ATLANTA, Jan. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gray Media (NYSE: GTN) is thrilled to announce the return of free NHL hockey broadcasts to the St. Louis market and various affiliate stations across the Midwest.   First Alert 4 (KMOV-TV) and its sister station, Matrix Midwest, are proud to partner with the St. Louis Blues to offer a series of games over-the-air during the stretch run of this season: February 22 vs Winnipeg, March 8 at Los Angeles, and March 25 vs. Montreal.   These games will be broadcast in an additional 10 Gray Media markets and Columbia, Missouri, covering more than 4.8 million television households.   This arrangement creates an opportunity for new groups of viewers in the Midwest to watch their favorite hockey team via antenna as well as popular cable, satellite, and streaming providers.

“Considering our long-standing relationship with Gray Media and their presence across the Midwest, they are a perfect partner to help us explore our broadcasting options as part of our ongoing efforts to grow our reach among existing and future Blues fans,” said Chris Zimmerman, Blues President and CEO, Business Operations. “The opportunity to deliver a package of local Blues broadcasts through over-the-air television was a valuable addition to our latest broadcast agreement with FanDuel Sports Network that we look forward to leveraging with these games on KMOV, Matrix Midwest, and the Gray Media multi-state affiliate network.”
                
The games airing on KMOV-TV and Matrix Midwest mark the first time in 15 years that Blues games will be available free to fans on local broadcast television, since the 2008-09 season.

“As a life-long St. Louisan and Blues fan, it’s truly exciting to bring these games to our local platforms once again for our viewers,” said JD Sosnoff, Vice President & General Manager of KMOV-TV & Matrix Midwest.

“Partnerships like this with major sports franchises locally and across the country show Gray Media’s dedication to our community.   What a win for St. Louis and the entire region,” said Mike King, Senior Managing Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer for Gray Media.

The three games, including pre- and post-game coverage, will air live on the following dates and channels in St. Louis:

• Saturday, Feb. 22 vs. Winnipeg Jets – KMOV (channel 4), Matrix Midwest in St. Louis (channel 32 over-the-air and channel 6 on Spectrum cable system)
• Saturday, Mar. 8 at Los Angeles Kings – KMOV (channel 4), Matrix Midwest in St. Louis (channel 32 over-the-air and channel 6 on Spectrum cable system)
• Tuesday, Mar. 25 vs. Montreal Canadiens – Matrix Midwest in St. Louis (channel 32 over-the-air and channel 6 on Spectrum cable system)
  
  

To enhance continuity for at-home viewers, the Blues have retained the on-air talent and production crew of FanDuel Sports Network to produce the games that will air across Gray Media’s network of over-the-air stations.

The games will air in St. Louis (KMOV-TV & Matrix Midwest), Kansas City (KCTV & KSMO), Springfield (KYCW), Cape Girardeau (KFVS), Quincy (WGEM), Peoria (WEEK), Topeka (WIBW), Cedar Rapids (KCRG), Davenport (KWQC), Evansville (WFIE), Ottumwa (KYOU), and Columbia (KMIZ, owned by New-Press & Gazette Company).   Check your local listings for exact times, dates, and channels for each game.

About Gray Media:

Gray Media, or Gray, is a multimedia company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, formerly known as Gray Television, Inc.  The company is the nation’s largest owner of top-rated local television stations and digital assets serving 113 television markets that collectively reach approximately 36 percent of US television households. The portfolio includes 77 markets with the top-rated television station and 100 markets with the first and/or second highest rated television station, as well as the largest Telemundo Affiliate group with 43 markets totaling nearly 1.5 million Hispanic TV Households.  The company also owns Gray Digital Media, a full-service digital agency offering national and local clients digital marketing strategies with the most advanced digital products and services.  Gray’s additional media properties include video production companies Raycom Sports, Tupelo Media Group, and PowerNation Studios, and studio production facilities Assembly Atlanta and Third Rail Studios. Gray owns a majority interest in Swirl Films. For more information, please visit www.graymedia.com.

Gray Contact:

Sandy Breland, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, 404-266-8333