Scripps Closes Upfront With Huge Demand for Women’s Sports

Speaking with ADWEEK about this year’s upfront talks, several buyers noted that women’s sports saw an increase in demand, with Scripps notably standing out as a publisher that saw benefits outside the top conglomerates.

And according to Norris, that increased demand helped boost the network’s other offerings.

In addition to women’s sports, Scripps’ upfront pitch touted an ION rebrand, as the company made the network more focused on sports, general entertainment, and live events. The rebrand included a new on-air look, with the branding reflected on ION Mystery, the company’s home for thrillers and docuseries, and its ION Plus FAST channel.

The company also showcased its multicultural reach, including its 46% multicultural audience, and new offerings across its networks, such as Bounce.

“All of these outcomes are a direct result of the commitment that we’ve made to women’s sports because we’re now giving advertisers the ability to discover everything else within the portfolio,” Norris said. “Whether it’s the general entertainment programming on ION, whether it’s our multicultural programming on Bounce, these advertisers are coming to us.”