‘The Conners’: Lionsgate & Debmar-Mercury To Distribute ABC Sitcom In Deal With Werner Entertainment

Tom Werner’s Werner Entertainment, the production company behind ABC’s popular comedy series The Conners, has signed a global licensing deal with Lionsgate’s Worldwide Television Distribution Group and Debmar-Mercury to make past seasons of the sitcom available on streaming and in syndication. .

Under the agreement, Lionsgate’s Worldwide Television Distribution Group will handle global distribution, including SVOD, AVOD, basic cable and FAST rights, while Lionsgate’s Debmar-Mercury will shepherd domestic syndication for the Roseanne spinoff. The deal covers all five seasons of the series as well as rights to future seasons following ABC’s first window.

More from Deadline

• 'The Conners': John Goodman Suggests Comedy "Coming To An End"

• 'Sherri': Talk Show Promotes Four Producers, Announces Season 2 Return Date

• 'The Conners' Renewed For Season 6 At ABC

Roseanne, as well as the rest of the Carsey-Werner library, is being distributed by Carsey-Werner TV Distribution, which originally was set to also handle The Conners. Looking for a global footprint, Werner opted to partner with Lionsgate before the show had been taken out.

“Lionsgate’s global reach and success across all platforms makes us extremely confident they will successfully bring The Conners to audiences worldwide,” Werner said.

The Conners, which has been renewed by ABC for a sixth season, ranks as the network’s top-rated scripted series. It leads in key demos and has posted strong season-to-season growth in its fifth season, garnering 4.9 million viewers in its season finale, with an adult 25-54 audience of 3.6 million.

“We’re proud to be selected by a great force in television like Tom Werner and Werner Entertainment to bring this incredible property to buyers around the world,” said Lionsgate President of Worldwide Television Distribution Jim Packer. “This agreement shows Lionsgate’s ability to marshal all of its resources, combining the strength and prowess of our global distribution with Debmar-Mercury’s unparalleled syndication expertise in support of a remarkable brand and series.”

Sara Gilbert, John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf and Lecy Goranson star in the series. Werner serves as executive producer, along with Gilbert, Bruce Helford, Dave Caplan, Bruce Rasmussen and Tony Hernandez.

“In the tradition of some of the most successful, longest-running multi-cam sitcoms, The Conners promises to be a great addition to TV stations lineups, and will offer a proven competitive advantage to broadcasters for years to come,” said Debmar-Mercury Co-Presidents Ira Bernstein and Mort Marcus. “Tom Werner, together with Marcy Carsey and their creative team, have been responsible for many of the mega-comedies that helped build the broadcast business in the U.S. We are excited to be able to team with Tom and with Jim Packer’s global distribution team on The Conners.”

The deal was negotiated by Packer, Bernstein and Marcus for the studio, and UTA and Jackoway Austen on behalf of Werner Entertainment.

Best of Deadline

• 2023 Premiere Dates For New & Returning Series On Broadcast, Cable & Streaming

• SAG-AFTRA Interim Agreements: List Of Movies And Series Granted Waivers

• Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2023: Photo Gallery & Obituaries

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.