Arizona's Family Sports

Arizona's Family Sports is a regional broadcast television network serving Arizona. The network is operated by Gray Media as part of the Arizona's Family group, which also includes Phoenix CBS affiliate KPHO-TV and independent station KTVK. Its principal Phoenix signal is transmitted by low-power station KPHE-LD on channel 44, while its programming is distributed in other Arizona markets through additional Gray-owned stations and digital subchannels. The network is also available through Fubo in selected markets. The service launched on March 1, 2023, under the longer name Arizona's Family Sports and Entertainment Network. Gray developed it after acquiring KPHE-LD from Lotus Communications in 2022 and obtaining authorization to build or operate additional television facilities in Flagstaff and Yuma. The network was designed to give Gray a dedicated local platform for live sports, sports news, team programming, and selected simulcasts from KTVK and KPHO-TV. Its programming has included Phoenix Rising FC soccer, Arizona Interscholastic Association high-school competitions, high-school football and flag football, sports-related news, and other local productions. A central part of the network's strategy has been the acquisition of local broadcast rights. Gray announced a three-year arrangement with USL Championship club Phoenix Rising FC in January 2023, with the network scheduled to carry the club's matches. In April 2023, the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury selected Gray as their local broadcast television partner beginning with their 2023 seasons. Non-nationally televised games were assigned primarily to KTVK and Arizona's Family Sports, supported by an over-the-top streaming platform developed by Kiswe. The agreement replaced Bally Sports Arizona as the principal local television outlet for the teams, although its implementation became entangled in the bankruptcy proceedings of Bally Sports parent Diamond Sports Group. Arizona's Family Sports also became part of Gray's wider Arizona sports distribution system. The network was added to a KOLD-TV subchannel in Tucson, and Gray's new Flagstaff and Yuma facilities began broadcasting in September 2023. In 2024, Gray became the official television partner of the Arizona Cardinals, with Arizona's Family Sports carrying team-related programming and selected football coverage alongside KPHO-TV and KOLD-TV. The network also carried home games of the Valley Suns, the Phoenix Suns' NBA G League affiliate, beginning with the team's establishment in 2024. Before the current sports identity, KPHE-LD had a varied history as a low-power station. It began as K19DD, received an initial license in 1995, and carried services including Bloomberg Television. During 2000–2002 it participated in an experimental wireless-data broadcasting project. Later programming included Bohemia Visual Music, Spanish-language services, religious programming, Multimedios Televisión, Telemax, CNN Latino, LATV, and other subchannel affiliations. Gray's acquisition transformed the station from a frequently changing low-power outlet into the flagship distribution point for a branded regional sports network.

KPHE-LD originated as K19DD, a low-power television station authorized by the Federal Communications Commission in 1992 to serve Phoenix and the East Valley. Its initial construction permit placed it on UHF channel 19, with facilities on Usery Mountain in east Mesa. The station received its first license in July 1995 and was carrying Bloomberg Television by 1996. In the late 1990s, the station became involved in experiments concerning digital broadcasting. An experimental authorization was issued in 1998, and the station was sold to US Interactive LLC in 1999. Under its new ownership it adopted the KPHE call sign. From December 2000 through June 2002, KPHE participated in a pilot project examining whether low-power television facilities could deliver wireless data services to subscribers. During this period it was not operating as a normal over-the-air analog television service. After the data experiment ended, the station briefly aired a highly unusual placeholder format centered on a fish tank accompanied by music. In October 2003, Jeff Crawford and Jennifer Harris Crawford leased the station and replaced that material with Bohemia Visual Music, a round-the-clock music-video service related to their earlier Bohemia AfterDark operation. Lotus Communications purchased KPHE in early 2004, while the Crawfords continued operating the station under the Bohemia format. Lotus moved the station from channel 19 to channel 44 in March 2005, relocated its transmission facilities to Phoenix's South Mountain antenna site, and upgraded the signal in preparation for digital operation. In 2006, Lotus gradually replaced Bohemia Visual Music with family-oriented Spanish-language and religious programming branded TV Inspiración. KPHE also became affiliated with Monterrey-based Multimedios Televisión later that year. In 2007 and 2008, it carried separately produced Spanish-language broadcasts of approximately 50 Arizona Diamondbacks home games per season. A larger schedule was contemplated for 2009, but the arrangement ended after the station could not secure carriage on Cox Communications' local cable system. During the 2010s and early 2020s, KPHE's programming changed repeatedly. Its digital operation included services from Telemax, Multimedios, and 3ABN, along with infomercials and, at different times, My Family TV and Retro TV. The station joined CNN Latino in 2013 for a daily block, later shifting largely toward LATV programming. Other proposed or announced sports programming included English-language Arizona Rattlers indoor-football coverage. The station's decisive transformation began when Gray Television, owner of Phoenix stations KPHO-TV and KTVK, agreed to acquire KPHE-LD in 2022. Gray paid $1.75 million for the station, completing the transaction on May 4. Gray also obtained permits for new facilities serving Flagstaff and Yuma, creating the infrastructure for a statewide regional sports service. Gray announced the new Arizona's Family Sports and Entertainment Network in January 2023. The network launched on March 1, 2023, using the Arizona's Family identity and KPHE-LD channel 44 as its Phoenix outlet. Its initial schedule combined sports events, local sports programming, and simulcasts of many KTVK and KPHO newscasts. Phoenix Rising FC became an early rights partner, and Arizona Interscholastic Association competitions added high-school sports to the schedule. The network's profile expanded sharply in 2023 when Gray obtained local broadcast rights to Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury games. The deal was challenged by Diamond Sports Group during Diamond's bankruptcy case because of its relationship with the former Bally Sports Arizona rights arrangement. Although a court order voided the Suns portion under the automatic stay, the Suns later confirmed that the Gray agreement would continue after Diamond declined to match it. The network subsequently reported substantially higher television ratings for Suns and Mercury broadcasts than the prior Bally Sports Arizona seasons. KAZF in Flagstaff and KAZS in Yuma began broadcasting in September 2023, while Arizona's Family Sports was also made available through a KOLD-TV subchannel in Tucson. In 2024, Gray added Arizona Cardinals programming and selected preseason coverage to its Arizona sports portfolio. The network also became the home outlet for Valley Suns games, extending its role from a Phoenix low-power station into a broader regional sports platform.

• 2024

  Cardinals and Valley Suns programming added

  [1]Arizona's Family Sportsen.wikipedia.org

  The network expanded into Arizona Cardinals coverage and began carrying home games of the Valley Suns.

• 2023

  Arizona's Family Sports launches

  [1]Arizona's Family Sportsen.wikipedia.org

  The regional sports and entertainment network began broadcasting on March 1.

• 2023

  Suns and Mercury rights acquired

  [1]Arizona's Family Sportsen.wikipedia.org

  Gray became the local broadcast television partner for the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury.

• 2022

  Gray Television acquires KPHE-LD

  [1]Arizona's Family Sportsen.wikipedia.org

  Gray purchased KPHE-LD from Lotus Communications for $1.75 million.

• 2006

  Spanish-language and religious programming expands

  [1]Arizona's Family Sportsen.wikipedia.org

  Lotus introduced TV Inspiración programming and added a Multimedios Televisión affiliation.

• 2005

  Move to channel 44

  [1]Arizona's Family Sportsen.wikipedia.org

  KPHE moved from channel 19 to channel 44 and shifted its transmission facilities to South Mountain.

• 2003

  Bohemia Visual Music begins

  [1]Arizona's Family Sportsen.wikipedia.org

  The station adopted a 24-hour music-video format operated by Jeff and Jennifer Crawford.

• 2000

  Wireless-data broadcasting pilot begins

  [1]Arizona's Family Sportsen.wikipedia.org

  KPHE participated in an FCC-related pilot studying wireless data delivery through low-power television facilities.

• 1995

  Initial license issued

  [1]Arizona's Family Sportsen.wikipedia.org

  K19DD received its initial station license.

• 1992

  Original construction permit granted

  [1]Arizona's Family Sportsen.wikipedia.org

  The FCC granted a permit for low-power station K19DD to serve Phoenix and the East Valley on UHF channel 19.

A free-to-air, locally focused Arizona sports network designed to broaden access to professional, collegiate, and high-school sports through Gray Media's broadcast stations and digital distribution.

• Regional broadcast television network · 2023

  Arizona's Family Sports

  The network's core service provides locally relevant sports and entertainment programming across Arizona. It combines live professional and amateur sports with team features, sports news, and selected simulcasts from Gray's Arizona's Family stations. Its distribution uses KPHE-LD in Phoenix, Gray-owned facilities and subchannels in other Arizona markets, and selected streaming carriage.

• Professional sports television rights · 2023

  Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury broadcasts

  Arizona's Family Sports carries non-nationally televised games involving the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury as part of Gray's local broadcast arrangement. The rights package was intended to increase free over-the-air access following the decline of regional sports-network distribution.

• Soccer broadcasts · 2023

  Phoenix Rising FC broadcasts

  The network's agreement with USL Championship club Phoenix Rising FC provided a regular schedule of locally televised matches, making the club one of the service's launch-period sports properties.

• Amateur sports programming · 2023

  Arizona high-school sports

  Programming includes Arizona Interscholastic Association events and other high-school competitions, including football and flag football. This coverage supports the network's statewide local-sports positioning beyond professional franchises.

• NBA G League broadcasts · 2024

  Valley Suns broadcasts

  Beginning with the Valley Suns' establishment in 2024, Arizona's Family Sports became the home television outlet for the team's home games. The broadcasts extend Gray's relationship with the Phoenix Suns organization into the NBA G League.

• 2023

  Launch Arizona's Family SportsProduct launch

  Background

  Gray wanted a branded local outlet for sports events, team content, and Arizona's Family news simulcasts.

  Action taken

  The company launched Arizona's Family Sports and Entertainment Network on March 1, 2023, using KPHE-LD channel 44 in Phoenix.

  Aftermath

  The service became the primary local sports platform within Gray's Arizona station group.

  Source

• 2023

  Replace regional sports-network distribution with broadcast accessStrategy

  Background

  Cord-cutting had reduced the reach of traditional regional sports networks, while the Phoenix Suns and Mercury sought wider distribution.

  Action taken

  Gray and the teams arranged for local games to air on KTVK and Arizona's Family Sports, with Kiswe developing an associated streaming platform.

  Aftermath

  Diamond Sports Group challenged the Suns portion during its bankruptcy case, but the teams ultimately proceeded with Gray after Diamond declined to match the contract.

  • Diamond Sports Group — Diamond argued that the arrangement implicated its contractual rights and bankruptcy protections.

  Source

• 2022

  Acquire KPHE-LD and build a regional sports platformM&A

  Background

  Gray sought to use its Phoenix television group and additional Arizona broadcast facilities to create a locally distributed sports network.

  Action taken

  Gray agreed to purchase KPHE-LD from Lotus Communications and pursued new facilities serving Flagstaff and Yuma.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition supplied the Phoenix outlet for Arizona's Family Sports, which launched in 2023 and later expanded across the state.

  Acquisition price. $1.75 million (Agreement announced March 2022; transaction completed May 4, 2022)

  Source

1. 1Arizona's Family Sportsen.wikipedia.org