The Kickers are planning major renovations for City Stadium, just south of Carytown. (Kieran McQuilkin)
The Richmond Kickers’ surge in momentum as of late has extended to the airwaves.
After inking a 40-year lease at City Stadium and securing Division II status – one tier below Major League Soccer – from the United Soccer League, the local club announced Tuesday a deal with WTVR CBS 6 to broadcast 17 home and away games this season.
The deal makes the Kickers just one of six teams in the USL to have a local broadcasting agreement. The deal is for one year and kicks off March 25 with the club’s 25th anniversary home opener.
Santiago Lucio, the Kickers’ business development director, said he hopes this is the first step of a long-term collaboration between the Kickers and CBS 6.
“This agreement speaks to the growth in the club as a whole, and CBS’s belief in us,” Lucio said.
“The growth of soccer in Richmond mirrors the growth on the national scale. When you look at ratings for things like the English Premier League and the World Cup, Richmond’s always a top-10 market for ratings.”
Lucio said he couldn’t disclose financial details of the deal, which he described as “one of the best deals in the entire USL.” He said the Kickers had conversations with other broadcasters in the area, but knew CBS was right for them shortly after meeting.
WTVR CBS 6 operates out of its station at 3301 W. Broad St. (Michael Schwartz)
In a release, CBS 6 general manager Stephen Hayes said “CBS 6 is thrilled to partner with the Richmond Kickers and to broadcast their games for the 2017 season. … Given their avid fan base and the growing popularity of the sport we’re excited to present this platform to watch the Kickers this season.”
The Kickers began seeking partners for a TV deal last fall, while the Kickers still held Division III status. Lucio said the new league status brings more pressure to deliver a quality broadcast, and he’s glad the Kickers got an early start finding a partner.
Three of the 17 matches will be shown on CBS’s main channel, with the other 14 shown on a sub-channel. Lucio said it’s hard to predict how many viewers their matches will draw for the local CBS affiliate, which has enjoyed a recent bump in morning news ratings.
Taylor Rockwell and Daryl Grove will do play-by-play and color commentary on the broadcasts. Rockwell and Grove host the Total Soccer Show on WRIR – a podcast with a national reach that last year expanded its broadcast reach.
The CBS 6 deal is for broadcasting rights only and does not include full multimedia rights.
Lucio said he hopes the deal and added exposure will help the Kickers find naming rights and sponsorship partners for its planned renovation of City Stadium. Last month, Kickers officials discussed the finer details and motivations for that project.
The Kickers are planning major renovations for City Stadium, just south of Carytown. (Kieran McQuilkin)
The Richmond Kickers’ surge in momentum as of late has extended to the airwaves.
After inking a 40-year lease at City Stadium and securing Division II status – one tier below Major League Soccer – from the United Soccer League, the local club announced Tuesday a deal with WTVR CBS 6 to broadcast 17 home and away games this season.
The deal makes the Kickers just one of six teams in the USL to have a local broadcasting agreement. The deal is for one year and kicks off March 25 with the club’s 25th anniversary home opener.
Santiago Lucio, the Kickers’ business development director, said he hopes this is the first step of a long-term collaboration between the Kickers and CBS 6.
“This agreement speaks to the growth in the club as a whole, and CBS’s belief in us,” Lucio said.
“The growth of soccer in Richmond mirrors the growth on the national scale. When you look at ratings for things like the English Premier League and the World Cup, Richmond’s always a top-10 market for ratings.”
Lucio said he couldn’t disclose financial details of the deal, which he described as “one of the best deals in the entire USL.” He said the Kickers had conversations with other broadcasters in the area, but knew CBS was right for them shortly after meeting.
WTVR CBS 6 operates out of its station at 3301 W. Broad St. (Michael Schwartz)
In a release, CBS 6 general manager Stephen Hayes said “CBS 6 is thrilled to partner with the Richmond Kickers and to broadcast their games for the 2017 season. … Given their avid fan base and the growing popularity of the sport we’re excited to present this platform to watch the Kickers this season.”
The Kickers began seeking partners for a TV deal last fall, while the Kickers still held Division III status. Lucio said the new league status brings more pressure to deliver a quality broadcast, and he’s glad the Kickers got an early start finding a partner.
Three of the 17 matches will be shown on CBS’s main channel, with the other 14 shown on a sub-channel. Lucio said it’s hard to predict how many viewers their matches will draw for the local CBS affiliate, which has enjoyed a recent bump in morning news ratings.
Taylor Rockwell and Daryl Grove will do play-by-play and color commentary on the broadcasts. Rockwell and Grove host the Total Soccer Show on WRIR – a podcast with a national reach that last year expanded its broadcast reach.
The CBS 6 deal is for broadcasting rights only and does not include full multimedia rights.
Lucio said he hopes the deal and added exposure will help the Kickers find naming rights and sponsorship partners for its planned renovation of City Stadium. Last month, Kickers officials discussed the finer details and motivations for that project.