Scripps Signs State Farm as Title Sponsor of WNBA Games on Ion

Las Vegas Aces vs. Connecticut Sun in 2022 WNBA Finals (Image credit: Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

The E.W. Scripps Co., which is pushing into the sports business, said it signed State Farm as the title sponsor of its upcoming WNBA Friday NIght Spotlight on Ion.

Scripps and the WNBA announced in April that WNBA games would appear in primetime on Friday nights on Ion. The first games air Friday.

State Farm has had a 10-year relationship with the WNBA, going back to 2013, when it became presenting partner of the WNBA Draft.

“State Farm is a longtime supporter and sponsor of the WNBA,” said Kristyn Cook, chief agency, sales and marketing officer, State Farm. “We are constantly looking for ways to elevate women in sports, and WNBA Friday Night Showcase on Ion will bring the excitement of women’s basketball to even more people.”

Financial terms were not disclosed.

“State Farm has set the pace once again as we partner to raise the WNBA’s profile,” said Tony Lamerato, VP of revenue and sponsorships for Scripps Sports. “They are the perfect fit to title our new Friday night franchise on Ion.”

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.