Seattle Kraken and King 5 Media group announce TV partnership
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KING 5 Media Group and Seattle Kraken Announce Historic Broadcast Television Partnership
More than 70 games to be broadcast live on KING 5 and KONG, over-the-air for free
Seattle, WA – KING 5 Media Group today announced a monumental, multi-year partnership with the Seattle Kraken which allows Kraken fans to watch more than seventy games next season for free on broadcast television. Starting in the fall of 2024, all non-nationally televised games will be available on either KING 5 or KONG-TV, broadcast over-the-air for free.
“This partnership with the Seattle Kraken continues our commitment to lead the market with dedicated local sports programming and reporting,” said KING 5 president and general manager, Christy Moreno. “As broadcasters, we’re proud to serve our community by providing a free viewing experience to nearly every Kraken game. We’re equally proud to partner with the Kraken in the community, giving fans unparalleled access to the games and the Seattle Kraken franchise.”
KING 5 becomes the official television partner of the Seattle Kraken, taking fans behind the scenes with exclusive Kraken coverage led by sports director, Paul Silvi. In addition to the full slate of games, KING 5 will produce a weekly show dedicated to Seattle Kraken hockey along with comprehensive coverage throughout the year on various platforms.
“This is a pivotal moment for professional sports and we are excited to unite KING 5’s legacy of storytelling excellence with the sheer excitement of Seattle Kraken hockey,” said Silvi. “The Kraken and KING 5 are perfect partners to bring more hockey games and coverage to more fans across the Pacific Northwest and beyond.”
The KING 5 Media Group and the Kraken will lead advertising and sponsorship sales for all local games, also offering opportunities throughout Kraken-specific coverage within news and local programming.
“This is also an exciting time for our clients, giving local and regional brands the opportunity to fully align with professional sports,” said KING 5 director of sales, Frank Palino. “We’re thrilled to work together to bring unforgettable Seattle Kraken experiences to both fans and clients.”
Since joining the NHL in 2021, the league’s 32nd franchise has hosted the 2023-24 NHL Discover Winter Classic in front of a sold-out crowd of 47,313 fans, goneto the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs to defeat the reigning Stanley Cup champions Colorado Avalanche in the first round, and had their franchise first draft pick, Matty Beniers, take home the Calder Memorial Trophy for rookie of the year in 2022-23.
John Forslund, JT Brown, Eddie Olczyk, Alison Lukan and Nick Olczyk will continue broadcasting the games next season. Legendary play-by-play announcer John Forslund joined the team in 2021 alongside newly retired NHLer JT Brown and analytics expert, Alison Lukan. In season two, the team grew to include Stanley Cup-winner and U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer Eddie Olczyk in the booth, and award-winning broadcaster Nick Olczyk at the desk. The team’s broadcast has been widely praised and was named number one in The Athletic’s 2023 NHL broadcast rankings, voted by fans.
Information on the Kraken’s broadcast team is available at nhl.com/Kraken.
ABOUT THE SEATTLE KRAKEN
Joining the NHL in 2021, the Seattle Kraken are the league’s 32nd franchise and this season’s host of the 2024 Discover NHL Winter Classic. The 2023-24 NHL season is the team’s third at Climate Pledge Arena after a franchise-first playoff run during the 2022-23 season. Visitwww.nhl.com/kraken for the latest news and information including press releases, multimedia content, and the latest hires.
ABOUT KING 5 MEDIA GROUP
KING 5 Media Group is a multi-platform media company based in Seattle, WA. It includes NBC affiliate KING 5, independent station KONG-TV and numerous digital platforms, including king5.com and KING 5+, a 24/7 streaming platform. KING 5 was the first television station in the Pacific Northwest, founded in 1948 by Dorothy Bullitt, now owned by TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA), an innovative media company that serves the greater good of its communities. Today KING 5 is the dominant media company in the region, delivering the largest local news audience and the most local programming across all screens. For more information, go to www.king5.com.
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CONTACT:
Jay Yovanovich
Director of Marketing + Local Programming
Frank Palino
Director of Sales
