The Nashville Predators are set to shift their local television strategy. The team has agreed to a multiyear deal with Scripps Sports that will bring games back to over-the-air viewers beginning next season. Under the agreement, the team’s games will air on WNPX-TV, which will carry more than 70 preseason, regular-season and early-round playoff matchups each year that are not selected for national broadcasts.
According to a report by Sports Business Journal, the station will also undergo a rebrand. The new name will be “The Spot — Nashville 28,” aligning with similar efforts in other NHL markets.
The Predators become the latest franchise to partner with Scripps. They join the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights in moving away from the traditional regional sports network model.
Main Street Sports Group, which operates FanDuel-branded RSNs, is expected to cease operations following the opening round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Nashville had aired games on its regional network in various forms since entering the league in 1998. Scripps executives view Nashville as an ideal market for their free-to-air model.
The company owns multiple stations in the region. These include WTVF NewsChannel 5, which will support broadcasts through cross-promotion and expanded visibility. In addition to linear broadcasts, both sides plan to introduce a direct-to-consumer streaming option.
The strategy mirrors recent successes in other NHL markets. Teams that transitioned to over-the-air distribution have reported gains in audience size. Driven in part by increased household access and wider regional reach.
Predators CEO Sean Henry expects similar results. He noted the team could reach as much as 95% of households in the Nashville designated market area under the new structure. The organization also plans to expand availability across its broader territory, which includes several neighboring states.
Scripps is expected to work with additional broadcast partners to extend coverage beyond Tennessee.
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