Cincinnati Reds Partner with Gray Media and WXIX FOX19 to Bring Fans Free Over-the-Air Reds Games

Rhea-AI Summary

Gray Media (NYSE: GTN) and the Cincinnati Reds agreed to a two-year deal to simulcast 10 regular-season games per season on free over-the-air TV, beginning with Reds Opening Day on March 26. Games will air on Gray-owned stations, Rock Entertainment Sports Network, and across Reds Country in seven states, reaching 17 communities.

The schedule includes Opening Day and nine “Red Hot Mondays,” with all times listed in EST. Coverage will feature WXIX FOX19 reporting and regional sports staff.

Positive

• Two-year agreement for OTA simulcasts of Reds games
• 10 regular-season games per season, including Opening Day
• Distribution across seven states and 17 communities
• Gray reaches ~37% of US television households (company-stated)

Negative

• Limited scale: only 10 games per season may constrain impact
• Regional reach: simulcasts limited to Gray-owned stations and affiliates

Key Figures

Regular-season simulcasts: 10 games per season Agreement term: 2-year agreement Reds Country states: 7 states +5 more

8 metrics

Regular-season simulcasts 10 games per season Number of Reds games Gray will simulcast each season

Agreement term 2-year agreement Length of partnership between Cincinnati Reds and Gray Media

Reds Country states 7 states Coverage footprint for the simulcast package

Communities reached 17 communities Number of communities receiving additional OTA access to Reds games

TV markets served 114 markets Gray’s full-power television markets across the U.S.

Household reach 37% of U.S. TV households Share of U.S. TV households reached by Gray stations

Top-rated stations 77 markets Markets where Gray owns the top-rated local station

Telemundo affiliates 47 markets Size of Gray’s Telemundo affiliate group

Market Reality Check

Price: $5.39 Vol: Volume 1,131,812 is below...

low vol

$5.39 Last Close

Volume Volume 1,131,812 is below the 20-day average of 1,658,079, suggesting no outsized reaction. low

Technical Shares at $5.39, trading above the 200-day MA of $4.91 and about 14.5% below the 52-week high.

Peers on Argus

GTN is down 1.46% with 2 tracked peers also moving down (median about -8.6%), po...

2 Down

GTN is down 1.46% with 2 tracked peers also moving down (median about -8.6%), pointing to broader broadcasting weakness rather than this Reds partnership alone.

Previous Partnership Reports

5 past events · Latest: Feb 24 (Positive)

Same Type Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Feb 24	Sports partnership	Positive	+0.0%	Multi-year regional TV deal for Portland Fire and Thorns games.
Feb 12	Sports partnership	Positive	-3.3%	Expanded Cardinals Home Plate package with hundreds of OTA programming hours.
Feb 03	Sports partnership	Positive	-2.0%	Extended 2026 Royals partnership delivering select free games across 8 states.
Nov 11	Sports partnership	Positive	-3.2%	Expanded Grizzlies package of seven free games across multiple Southern markets.
Aug 28	Sports partnership	Positive	-2.4%	Dallas Stars NHL simulcast of 17 games across 15 outer markets.

Pattern Detected

Sports broadcast partnerships have typically seen flat-to-negative next-day moves for GTN.

Recent Company History

This announcement continues Gray Media’s strategy of partnering with major sports franchises to expand free over-the-air coverage. Recent partnership deals with the Portland Fire and Thorns, St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Royals, Memphis Grizzlies, and Dallas Stars all focused on multi-market distribution of live games and related programming. Despite generally positive strategic implications, these five partnership headlines produced an average next-day move of about -2.17%, indicating subdued or cautious market reactions to this theme so far.

Historical Comparison

-2.2% avg move · Past partnership headlines (Cardinals, Royals, Grizzlies, Stars, Portland clubs) saw an average move...

partnership

-2.2%

Average Historical Move partnership

Past partnership headlines (Cardinals, Royals, Grizzlies, Stars, Portland clubs) saw an average move of -2.17%, so any strong price reaction to this Reds deal would mark a deviation.

Across multiple seasons and leagues, Gray has steadily broadened free over-the-air sports coverage, adding MLB, NHL, NBA and women’s sports partnerships across numerous states and markets.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement adds Cincinnati Reds games to Gray Media’s growing slate of free over-the-air spor...

Analysis

This announcement adds Cincinnati Reds games to Gray Media’s growing slate of free over-the-air sports content, with 10 regular-season simulcasts per year across 7 states and 17 communities. It mirrors recent partnerships with MLB, NHL and NBA teams, expanding Gray’s reach across 114 markets and about 37% of U.S. TV households. Investors may track how such deals influence viewership, advertising demand, and future sports-rights strategy over time.

Key Terms

over-the-air (ota) television, simulcast

2 terms

over-the-air (ota) television technical

"to simulcast a select number of regular-season Reds games on free, over-the-air (OTA) television."

Over-the-air (OTA) television is television broadcast free to viewers using radio-like signals sent through the air and picked up with an antenna, rather than delivered via cable, satellite, or the internet. It matters to investors because OTA channels reach audiences without subscription fees, creating ad-supported viewership and influencing advertising revenue, audience measurement, and the value of broadcast licenses and transmission infrastructure—similar to a free stage that draws passersby for sponsors.

simulcast technical

"Gray Media will simulcast 10 regular-season games per season, including Reds Opening Day"

A simulcast is a live event or announcement transmitted at the same time across multiple channels—such as webcast, radio, TV, or social platforms—so all viewers hear the same information simultaneously. For investors it matters because simultaneous distribution reduces the chance that some people get material news earlier than others, improving fairness and allowing everyone to react based on the same real-time information, much like multiple rooms watching the same live feed.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

ATLANTA, March 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Cincinnati Reds today announced a new partnership with Gray Media and WXIX FOX19 to simulcast a select number of regular-season Reds games on free, over-the-air (OTA) television.

Under the two-year agreement, Gray Media will simulcast 10 regular-season games per season, including Reds Opening Day on March 26, making the broadcasts available to fans on Gray-owned television stations in Cincinnati, Rock Entertainment Sports Network, and throughout Reds Country in seven states.

The first simulcast will air on Reds Opening Day, Thursday, March 26, followed by nine additional “Red Hot Mondays” games. All game times are EST.           

Thursday, March 26	Reds vs. Boston Red Sox	4:10 p.m.
Monday, April 20	Reds at Tampa Bay Rays	6:40 p.m.
Monday, May 4	Reds at Chicago Cubs	7:40 p.m.
Monday, May 18	Reds at Philadelphia Phillies	6:40 p.m.
Monday, June 1	Reds vs. Kansas City Royals	7:10 p.m.
Monday, June 8	Reds vs. San Diego Padres	9:40 p.m.
Monday, June 15	Reds vs. New York Mets	7:10 p.m.
Monday, July 20	Reds at Seattle Mariners	9:40 p.m.
Monday, August 31	Reds vs. San Diego Padres	6:40 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 14	Reds vs. L.A. Dodgers	6:40 p.m.

“Making Reds baseball available through over-the-air television is a win for our fans,” said Doug Healy, Reds Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. “Our partnership with Gray Media provides fans in 17 communities throughout Reds Country another opportunity to experience the excitement of Reds baseball.”

The games can be seen on Gray Media stations in the following markets:

Ohio:	Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo
Kentucky:	Bowling Green, Lexington, Louisville
Indiana:	Evansville, Ft. Wayne, South Bend
West Virginia:	Charleston-Huntington
Tennessee:	Chattanooga, Knoxville, Nashville, Memphis
North Carolina:	Charlotte
South Carolina:	Greenville-Spartanburg

                

"Gray's extensive television station footprint provides a great home for Reds baseball, free over-the-air," said Sandy Breland, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Gray Media.  "We appreciate our relationship with the Reds, Major League Baseball, and most importantly, the fans."

Fans will be able to see expanded Cincinnati Reds coverage on WXIX Fox19 from their award-winning reporters, including the FOX19 Sports Team of Joe Danneman, Jeremy Rauch, Gabi Sorrentino, and Regan Holgate. Danneman, FOX19’s Sports Director, has won three regional Emmy Awards for his work and was also named the 2024 Ohio Sports Broadcaster of the Year by the National Sports Media Association.

#        #        #

About Gray Media:
Gray Media, Inc. (NYSE: GTN) is a multimedia company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. We are the nation’s largest owner of top-rated local television stations and digital assets serving 114 full-power television markets that collectively reach approximately 37% of US television households. The portfolio includes 77 markets with the top-rated television station and 97 markets with the first and/or second highest rated television station in average all-day ratings across the 113 of such markets that were measured by Nielsen in 2025. We also own the largest Telemundo Affiliate group with 47 markets and Gray Digital Media, a full-service digital agency offering national and local clients digital marketing strategies with the most advanced digital products and services. Our 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.

Gray Contact:

Sandy Breland | Executive Vice President and COO | 404-266-8333

FAQ

How many Cincinnati Reds games will Gray Media simulcast under the March 9, 2026 agreement (GTN)?

Gray Media will simulcast 10 regular-season Reds games per season, according to the company. The deal runs two years and includes Opening Day plus nine additional “Red Hot Mondays,” all broadcast times listed in EST.

When does the first Gray Media (GTN) simulcast of a Cincinnati Reds game air in 2026?

The first simulcast airs on Opening Day, Thursday, March 26, 2026 at 4:10 p.m. EST, according to the company. Subsequent games follow on specified Monday dates as part of the 10-game schedule.

Which markets will carry the Cincinnati Reds games on Gray Media (GTN) and WXIX FOX19?

Games will air on Gray-owned stations in seven states covering 17 communities, including Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Louisville, Lexington, Charlotte, and Greenville-Spartanburg, according to the company.

Will the Gray Media (GTN) simulcasts include local WXIX FOX19 coverage and reporters?

Yes. WXIX FOX19 will provide expanded coverage featuring its FOX19 Sports Team, including Joe Danneman and other regional reporters, according to the company.

How long is the Gray Media (GTN) and Cincinnati Reds simulcast agreement and what is its scope?

The agreement spans two years and covers 10 regular-season games per season, simulcast on Gray-owned television stations and Rock Entertainment Sports Network across Reds Country, according to the company.