Arizona Digest: GCU getting local TV coverage for sporting events

Summer is winding down here in Arizona, and there’s plenty of activity. The Phoenix Mercury are having a good season, while Phoenix Rising FC's USL Championship soccer season is in full swing. Meanwhile, the college athletic seasons are beginning.

Here are the news and events happening around Arizona sports:

Grand Canyon gets new TV partnership with Arizona's Family

Grand Canyon's sports teams will be in the spotlight during the 2025-26 school year, partnering with Arizona's Family for coverage of the Lopes on KTVK (3TV), KPHO (CBS 5) and KPHE (Arizona's Family Sports).

This package will spotlight home games for both men's and women's basketball and select soccer, volleyball, baseball and softball home games. The official launch starts Aug. 29 with GCU opening its women's volleyball season at home against Long Island at 7 p.m., with an anticipated capacity crowd that will have a strong Havocs presence at Global Credit Union Arena.

GCU is moving into the Mountain West Conference, after breaking off with the WAC, this year.

GCU is the first university to join the sports lineup on Arizona's Family that includes Suns, Mercury, Cardinals and Phoenix Rising games, and Arizona Interscholastic Association football games.

"We are thrilled to partner with Arizona's Family to provide unprecedented access to GCU Athletics across the Valley and the state," GCU Vice President of Athletics Jamie Boggs said in a university news release. "This partnership places our programs alongside Arizona's most prominent sports brands while ensuring our games are available free to fans in nearly 2.8 million households. It is an incredible opportunity to showcase the energy of GCU and connect even more deeply with our community, alumni and the state's sports fans."

This TV agreement complements the Mountain West's media rights deal. The conference's national television partners, CBS and FOX, have first opportunity to select GCU's games for national viewing on CBS, FOX, CBS Sports Network and FS1. Any games not selected for national television will stream for free on Mountain West Network and be eligible for local broadcast clearance on Arizona's Family, the release said.

"We are excited to welcome Grand Canyon University to the family," said Debbie Bush, Vice President and General Manager of Arizona's Family, said in the release. "The appetite for free, live, local sports continues to grow and to be able to offer even more men's and women's sports, now in the collegiate space, is a win-win for fans across Arizona."

-- Richard Obert

Arizona State to host 2025 Women’s Collegiate Triathlon National Championships

Arizona State will host the 2025 Women’s Collegiate Triathlon National Championships on November 8, 2025, in Tempe, Arizona. The race will feature all three NCAA Divisions and take place at Tempe Town Lake.

ASU has hosted the event six times, doing so in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023, and becoming national champions in all six years.

Saturday will begin with an age group race in the morning and will be followed by three waves of intercollegiate racing to determine the Division I, II and III national championships. Waves, however, will be seeded by times and will not be specific to each division. 

The full course, time, and registration information will be announced at a later date. 

--Jenna Ortiz

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: AZ Digest: GCU gets local TV coverage for sports events