In 2022, the Scripps National Spelling Bee will be moving from ESPN to two of E.W. Scripps’ television platforms, ION and Bounce, as The Hollywood Reporter reports.
What’s Happening:
- The Scripps National Spelling Bee has been a staple on various ESPN channels since 1994. However, starting in 2022, the Bee will move to ION and Bounce, owned by E.W. Scripps, the local TV station owner that administers the spelling bee.
- The Bee will be available to view on the air, as well as through pay-TV providers and online. The full broadcast schedule will be announced at some point next year.
- The Scripps National Spelling Bee first took place in 1925, and was not held last year due to the COVID pandemic, the first time the event had been canceled since World War II.
What They’re Saying:
- E.W. Scripps says that by making the competition available on their platforms, it will be accessible to more people, instead of being limited to pay-TV subscribers that have ESPN.
- Scripps President and CEO Adam Symson said: “The Scripps National Spelling Bee is a beloved American treasure enjoyed by generations of participants and viewers annually. The time is right to bring the iconic competition back to broadcast television, the media platform accessible for free to nearly every American viewer across the country. As the Bee’s viewership expands through the diverse and fast-growing audiences of ION and Bounce, it is better positioned to connect with the next generation of spellers watching along.”