ALLY AND SCRIPPS SPORTS PARTNER WITH PWHL TO DELIVER FIRST-EVER NATIONALLY TELEVISED GAME IN U.S.
Rhea-AI Summary
Scripps Sports (NASDAQ: SSP) and Ally (NYSE: ALLY) partnered with the Professional Women's Hockey League to air the first-ever nationally televised PWHL game in the U.S. on ION Saturday, March 28 at 1 p.m. ET from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
The telecast is available free over-the-air, via pay TV and streaming, reaching more than 126 million U.S. households. The announcement cites PWHL momentum: nearly 2 million all-time fans and 20% year-over-year attendance growth, plus a 16-game Takeover Tour and Olympic participation.
Positive
- National broadcast accessible to 126M+ U.S. households
- PWHL attendance up 20% YoY
- League approaching 2 million all-time fans
- 16-game Takeover Tour expands exposure
- 61 PWHL players competed at Milano Cortina 2026, 41 medals
Negative
- None.
News Market Reaction – SSP
On the day this news was published, SSP declined 2.40%, reflecting a moderate negative market reaction. Our momentum scanner triggered 2 alerts that day, indicating moderate trading interest and price volatility. This price movement removed approximately $9M from the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $371M at that time.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
Peers show mixed moves, with names like CURI up 3.81% while GTN is down 5.82%, suggesting today’s action in SSP is more company-specific than a unified broadcasting-sector move.
Previous Partnership Reports
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 15 | Sports ad partnership | Positive | -0.8% | Advertising tech partnership to boost women’s sports monetization on ION. |
| Jun 13 | Content collaboration | Positive | -4.7% | Editorial partnership for a special on age in the workforce. |
Partnership announcements have previously coincided with mildly negative next-day moves, suggesting the market has not rewarded this news type for SSP in the past year.
Recent partnership-related news for SSP has focused on content collaborations and expanding reach, including a 2025 advertising-tech tie-up to grow women’s sports monetization and a 2024 editorial partnership on workplace ageism. Those events produced average next-day moves of about -2.75%. Today’s women’s hockey broadcasting deal fits the pattern of SSP using partnerships to build audience and advertiser appeal around mission-driven content.
Historical Comparison
Past partnership news for SSP around mission-driven and sports content averaged a -2.75% move, so this women’s hockey broadcast deal extends an existing strategy rather than signaling a new direction.
Partnerships show a progression from women’s sports monetization and social-issue programming toward broader women’s sports visibility via national broadcasts.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement adds another sports property to ION’s women’s sports portfolio, giving the PWHL access to 126 million U.S. households and building on prior mission-driven partnerships. Historically, similar SSP collaborations have produced modest share moves. Investors may watch how audience growth, advertiser uptake, and subsequent sports-rights or distribution agreements evolve from this national exposure.
Key Terms
national linear television technical
connected TV technical
free, ad-supported streaming platforms technical
over-the-air technical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
ION to telecast New York Sirens vs. Montréal Victoire game Saturday, March 28 at 1 p.m. ET live from Little Caesars Arena in
Ally is presenting sponsor of both the historic broadcast and the 'Takeover Tour' game itself
[Click here to access company logos and select photos, courtesy: PWHL]
Through ION – which is available free over-the-air, via pay TV, connected TV and free, ad-supported streaming platforms – the game will be accessible to more than 126 million
The first-ever national broadcast comes at a time of unprecedented momentum for the PWHL. Now in its third season, the league is approaching two million all-time fans and seeing a
Ally is the presenting sponsor of both the historic telecast and the Takeover Tour game itself. The company has established a track record of game-changing investments in women's sports, delivering on its unprecedented 50/50 media equity pledge and intentionally expanding its sponsorship portfolio. Highlights include:
- Moving the NWSL Championship game to primetime broadcast for the first time ever (2022).
- Launching the Ally Tipoff, a premier early-season women's college basketball event (2023).
- Elevating the purse for the
U.S. Women's Open to the highest ever for women's golf (2024). - Committing early as the first founding partner of Unrivaled, the professional women's 3-on-3 basketball league (2025, play began).
Being the first broadcaster to bring the PWHL to a national audience is the latest addition to the commitment of Scripps Sports and its national broadcast network ION. In 2023, Scripps Sports made a promise to make it easier to be a women's sports fan in America. Since that time, Scripps Sports was the first:
- To create dedicated franchise nights for both the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).
- To present weekly national doubleheaders for the WNBA (Friday Nights) and NWSL (Saturday Nights).
- To launch dedicated studio shows supporting both leagues.
Currently, ION broadcasts more WNBA games and more NWSL matches than any other national broadcaster, along with Athlos 2026 and the Major League Volleyball Championships this coming May.
ION is available via pay TV, connected TV and free, ad-supported streaming platforms and free over-the-air. For more information on how to watch ION, visit iontelevision.com.
WPP Media helped facilitate and negotiate the partnership. The company has collaborated with Ally across various initiatives to help amplify the brand's commitment to women's sports, supporting increased visibility and investment in women's leagues and athletes.
QUOTES
"Fan interest in women's hockey is at an all-time high, buoyed by the amazing success of Team
"At Ally, we believe in deeds, not words. When you give women's sports the platform they deserve, fans show up, players show out, and the entire ecosystem benefits," said Andrea Brimmer, Ally's Chief Marketing and Public Relations Officer. "Our 50/50 pledge has always been about equal opportunities for women's sports in media. Delivering this historic PWHL broadcast with Scripps is the next step in elevating world-class athletes and giving fans unprecedented access. And doing it from our hometown of
"We are continuing to fuel this rocket ship that is the PWHL as we expand the reach and exposure of our league to new fans," said Amy Scheer, PWHL Executive Vice President of Business Operations. "This first‑ever national broadcast is a truly historic moment for our league, and with partners like Ally Financial and Scripps Sports, we're introducing more people to our fast-paced and exciting game than ever before."
About Ally Financial
Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE: ALLY) is a financial services company with the nation's largest all-digital bank and an industry-leading auto financing business, driven by a mission to "Do It Right" and be a relentless ally for customers and communities. The company serves customers with deposits and securities brokerage and investment advisory services as well as auto financing and insurance offerings. The company also includes a seasoned corporate finance business that offers capital for equity sponsors and middle-market companies. For more information, please visit www.ally.com.
For more information and disclosures about Ally, visit https://www.ally.com/#disclosures.
For further images and news on Ally, please visit http://media.ally.com.
About Scripps Sports / ION
About Scripps Sports
Scripps Sports serves professional and college sports leagues, conferences and teams with local market depth and national broadcast reach. Scripps Sports currently has partnerships with the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL), Major League Volleyball (MLV), Pro Cheer League (PCL), ATHLOS track-and-field, the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning, 2024 and 2025 Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, 2023 Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights, the Utah Mammoth, the Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA, Denver Summit FC of the NWSL and the NCAA's Big Sky Conference. Scripps Sports is owned by The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP).
About ION
A leading general entertainment and sports network, ION's lineup features major cable and broadcast shows, original series, live sports and special event programming. ION is part of The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP), a diversified media company focused on creating connection. As one of the nation's largest local TV broadcasters, Scripps serves communities with quality, objective local journalism and operates a portfolio of about 60 stations in 40 markets.
About the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL)
The Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) is a professional ice hockey league in
PWHL, the PWHL Logo, and PWHL team names and logos are trademarks of the PWHL. © PWHL 2026. All Rights Reserved.
Media Contact Information
- Ally - Christian Bochicchio - christian.bochicchio@ally.com
- PWHL - Press@thepwhl.com
- Scripps – Jim Weiss - jim.weiss@scripps.com
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SOURCE Ally Financial
FAQ
When will Scripps Sports (SSP) air the first nationally televised PWHL game?
How many U.S. households can access the PWHL broadcast on ION (SSP)?
What is Ally's (ALLY) role in the PWHL national telecast and Takeover Tour?
What growth metrics did the PWHL report that may interest SSP or ALLY investors?
How does the March 28 PWHL telecast affect Scripps Sports' (SSP) women's sports programming?
