ATHLOS Announces ION as Domestic Linear Broadcast Television Partner for Athlos NYC 2025

Rhea-AI Summary

ATHLOS has announced a multi-year partnership with ION (NYSE:SSP) as the domestic linear broadcast television partner for Athlos NYC 2025, a premier women's-only track and field event. The event will take place at Icahn Stadium on October 10, 2025, with ION broadcasting the main event at 7 p.m. ET, preceded by "Icons on ION" pre-show.

The event features elite athletes including Faith Kipyegon, Keely Hodgkinson, and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, with field competitions qualifying rounds in Times Square on October 9. The event will also stream on X and YouTube, reaching over 128 million homes through ION's various distribution channels.

Positive

• Partnership expands reach to over 128 million homes through ION's network
• Multi-year broadcast deal ensures long-term distribution stability
• Event will have multiple distribution channels including X and YouTube streaming

Negative

• None.

Insights

Media Distribution Analyst

Scripps expands women's sports portfolio with ATHLOS partnership, strengthening ION's position in the growing female athletics market.

This multi-year partnership between Scripps Sports and ATHLOS represents a strategic expansion of ION's women's sports programming lineup. The deal positions ION to broadcast the Athlos NYC event on October 10, 2025, and establishes a longer-term commitment to air the ATHLOS League going forward.

The agreement aligns perfectly with Scripps' existing women's sports portfolio that already includes the WNBA and NWSL, along with upcoming events like the SI Women's Games and Elevance Health Women's Fort Myers Tip-Off. This demonstrates Scripps' systematic approach to capturing market share in the rapidly growing women's sports broadcasting segment.

Distribution reach is particularly noteworthy here - ION's availability in over 128 million homes across pay TV, connected TV, free ad-supported streaming platforms, and over-the-air broadcasting provides significant audience potential. This extensive distribution network increases the partnership's value proposition for advertisers interested in reaching women's sports audiences.

While financial terms weren't disclosed, sports broadcasting rights typically generate revenue through advertising during live events, which remain one of the few programming categories that consistently deliver live viewership. The multi-platform approach (linear TV plus streaming on X and YouTube) also indicates Scripps is pursuing a modern distribution strategy that balances traditional broadcasting with digital reach.

This addition to Scripps' sports rights portfolio represents incremental content for ION's programming slate and demonstrates continued execution of their women's sports strategy, potentially creating new advertising inventory and audience growth opportunities.

Scripps Sports and ATHLOS enter a multi-year partnership beginning with Athlos NYC

NEW YORK, Sept. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- ATHLOS is proud to announce ION, one of the most-watched networks on television, as the domestic linear broadcast partner for this year's Athlos NYC, returning to Icahn Stadium on Oct. 10, 2025. 

As part of a new partnership with Scripps Sports, ION will broadcast this year's Athlos NYC – a first-of-its-kind women's-only track and field event – and is also committed to airing the ATHLOS League in a multi-year deal. Athlos NYC's broadcast on ION will also include a pre-show, "Icons on ION," before the official event broadcast begins at 7 p.m. ET. Range Sports worked with Seven Seven Six to secure media rights and distribution.

"We are thrilled to team up with ION as our broadcast partner for Athlos NYC," said Alexis Ohanian, Founder of Seven Seven Six and ATHLOS. "They've been tireless supporters of women's sports for years, and we're proud to have ATHLOS land alongside their WNBA and NWSL programming."

This year's Athlos NYC has already attracted the best-of-the-best in the sport. Headliners include an elite lineup of athletes: Faith Kipyegon, Keely Hodgkinson, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, Masai Russell, Marileidy Paulino and Brittany Brown on the track side, as well as Tara Davis-Woodhall, Jasmine Moore, Monae' Nichols and Quanesha Burks will compete in the long jump. This is ATHLOS' first-ever field competition, of which qualifying will take place in Times Square on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025.

"ATHLOS showcases remarkable athletes while building culture and community," said Brian Lawlor, president of Scripps Sports. "We look forward to bringing ATHLOS and its events to fans nationwide as we strengthen our commitment to elevating women's athletics in premium, live environments on ION."

ATHLOS joins Scripps Sports' lineup of top women's sports including partnerships with the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Coming this fall to ION is the inaugural SI Women's Games, an all-new, biennial all-star competition featuring elite athletes across seven sports in six days in partnership with Sports Illustrated, as well as the Elevance Health Women's Fort Myers Tip-Off – a premier early season college basketball tournament. ION is available on pay TV, connected TV, free ad-supported streaming platforms and over-the-air in more than 128 million homes.

Similar to last year, ATHLOS is committed to bringing track and field to as many audiences as possible. As such, the event on Oct. 10 will also stream online via X and YouTube. Additional streamers to be announced in the weeks ahead.

ATHLOS is more than just a track event; it is a call to arms, an invitation to push the pace and believe that the future is faster. It is pioneering a new era in women's running, creating a platform that honors and celebrates excellence while elevating the sport to new heights. Athlos NYC will fuse speed and sound, offering fans a unique way to see and support the world's fastest women. 

For ticket information, visit athlos.com. Follow us on social media @athlos to keep up with the athletes. 

Media Contacts:
Jenna Birch
Communications Lead, ATHLOS
jenna@sisubrandpr.com

Jim Weiss
The E.W. Scripps Company
Jim.Weiss@scripps.com 

About ATHLOS
ATHLOS is a first-of-its-kind track invitational bringing together the fastest women in the world to compete for the largest prize purse ever for a women's-only track and field event. ATHLOS provides fans a unique way to experience and celebrate the world's fastest women, marrying the competition of a track and field meet with the entertainment of a music festival to fully celebrate these incredible athletes as they reach for new heights in the sport. For more information, visit ATHLOS.com. 

About Seven Seven Six
Seven Seven Six is an early-stage venture capital firm with over $970M AUM and is focused on the intersection of product and people. Powered by the operating system Cerebro, at its heart, 776 is a technology company that deploys capital. The firm was founded in 2020 by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. Seven Seven Six invests across sectors, with investments spanning the creator economy, space, climate tech, sports, fintech, web3, healthcare, collectibles, AI, and more. For more information, visit sevensevensix.com. 

About ION
A leading general entertainment 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 more than 60 stations in more than 40 markets.

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 National Hockey League's (NHL) 2024 Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, the 2023 Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights, the Utah Mammoth, the Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA and the NCAA's Big Sky Conference. Scripps Sports is owned by The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP).

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SOURCE The E.W. Scripps Company; ATHLOS

FAQ

When and where will Athlos NYC 2025 take place?

Athlos NYC 2025 will take place at Icahn Stadium on October 10, 2025, with qualifying rounds for field competitions in Times Square on October 9, 2025.

What time will ION broadcast the Athlos NYC 2025 event?

ION will broadcast the main event at 7 p.m. ET, preceded by a pre-show called 'Icons on ION'.

Which notable athletes will compete in Athlos NYC 2025?

The event features elite athletes including Faith Kipyegon, Keely Hodgkinson, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, Marileidy Paulino, and Brittany Brown on the track, plus Tara Davis-Woodhall, Jasmine Moore, Monae' Nichols and Quanesha Burks in the long jump.

How can viewers watch Athlos NYC 2025?

Viewers can watch the event on ION's television network, which reaches over 128 million homes, or stream it online via X and YouTube. Additional streaming platforms will be announced later.

What other women's sports content does ION (NYSE:SSP) broadcast?

ION broadcasts the WNBA, NWSL, SI Women's Games, and the Elevance Health Women's Fort Myers Tip-Off college basketball tournament.