports Network, Palmetto Entertainment and Sports Network, Matrix Midwest, Rock Entertainment Sports Network에서 경기가 중계됩니다. 2025 MLP 시즌은 10개의 정규 시즌 이벤트, 중간 시즌 토너먼트, 4월부터 8월까지 2주간의 플레이오프, 그리고 11월의 MLP 컵으로 구성됩니다.
Gray Media는 미국 내 최고 등급의 지역 TV 방송국을 가장 많이 보유한 회사로, 113개 시장에서 약 미국 TV 가구의 37%에 도달하며, 2024년에는 78개 시장에서 최고 시청률 방송국을, 99개 시장에서 1위 또는 2위 시청률 방송국을 보유하고 있습니다.
Gray Media (NYSE : GTN) et Major League Pickleball (MLP) ont annoncé des partenariats avec des médias locaux afin d'étendre la diffusion des événements MLP dans plusieurs marchés d'équipes pour la saison 2025. Ce partenariat diffusera les matchs des Atlanta Bouncers, Carolina Hogs, St. Louis Shock et Columbus Sliders via les réseaux locaux de Gray.
La couverture débutera avec les événements MLP Orlando (24-27 avril) et MLP Columbus (1-4 mai), avec des matchs diffusés sur Peachtree Sports Network, Palmetto Entertainment and Sports Network, Matrix Midwest et Rock Entertainment Sports Network. La saison 2025 de la MLP comprend 10 événements de saison régulière, un tournoi de mi-saison et deux semaines de playoffs d'avril à août, ainsi que la MLP Cup en novembre.
Gray Media, le plus grand propriétaire national de stations de télévision locales de premier plan, atteint environ 37 % des foyers télévisés américains dans 113 marchés, avec 78 marchés disposant de la station de télévision la mieux notée et 99 marchés avec les stations classées première ou deuxième en 2024.
Gray Media (NYSE: GTN) und Major League Pickleball (MLP) haben lokale Medienpartnerschaften angekündigt, um die Verbreitung von MLP-Veranstaltungen in mehreren Teammärkten für die Saison 2025 zu erweitern. Die Partnerschaft wird Spiele der Atlanta Bouncers, Carolina Hogs, St. Louis Shock und Columbus Sliders über Grays lokale Netzwerke übertragen.
Die Berichterstattung beginnt mit den MLP-Events in Orlando (24.-27. April) und Columbus (1.-4. Mai), mit Spielen auf dem Peachtree Sports Network, Palmetto Entertainment and Sports Network, Matrix Midwest und Rock Entertainment Sports Network. Die MLP-Saison 2025 umfasst 10 reguläre Saisonveranstaltungen, ein Mid-Season-Turnier und zwei Wochen Playoffs von April bis August sowie den MLP Cup im November.
Gray Media, der landesweit größte Eigentümer von erstklassigen lokalen Fernsehsendern, erreicht etwa 37 Prozent der US-Fernsehhaushalte in 113 Märkten, wobei 78 Märkte den meistgesehenen Fernsehsender und 99 Märkte die erst- oder zweitbestbewerteten Sender im Jahr 2024 haben.
- Expansion into new local markets increases GTN's sports content portfolio
- Partnership capitalizes on pickleball's growing popularity with 20+ million players
- Leverages GTN's strong market position as largest owner of top-rated local TV stations
- Financial terms of the broadcasting agreement not disclosed
- initial coverage to only 4 team markets
Collection of Atlanta Bouncers, Carolina Hogs, St. Louis Shock, and Columbus Sliders Matches to Air Locally This Season
ATLANTA, April 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Major League Pickleball (MLP presented by DoorDash) and Gray Media today announced local media partnerships that will provide expanded distribution in multiple MLP team markets during the 2025 season, bringing thrilling, professional coed team pickleball to local fans.
Viewers in the Atlanta Bouncers, Carolina Hogs, St. Louis Shock, and Columbus Sliders home markets and surrounding markets can expect a collection of team matches to air throughout the season, beginning with the league’s first two events - MLP Orlando (Apr. 24-27) and MLP Columbus (May 1-4).
The broadcast schedule is as follows:
Atlanta Bouncers matches on Peachtree Sports Network
- Saturday, Apr. 26, at 2 p.m. ET vs. New Jersey 5s (MLP Orlando)
- Friday, May 2, at 4 p.m. ET vs. Chicago Slice (MLP Columbus)
- Sunday, May 4, at 2:30 p.m. ET vs. Columbus Sliders (MLP Columbus)
Carolina Hogs matches on the Palmetto Entertainment and Sports Network
- Saturday, Apr. 26, at Noon ET vs. defending champion Dallas Flash (MLP Orlando)
- Friday, May 2, at 2 p.m. ET vs. Orlando Squeeze (MLP Columbus)
St. Louis Shock matches on Matrix Midwest
- Sunday, Apr. 27, at 11 a.m. ET vs. D.C. Pickleball Team (MLP Orlando)
- Thursday, May 1, at 4 p.m. ET vs. Atlanta Bouncers (MLP Columbus)
- Saturday, May 3, at 2 p.m. ET vs. Columbus Sliders (MLP Columbus)
Columbus Sliders matches on Rock Entertainment Sports Network
- Friday, April 25, at Noon ET vs. Dallas Flash (MLP Orlando)
- Saturday, May 3, at 2 p.m. ET vs. St. Louis Shock (MLP Columbus)
- Sunday, May 4, at 2:30 p.m. ET vs. Atlanta Bouncers (MLP Columbus)
“Growth in pickleball has been incredible over the past few years with the sport now being played by over 20 million people,” said Samin Odhwani, UPA Chief Strategy Officer. “We are excited to continue serving that audience and others by bringing Major League Pickleball to the masses and working with an incredible partner like Gray Media to serve fan bases in our local MLP team markets.”
“Gray is constantly adding new options to our free, over-the-air broadcast sports networks and we are excited to bring this coverage to the passionate and fast-growing Major League Pickleball fan base,” said Sandy Breland, Chief Operating Officer of Gray Media.
The 2025 MLP season will feature a collection of 10 regular season events, the Mid-Season Tournament, and two weeks of the 2025 MLP Playoffs - all from April-August - in addition to the standalone MLP Cup in November. Full match scheduling and additional distribution information - on top of full event coverage on Pickleballtv and the Pickleballtv App - will be made available roughly 30 days prior to each event.
Check local listings for more information.
About Gray Media:
Gray Media, Inc. (NYSE: GTN) is a multimedia company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The company is the nation’s largest owner of top-rated local television stations and digital assets serving 113 television markets that collectively reach approximately 37 percent of US television households. The portfolio includes 78 markets with the top-rated television station and 99 markets with the first and/or second highest rated television station during 2024, as well as the largest Telemundo Affiliate group with 44 markets. The company also owns Gray Digital Media, a full-service digital agency offering national and local clients digital marketing strategies with the most advanced digital products and services. Gray’s additional media properties include video production companies Raycom Sports, Tupelo Media Group, and PowerNation Studios, and studio production facilities Assembly Atlanta and Third Rail Studios. For more information, please visit www.graymedia.com.
Gray Contacts:
Sandy Breland, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, 404-266-8333
Joshua Pila, Vice President, Senior Programming and Production Counsel, 404-266-8333
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