Gray Media said it will launch a new digital broadcast channel, Palmetto Sports & Entertainment, in October on Gray Television’s stations in South Carolina.
The network will be based at WIS Columbia which started broadcasting live games from the Charleston Battery, a USL Championship soccer team, and the Columbia Fireflies, a class-A South Atlantic League baseball team affiliated with the Kansas City Royals, earlier this year.
Also carrying the network will be WPAM Columbia, WHNS Greenville-Asheville-Spartanburg and WMVF Myrtle Beach.
“We’re having fun creating new fans,” WIS VP and general manager Robby Thomas said. “Our audience tells us how much they appreciate watching live sports for free over the air. We recognize the power of sports to connect communities, and we’re thrilled to launch this statewide.”
Palmetto Sports & Entertainment also has broadcast deals with the Charleston RiverDogs baseball team, the Tampa Bay Rays class-A affiliate, and soccer sides Greenville Triumph SC of USL League One and Greenville Liberty SC of USL W League.
In addition, several schools and colleges will be featured, including an official media partnership with Clemson University through WHNS in the Greenville-Asheville-Spartanburg-Anderson market.
“It has been really exciting for our broadcast team to work with WIS to make some of our games available to watch for free,” Columbia Fireflies team president Brad Shank said. “We have had great feedback from fans, and we are looking forward to expanding these opportunities.”
