High School Sports 'Score' With Help of NFHS Network's High School Support Program

ATLANTA, Oct. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Across the nation, state high school associations have had to make hard decisions in light of the global COVID-19 pandemic—namely, whether to continue their fall sports programs or delay them indefinitely. For those schools that are carrying on with athletic activities, the NFHS Network knew it had to make it easier for them to livestream events so that viewers can catch the action remotely.

This past July, the leader in streaming live and on-demand high school sports kicked off its High School Support Program to help schools contend with the fallout from COVID-19. The program includes two free Pixellot automated production units for eligible schools, enhanced revenue sharing to recoup lost funds from gate ticket sales and concessions due to the pandemic, and the ability to make standalone donations directly to high schools.

NFHS Network viewership is based on an affordable subscription model that gives subscribers "anytime, anywhere" viewing capabilities. The service can be accessed across all smartphones, tablets, computers, and connected devices by visiting www.NFHSnetwork.com or by downloading the NFHS Network App. 

Despite roughly 25 percent of states officially postponing all or the majority of their fall sports and activities, overall live viewership on the NFHS Network is up almost 200 percent year over year (YOY). Total aggregate live views have increased from 375,000 to 1.1 million in the first two months of the school year.

"The success of the High School Support Program is evident based on the substantial live viewership growth in states that are currently producing athletic events but with limited game attendance," said Mark Koski, vice president of the NFHS Network. "Our ability to livestream athletics enables us to play a key role in fan viewership while returning an important revenue stream to schools. The program reflects our ongoing commitment to helping our partner state associations and schools manage through these challenging times."

Koski added that viewership numbers should continue to increase as more sports programs start back in other states, even with truncated seasons.

The NFHS Network has provided over 4,000 free Pixellot units through the High School Support Program since July, bringing the total number of automated production units at schools nationwide to more than 9,000. The Pixellot automated production solution allows every event to be streamed live without requiring personnel to produce the games, thereby eliminating the operational strain created by manual production.

"We have limited capacity in our stadium due to the pandemic, so this year more than ever there's been a lot of anticipation about livestreaming our current football season over the NFHS Network," said Josh Mathews, athletic director and assistant principal at Pope High School in Marietta, Georgia. Pope High School was an early adopter of the technology. "We've just begun our football season, but what we've especially noticed is that some of our minor sports which started their seasons earlier—JV and varsity volleyball and softball—have been very popular with viewers. We only have good things to say about our partnership with the NFHS Network and are appreciative of its leadership in livestreaming high school sporting events."

While football is a key draw during the fall season, the NFHS Network livestreams 27 different sports throughout the academic school year. Other highly-viewed sports include wrestling, volleyball, basketball, hockey, competitive cheer, and soccer. Additionally, the NFHS Network livestreams performing arts, graduations, award ceremonies, and other school events.

To date, the NFHS Network has distributed over $25 million back to schools and state associations through its subscription revenue-sharing model.

For more information about the High School Support Program, please visit www.nfhsnetwork.com/supportprogram.

About NFHS Network

The NFHS Network is the leader in streaming live and on-demand high school sports. The NFHS Network covers 27 different regular season and postseason sports, as well as other high school activities, celebrating the accomplishments of students-athletes, student broadcasters, and high schools across the country. Partnered with the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), 46 high school state athletic/activities associations, and PlayOn! Sports, the NFHS Network is a joint venture created to provide fans with the ability to stream high school sports on any device, from wherever they are. All NFHS Network events are available to watch online at www.NFHSnetwork.com and through the NFHS Network App for iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Media Contact:
Kathy Berardi  
Carabiner Communications
[email protected] 
678.644.4122 

SOURCE NFHS Network