LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Scout Media, the nation’s largest privately held sports network, announced today at CES a strategic alliance with iHeartMedia, the leading media company in America with a greater reach in the U.S. than any other radio or television outlet, that will leverage Scout’s vast network of local and team-specific digital sports content across iHeartMedia’s radio, digital, mobile and social platforms.
Re-launched in 2013, Scout Media is the only sports network with a full-time video channel for every NFL and major college team. It also owns the Fantasy Football World Championship — along with the highest-rated Fantasy sports advisory destination. Scout is recognized as the leading authority for college football and basketball scouting and recruiting information, where college fans tend to be most engaged. Scout produces 11,000 stories and 1,000 premium videos monthly.
Through this relationship, Scout will supply iHeartMedia’s hundreds of millions of listeners with exclusive sports content, including team videos, podcasts and more across the company’s more than 850 radio stations and websites in the U.S. and nationally on iHeartRadio, iHeartMedia’s all-in-one streaming music and live digital radio service.
In addition, through this relationship Scout will now have the opportunity to utilize iHeartMedia’s unmatched audience reach of more than 245 million monthly listeners, more than 75 million registered users, 800 million downloads on iHeartRadio, and nearly 90 million digital uniques and 80 million social followers across the iHeartRadio Network to reach even more sports fans with exclusive and unique programming and content.
“Scout’s content is highly engaging and locally focused— and fans know the difference,” said Scout founder James Heckman. “In an age of inauthentic, curated, commodity content, Scout has a refreshing value proposition for brands and the audiences they seek — 100% authentic, 100% originally produced - and this alliance enables iHeartMedia’s audience to experience the Scout difference.”
Heckman and Ross Levinsohn, Scout’s Chairman, led the acquisition of Scout from Fox Sports in 2013 and saw its overall unique user base grow by 181% in 2015. “This combination of rich content, massive, hyper-local distribution and monetization plays to the exact strengths of both companies,” said Levinsohn. “iHeart has tremendously loyal audiences, connectivity to local distribution and sales, and together we’ll be able to provide marketers unmatched, local sports engagement.”
“It’s a very exciting time for sports programming, and we’re dedicated to providing the best in sports programming across our on air, digital and social platforms where we have the capability to reach hundreds of thousands of listeners with unique content,” said Joe Robinson, President of iHeartMedia Ventures. “Sports fans are incredibly passionate and engaged, especially about their favorite teams, and there is always a demand for more authentic original content. That’s where Scout dominates, and we think they can bring great value to our listeners.”
About Scout Media
Scout Media, Inc. is a sports network of over 300 team and niche specific sports channels, all on a single destination and platform. Scout is now the largest privately held, premium sports network in North America and is best known for its highly engaged, fanatic sports audience connected to team-specific reporters who are legends within these communities. Since reacquiring the network from News Corp. in 2013, Scout’s product has transformed itself into a mobile focused, community driven sports video network.
About iHeartMedia
With 245 million monthly listeners in the U.S., 87 million monthly digital uniques, over 75 million social followers and 196 million monthly consumers of its Total Traffic and Weather Network, iHeartMedia has the largest reach of any radio or television outlet in America. It serves over 150 markets through 858 owned radio stations, and the company’s radio stations and content can be heard on AM/FM, HD digital radio, satellite radio, on the Internet at iHeartRadio.com and on the company’s radio station websites, on the iHeartRadio mobile app, in enhanced auto dashes, on tablets and smartphones, and on gaming consoles.
iHeartRadio, iHeartMedia’s digital radio platform, is the No. 1 all-in-one digital audio service with over 800 million downloads; it reached its first 20 million registered users faster than any digital service in Internet history and reached 70 million users faster than any other radio or digital music service and even faster than Facebook. The company’s operations include radio broadcasting, online, mobile, digital and social media, live concerts and events, syndication, music research services and independent media representation. iHeartMedia is a division of iHeartMedia, Inc. (OTCBB: IHRT). Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.
