Plot Synopsis

Each year since 1925 (except in 2020 because of COVID-19), the SCRIPPS NATIONAL SPELLING BEE, which is now held annually in Washington D.C., features top spellers from across the United States and includes competitors from Europe, Guam, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, The Bahamas, American Samoa, Canada and New Zealand. The Bee, the nation's largest and longest running educational promotion, is administered on a not-for-profit basis by Scripps and hundreds of local sponsors, with the majority of local spelling bee sponsors being daily and weekly newspapers. The purpose of the Scripps National Spelling Bee is to help students improve spelling, increase vocabularies, learn concepts and develop correct English usage that will help them all of their lives. From 1994 through 2005, ESPN televised the final rounds of the bee in their entirety. From 2006 through 2010, the finals aired on ABC primetime, and then moved to ESPN primetime from 2011 through 2021. In 2022, the Bee moved to a new broadcast home: ION.
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The 96th Annual Scripps National Spelling Bee features spellers ranging in age from 8 to 15, with the Bee airing on ION, Bounce TV, Laff and Grit. This year's competition includes 245 spellers from across the country and around the globe, competing for the chance to be the Scripps National Spelling Bee champion. There are 12 competitors from outside the 50 United States, representing the Bahamas, Canada, Germany, Ghana, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Only 57 spellers return from the 2023 field, while 65 spellers have previously competed. The 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee Champion, Dev Shah of Largo, is providing guest analysis and commentary at the competition this year. ION airs the semifinals on Wednesday, May 29, 2024 at 8pm ET, with a simulcast on Bounce TV, Laff and Grit. The finals debut the next day on Thursday, May 30 at 8pm ET. Paul Loeffler, a finalist in 1990, is an expert analyst for a 17th year.