Major League Soccer (MLS) side Columbus Crew have struck a new regional TV rights partnership with Sinclair Broadcast Group and Time Warner Cable.
Under the deal, Sinclair’s local satellite stations and the Time Warner Cable SportsChannel cable offering will combine to provide coverage of all 31 of the Crew’s regionally televised regular-season matches this year.
The bulk of the matches will be aired on Sinclair’s The CW Columbus channel, which will serve as the club’s flagship station and is expected to show 25 fixtures this year.
The new multi-platform deal also carries no territory restrictions, which means Crew fans will be able to tune into regional broadcasts no matter where they are located in the US through MLS Live, the league’s digital service, and MLS Direct Kick, a separate cable and satellite product.
“We look forward to our television partnership with The CW Columbus, its Sinclair operated sister stations and Time Warner Cable SportsChannel throughout Ohio,” said Columbus Crew chairman Anthony Precourt.
“We heard our supporters loudly and we have taken steps to not only improve our overall distribution, but also enhance Crew SC accessibility across new platforms.”
The Crew begin their 2016 MLS campaign against the Portland Timbers this coming Sunday.
