Sinclair Partners On New Multiscreen Venture

Sinclair Broadcast Group, Silver Chalice and 120 Sports announced plans Thursday to combine forces as equity partners on a new multi-platform sports network, featuring a linear broadcast and comprehensive digital offerings.

The network will be built through the merging of 120 Sports’ live studio operations, Silver Chalice’s Campus Insiders’ live collegiate games and Sinclair’s American Sports Network’s (ASN) distribution and live collegiate games.

The overall programming offering will take advantage of the professional and collegiate rights enjoyed by 120 Sports and Silver Chalice to maximize access to a broad array of post-game highlights, up-to-the-moment news, and original, long-form programming as well as full game archives provided by various partners.  

The existing linear network operated by ASN will be rebranded and improved. The broadcast component of the new, unified network, upon its launch scheduled for later this year, immediately will reach millions of homes on Sinclair-owned multicast channels, both over-the-air and in turn through carriage by multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs).  As viewer consumption habits evolve, the network will be well positioned to serve viewers with premium sports content on every screen.

“With this incomparable set of strategic partners, we are evolving ASN into a vastly improved network with access to exclusive content and a combined linear and premium OTT offering that is the model for the future of television,” said Chris Ripley, president-CEO of Sinclair. 

Additional announcements including a full programming schedule, new product offerings, network branding, distribution partners, sponsors and studio details will be made in the weeks ahead.

LionTree Advisors acted as exclusive financial advisor to 120 Sports and Silver Chalice on the transaction.