While Atlanta waits to see whether or not it will have its own professional hockey team, live pro hockey is coming to Atlanta television.
Only it’s from a team based 250 miles northwest of Atlanta.
Nashville Predators National Hockey League games will be broadcast locally in the Atlanta television market through a partnership with Fox-owned and operated WAGA TV, Channel 5, and Scripps Sports, both companies announced today. Scripps Sports, whose parent company is broadcaster E. W. Scripps, produces and distributes the games. 81 regular season games will be seen on Fox 5’s digital channel 5.3, the home of the game show network, Buzzr. Some games may also be seen on Fox 5’s main broadcast signal, according to media trade website The Desk.net.
Buzzr will remain on the channel, but programming will be preempted when Predator games are on. The regular season starts October 1st, vs. the Minnesota Wild.
Atlanta will be one of a network of stations that will carry the games throughout the Southeast. Scripps-owned stations in Nashville (Ion affiliate WNPX and CBS affiliate WTVF) will carry the games, along with stations in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama. Each game will feature a half-hour pregame and postgame show, hosted by Willy Daunic, Chris Mason, Hall Gill, Lyndsay Rowley, and Kara Hammer.
“Atlanta has a proud hockey history, and FOX 5 is excited to bring NHL action back to viewers across our community,” said Bill Schneider, FOX 5 Atlanta senior vice president and general manager, in a statement. “We’re proud that FOX 5 can now give Atlanta fans a local destination to watch the Nashville Predators all season long.”
“Atlanta represents a significant market opportunity for NHL coverage, and this partnership with FOX 5 allows us to bring compelling hockey content to fans who have been underserved in this sport,” said Scripps Sports president Brian Lawlor. Scripps Sports’ parent company, Scripps, owns local Atlanta Ion affiliate WPXA Channel 14.
According to ESPN, the league stated it has received active interest from groups wanting to start an expansion team in Atlanta. The process, according to the NHL, is currently not yet open, but the estimated franchise fees for a possible Atlanta team could run upwards of $2 billion.
The city has had local pro hockey clubs before, with the Atlanta Flames and Atlanta Thrashers.
