Scripps Bets on Women’s Sports With FAST Channel Built for Scale

Scripps Sports is making a bigger strategic push into free ad-supported streaming with the launch of a dedicated FAST channel built around women’s sports in the United States. The move reflects a broader shift in the media-rights market, where distributors are increasingly using women’s leagues to anchor affordable, high-engagement programming with clear advertiser appeal.

The new Scripps Sports Network is set to air more than 100 live games in 2026, with coverage spanning the Professional Women’s Hockey League, National Women’s Soccer League and Major League Volleyball. In addition, the channel will carry more than 100 hours of non-live WNBA content this year, along with programming from Scripps’ local rights deals involving individual men’s and women’s teams.

Beyond live competition, the service will lean on original series, documentaries and sports talk programming to create a fuller 24/7 viewing proposition. That approach is designed to increase viewing frequency, improve ad monetization and extend the value of rights already held across Scripps’ portfolio.

The channel launches on March 24 across major FAST platforms, with State Farm coming on board as a founding advertising partner. For Scripps, the partnership signals early commercial confidence in a distribution model that combines live sports, branded sponsorship and scalable inventory in one package.

Scripps, which operates Ion television and local stations across the US, formed its dedicated sports division in 2022 to pursue both local and national rights. Women’s sports have emerged as the centerpiece of that strategy, with leagues citing the broadcaster’s ability to deliver female audiences and consistent exposure as a competitive advantage in the rights market.

The FAST launch broadens that playbook. Rather than relying solely on traditional linear carriage, Scripps is using streaming to extend reach, create a distinct sports product for advertisers and target younger audiences that are increasingly difficult to capture through legacy television alone.

“Our recent live sports streaming growth tells us that fans are hungry for more,” Scripps Sports said in announcing the channel. “A dedicated 24/7 sports FAST channel allows us to further leverage our existing sports rights, create a platform for emerging league partnerships and grow our position in sports, particularly women’s sports, all while serving fans and marketing partners year-round.”