Scripps Sports has secured a multi‑year broadcast partnership with Professional Bull Riders (PBR) to bring Premier Women’s Rodeo (PWR) exclusively to its national television networks ION and Grit, with the first PWR Championship scheduled to air on May 17 2026.
The deal expands Scripps’ already robust women’s sports lineup—already featuring the WNBA, NWSL, and PWHL—by adding a high‑profile, all‑women event that aligns with the company’s strategy to capture premium, must‑watch content and attract new advertiser categories. PWR’s growing fan base dovetails with ION’s FAST positioning and Grit’s Western‑themed brand, creating cross‑segment synergies across the company’s broadcast and streaming platforms.
PWR, a new venture from PBR that evolved from the Women’s Rodeo Championships launched in 2020, has already distributed nearly $4.5 million to women athletes and offered a $1.25 million payout in 2025. The 2026 championship will feature a $803,000 total payout. ION reaches more than 126 million U.S. households, while Grit’s audience grew 18 % in 2023 to an average of 513,000 daily viewers. Scripps’ 2020 acquisition of ION Media for $2.65 billion and ION’s 2019 revenue of $587 million underscore the strategic value of adding a high‑profile sports property to its portfolio.
Brian Lawlor, president of Scripps Sports, said the partnership “embodies the dynamic, high‑energy competition that today’s audiences are actively seeking, and it reinforces our commitment to elevating women’s sports.” Keisha Taylor Starr, Scripps’ chief marketing officer, added that the deal “fits perfectly with Grit’s evolution into a contemporary Western network and will engage a new generation of fans with the modern trailblazers of PWR.”
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