Starting this season, Pelicans fans can watch their team on TV for free.
The team finalized a new media rights deal with Gray Media to show all their non-exclusively nationally televised games on free TV.
“It will allow fans to watch free over-the-air Pelicans games throughout Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi in 11 markets, reaching nearly 4.1 million households and upwards of seven-million new viewers,” says Greg Bensel, senior vice president of communications/broadcasting/community & government relations.
While Gray Media is paying less money to secure the rights than the previous rightsholder, Bally Sports, Bensel says the team expects to make up for the lost revenue in other ways, especially through the increased viewership.
“What we’re looking at is the potential — the future for growth, growing our brand, getting into other markets in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama that we typically have not been in relative to TV access.”
The 11 stations that will carry Pelicans games will be branded the Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network.
“We’re going to work collaboratively with Gray to grow their Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network with programming that we can sell and sell advertising in,” says Bensel.
The Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network will be based out of WVUE-TV Fox 8 in New Orleans.
The Pelicans are currently working with stations in other markets to add them to the new network; and in the coming days, they expect to announce the launch of their new streaming service, Pelicans Plus.
“It will also include a lot of creative Pelicans content,” says Bensel. “It will also include Pelicans Live, our pregame show and halftime show and postgame show.”
The current list of stations which comprise the Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network:
- Alexandria, La.: KGLC 25.2
- Baton Rouge, La.: WAFB 9.3
- Biloxi, Miss.: WTBL 51.3
- Hattiesburg, Miss.: WLHA 18.2
- Jackson, Miss.: WLBT 3.3
- Lake Charles, La.: KGCH 32.1
- Meridian, Miss.: WOOK 15.5
- Mobile, Ala.: WALA 10.5
- Monroe, La.: KCWL 24.1
- New Orleans, La.: WVUE 7.1
- Shreveport, La.: KSLA 12.2
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