University of Tennessee Athletics, The Vol Network, and Gray Media Stations Sign Game-Changing Television Partnership
Gray Media (NYSE:GTN) has announced a groundbreaking partnership with University of Tennessee Athletics and the Vol Network, establishing Gray's stations as the Official Television Stations of the Tennessee Volunteers. The partnership, extending through June 2028, will operate through the newly launched Tennessee Valley Sports Network (TVSN), covering Tennessee's three largest markets.
The partnership will deliver over seven hours of exclusive Tennessee Athletics content, including a new football pre-game show called "Volunteer Gameday." The show will feature Mike Keith, Brittany Tarwater, and former Tennessee quarterback Heath Shuler. TVSN will leverage Gray's flagship stations in Knoxville (WVLT), Nashville (WSMV), and Memphis (WMC) to reach across East, Middle, and West Tennessee, with plans to expand to Chattanooga and Jackson.
Gray Media (NYSE:GTN) ha annunciato una partnership rivoluzionaria con l'Athletics dell'Università del Tennessee e la Vol Network, designando le stazioni di Gray come le Stazioni Televisive Ufficiali dei Tennessee Volunteers. La collaborazione, valida fino a giugno 2028, sarà gestita attraverso la nuova Tennessee Valley Sports Network (TVSN), che coprirà i tre mercati più grandi del Tennessee.
La partnership offrirà oltre sette ore di contenuti esclusivi sull'Athletics del Tennessee, incluso un nuovo programma pre-partita di football chiamato "Volunteer Gameday." Il programma vedrà la partecipazione di Mike Keith, Brittany Tarwater e dell'ex quarterback del Tennessee Heath Shuler. TVSN utilizzerà le stazioni principali di Gray a Knoxville (WVLT), Nashville (WSMV) e Memphis (WMC) per raggiungere l'Est, il Centro e l'Ovest del Tennessee, con piani di espansione verso Chattanooga e Jackson.
Gray Media (NYSE:GTN) ha anunciado una asociación innovadora con la Universidad de Tennessee Athletics y la Vol Network, estableciendo las estaciones de Gray como las Estaciones Oficiales de Televisión de los Tennessee Volunteers. La asociación, que se extiende hasta junio de 2028, operará a través de la recién lanzada Tennessee Valley Sports Network (TVSN), cubriendo los tres mercados más grandes de Tennessee.
La colaboración ofrecerá más de siete horas de contenido exclusivo de Tennessee Athletics, incluyendo un nuevo programa pre-partido de fútbol americano llamado "Volunteer Gameday." El programa contará con Mike Keith, Brittany Tarwater y el ex mariscal de campo de Tennessee Heath Shuler. TVSN aprovechará las estaciones principales de Gray en Knoxville (WVLT), Nashville (WSMV) y Memphis (WMC) para llegar a todo el este, centro y oeste de Tennessee, con planes de expansión a Chattanooga y Jackson.
Gray Media (NYSE:GTN)는 테네시 대학교 육상팀과 Vol Network와의 획기적인 파트너십을 발표하며, Gray의 방송국을 테네시 볼런티어스 공식 텔레비전 방송국으로 지정했습니다. 이 파트너십은 2028년 6월까지 이어지며, 새로 출범한 Tennessee Valley Sports Network (TVSN)를 통해 테네시의 세 개 주요 시장을 아우릅니다.
이번 협력을 통해 7시간 이상의 독점 테네시 육상 콘텐츠가 제공되며, "Volunteer Gameday"라는 새로운 미식축구 경기 전 프로그램이 포함됩니다. 이 프로그램에는 Mike Keith, Brittany Tarwater, 그리고 전 테네시 쿼터백 Heath Shuler가 출연합니다. TVSN은 Knoxville(WVLT), Nashville(WSMV), Memphis(WMC)에 위치한 Gray의 주요 방송국을 활용해 동부, 중부, 서부 테네시 전역에 방송하며, Chattanooga와 Jackson으로의 확장도 계획 중입니다.
Gray Media (NYSE:GTN) a annoncé un partenariat révolutionnaire avec l'Université du Tennessee Athletics et le Vol Network, établissant les stations de Gray comme les stations de télévision officielles des Tennessee Volunteers. Ce partenariat, qui s'étend jusqu'en juin 2028, sera opéré via le nouveau Tennessee Valley Sports Network (TVSN), couvrant les trois plus grands marchés du Tennessee.
Le partenariat offrira plus de sept heures de contenu exclusif sur Tennessee Athletics, incluant une nouvelle émission d'avant-match de football intitulée "Volunteer Gameday." L'émission mettra en vedette Mike Keith, Brittany Tarwater et l'ancien quarterback du Tennessee Heath Shuler. TVSN utilisera les stations phares de Gray à Knoxville (WVLT), Nashville (WSMV) et Memphis (WMC) pour toucher l'Est, le Centre et l'Ouest du Tennessee, avec des plans d'expansion vers Chattanooga et Jackson.
Gray Media (NYSE:GTN) hat eine bahnbrechende Partnerschaft mit der University of Tennessee Athletics und dem Vol Network angekündigt und damit die Sender von Gray zu den offiziellen Fernsehsendern der Tennessee Volunteers erklärt. Die Partnerschaft, die bis Juni 2028 läuft, wird über das neu gestartete Tennessee Valley Sports Network (TVSN) betrieben und deckt die drei größten Märkte Tennessees ab.
Die Partnerschaft bietet über sieben Stunden exklusiven Tennessee Athletics-Inhalt, darunter eine neue Football-Vorberichtssendung namens "Volunteer Gameday." Die Sendung wird Mike Keith, Brittany Tarwater und den ehemaligen Tennessee-Quarterback Heath Shuler präsentieren. TVSN wird Grays Hauptsender in Knoxville (WVLT), Nashville (WSMV) und Memphis (WMC) nutzen, um Ost-, Mittel- und West-Tennessee zu erreichen, mit Plänen zur Erweiterung nach Chattanooga und Jackson.
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Insights
Gray Media secures valuable multi-year college sports broadcasting rights across Tennessee's major markets, strengthening regional dominance and diversifying content assets.
This partnership represents a strategic content acquisition for Gray Media that strengthens its already dominant position in local television markets. The deal creates the Tennessee Valley Sports Network (TVSN) leveraging Gray's stations in Knoxville (WVLT), Nashville (WSMV), and Memphis (WMC) – effectively covering Tennessee's three largest media markets with plans to expand to Chattanooga and Jackson.
The agreement's significance lies in its exclusive content rights through June 2028, providing Gray with premium local sports programming including seven hours of Tennessee Athletics-related shows. Live sports content remains one of the most valuable assets in broadcasting due to its ability to attract consistent viewership and premium advertising rates. University of Tennessee has one of the largest college sports fan bases, creating substantial audience potential.
What makes this particularly valuable is the over-the-air distribution model, allowing Gray to reach cord-cutters while building a regional sports network without the carriage fee negotiations typical of cable sports networks. This represents a modern approach to local sports broadcasting that plays to Gray's strengths in local television while addressing changing media consumption patterns.
The deal enhances Gray's competitive position against both traditional broadcasters and streaming services by securing exclusive local content that national platforms cannot easily replicate. For investors, this represents Gray's continued execution of its strategy to dominate local markets with high-value content while developing regional scale across its station portfolio.
ATLANTA, July 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- University of Tennessee Athletics, the Vol Network, and Gray Media announced today a first of its kind agreement with WVLT in Knoxville, WSMV in Nashville, and WMC in Memphis naming them as the Official Television Stations of the Tennessee Volunteers. This game-changing partnership will deliver more television coverage of Tennessee Athletics than ever before to local audiences.
This partnership will cover the three largest markets in Tennessee through Gray’s newly launched Tennessee Valley Sports Network (TVSN), with plans to expand to Chattanooga and Jackson. TVSN will feature locally produced sports and entertainment content powered by Gray’s Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville affiliates. This content is provided to viewers free over the air. Viewers can expect to find over seven hours of exclusive Tennessee Athletics-related shows, including a new football pre-game show this fall. Volunteer Gameday will air live two hours prior to kick off from Neyland Stadium or any road game on TVSN. The show will feature the “Voice of the Vols” Mike Keith, WVLT award-winning anchor Brittany Tarwater, along with former Tennessee quarterback Heath Shuler.
“This has been a vision for several years and seeing it come together for Vol fans across the state is gratifying! We are excited to broadcast Tennessee Sports and Gameday content throughout the week to better serve one of the largest fan bases in college sports. We are thrilled to further our relationship with the Vol Network and Volquest and look forward to being the new standard in college sports media partnerships,” said Gray’s Regional Vice President and WSMV General Manager Jasmine Hardin.
This partnership allows Tennessee Athletics content to leverage Gray’s flagship stations to reach across all three grand divisions of the state – East, Middle, and West Tennessee.
“Gray’s ability to broadcast and feature UT Athletics statewide, by developing the Tennessee Valley Sports and Entertainment Network, has enhanced our longstanding relationship with the University of Tennessee and the Vol Network,” explained WVLT General Manager Bruce Austin. In addition to Volunteer Gameday, Tennessee Athletics and TVSN will deliver more television content to Tennessee fans than ever before, with additional programming announcements coming this fall. Viewers can also expect regular exclusive analysis and insights about the school’s athletics programs from Volquest personalities Brent Hubbs, Austin Price, Rob Lewis, and Grant Ramey.
“We are proud to announce our partnership with Gray Media to launch a game-changing network for Tennessee Athletics,” Tennessee Deputy Athletics Director/Chief Marketing Officer Alicia Longworth said. “This initiative will seamlessly connect the entire Volunteer State, providing our dedicated fan base with an exceptional platform to access unique content year-round. Fans can look forward to exclusive programming featuring the ‘Voice of the Vols’ Mike Keith, among many other highlights.”
“The Vol Network has pioneered sports television programming for decades, and we are pleased to take another bold and exciting step with the introduction of Volunteer Gameday,” said Brandon Parks, Vice President and General Manager of the Vol Network. “With the show originating from the game site, we have an opportunity to show viewers a live look at how special the UT campus is before kickoff. In addition to the Saturday show, we are eager to introduce other new and first-of-its-kind programming, together with our long-term partner, WVLT. Being a cornerstone of the Tennessee Valley Sports Network gives us valuable multi-market visibility and a fresh platform to better serve fans across the state. It is an exciting new chapter for Tennessee sports television.”
This partnership will continue through June 2028. The Vol Network, the locally based team of Learfield – the media and technology company powering college athletics – is the exclusive multimedia rights holder for Tennessee Athletics and oversees all sponsorship agreements on behalf of the athletics department.
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 Contact:
Sandy Breland, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, 404-266-8333
About the University of Tennessee:
Founded Sept. 10, 1794, in Knoxville, Tenn., as Blount College, the University of Tennessee began playing sports in 1891. Over the last century-plus, Tennessee has developed into one of the nation's premier athletic departments. Home to the Volunteers and Lady Volunteers, all clad in the University's distinguished and recognizable Big Orange, UT has produced 24 team national championships, nearly 200 individual national championships and well over 200 conference titles. Tennessee student-athletes excel not only in the competition venue, but also in the classroom and the community.
University of Tennessee Contact:
Jason Baum, Executive Associate Athletics Director of Brand Advancement / Chief Communications Officer, 201-966-6338
About Learfield:
Learfield is the leading media and technology company powering college athletics. Through its digital and physical platforms, Learfield owns and leverages a deep data set and relationships in the industry to drive revenue, growth, brand awareness, and fan engagement for brands, sports, and entertainment properties. With ties to over 1,200 collegiate institutions and over 12,000 local and national brand partners, Learfield’s presence in college sports and live events delivers influence and maximizes reach to target audiences. With solutions for a 365-day, 24/7 fan experience, Learfield enables schools and brands to connect with fans through licensed merchandise, game ticketing, donor identification for athletic programs, exclusive custom content, innovative marketing initiatives, NIL solutions, and advanced digital platforms. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed Learfield Directors’ Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.
Learfield Contact:
Brandon Parks, Vice President / General Manager – The Vol Network, 865-212-3670
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