University of Tennessee Athletics, The Vol Network, and Gray Media Stations Sign Game-Changing Television Partnership
Rhea-AI Summary
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.
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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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