Showcasing Excellence In Our Schools

Created in 2008-09 the School Broadcast Program provides individual schools

with an education-based broadcasting program that enables students and faculty to capture, edit and publish original content. The NFHS Network provides your school with two options to stream your content live:

The traditional SBP provides the software and platform needed to produce and distribute TV-like events that showcase the excellence in our schools - such as sports, graduation, school newscasts, guest speakers and award ceremonies - for broadcast over the Internet. You add your own laptop and production equipment (cameras, microphones, etc.) and you're on your way!  Broadcasting these events is a great way for a school to showcase their students and activities while strengthening the connection with parents, coaches, players, boosters and the community.

For those schools wishing to stream live content, but which lack the resources, the Network offers an automated solution called Pixellot – an HD device mounted on the wall of your gym or the press box of a multi-sport facility (i.e. turfed field for football, soccer, lacrosse) – which allows you to stream ever event at every level taking place by simply entering your schedule into the system. 

Fans can watch all the events on the school’s branded portal on MHSAA.tv and the NFHS Network.

The MHSAA allows School Broadcast Program members to stream live athletic events from the regular and post-season tournament on a subscription basis on MHSAA.tv.  Schools are creating fresh revenue streams for their programs by selling subscriptions to MHSAA.tv and through advertising during the events you broadcast.  Approval to stream live games is automatic for SBP schools.  Non-SBP schools may stream live regular-season events only under certain conditions – contact the MHSAA Office for more information.

Participating School Broadcast Program members are (As of Sept. 26, 2016):

Alpena
Au Gres-Sims
Beal City
B.H. Cranbrook Kingswood
Breckenridge
Calumet
Cedar Springs
Center Line
Central Lake
Charlevoix
Cheboygan
Chesaning
Clare
Clinton Twp. Clintondale
Comstock Park
Concord
Davison
Detroit Catholic Central
Detroit Catholic HS League
 Dowagiac
East Kentwood
East Lansing
Escanaba
Flint Kearsley 
Fowlerville
Freeland           
Garden City
Goodrich
Grant
Hamilton
Harrison
Hemlock
Ida
Indian River Inland Lakes
Lake Linden-Hubbell
Lake Orion
Lincoln Alcona

Livonia Stevenson
Mackinaw City
Mad. Hts. Bishop Foley
Marquette
Mason
Mattawan
Midland Dow
Montrose
Mt. Pleasant Tech Center
Negaunee
Norway
Novi
Onaway
Oscoda
Otisville Lakeville
Petoskey
Pinconning
Plainwell

 Port Huron
Port Huron Northern
Richmond
Riverview Gab. Richard
Rockford
Rogers City
St. Charles
Taylor Truman
Traverse City Central
Traverse City West
Utica Eisenhower
Vestaburg
Warren Woods-Tower
Whittemore-Prescott
Wyoming Lee
(70)


Educational Field Trips

In cooperation with the Michigan-based Student Broadcasting Foundation, schools in the School Broadcast Program can take advantage of educational opportunities at selected MHSAA Tournament events to learn from the broadcasting professionals covering those games, get a behind the scenes look at the broadcast facilities, and even get an opportunity to originate their own production at the championships.

During 2016-17, over 100  students made such field trips to Ford Field for the MHSAA Football Finals, and the Breslin Student Events Center in East Lansing for two weekends of MHSAA Basketball Semifinals.  Working with the Student Broadcasting Foundation, SBP schools also had an opportunity to make a trip to a student media day conducted by the Detroit Tigers.

Field trips are scheduled each November during the MHSAA Football Finals and each March during the Girls Basketball Semifinals and Boys Basketball Semifinals.  The Boys Basketball Semifinal field trip on March 24, 2017 included workshops on play-by-play announcing and best camera operation/directing techniques; and a panel presentation by broadcasting industry professionals, talking about the career opportunities that exist in sports media.

You can read about one school’s experience about the Ford Field trip by clicking here.

You can watch another school's experience at Ford Field by clicking here.

SBP Excellence Awards

The Michigan High School Athletic Association will honor participants in the School Broadcast Program for excellence in production of athletic events during the 2016-17 school year.  There will be awards presented in separate categories for individuals and schools.

Individual Award Categories:

  • Best single camera sports production with PlayOn! graphics/software (with or without announcers)
  • Best multicamera sports production
  • Best use of PlayOn! graphics/software
  • Best produced commercials/features
  • Best sports play by play (Student announcers only)
  • Best highlight - NEW in 2016-17

Program of the year award to be presented to:

  • School that shows quantity/quality of productions and variety of sports covered
  • School that shows best command of PlayOn! software
    - Graphics
    - Insertion of pre-produced content
    - Highlights production
  • School that shows initiative to cover away sports contests – including tournament games
        for NFHS Network
  • School that shows initiative/creativity in selling local advertising & network subscriptions
  • Category awards also taken into consideration

For complete rules and information about the Individual Award Categories - CLICK HERE

Click Here for a press release about the winners of the 2016-17 SBP Excellence Awards.
Click Here for a press release about the winners of the 2015-16 SBP Excellence Awards.
Click Here for a press release about the winners of the 2014-15 SBP Excellence Awards.
Click Here for a press release about the winners of the 2013-14 SBP Excellence Awards.

Integration With Digital Scout

This spring, PlayOn! Sports acquired Digital Scout, the industry leader in high school sports statistics tracking and live gamecasts.  If your school currently uses Digital Scout to track athletic data, we are pleased to let you know that your live data and stats will show up on the updated version of your school's MHSAA.tv channel.  If your athletic department does not currently use the Digital Scout app, you can find more information about it at www.digitalscout.com.  The football and basketball stat tracking apps are available for free.

Promotions Toolkit

The best thing you can do to promote your content on MHSAA.tv and NFHSNetwork.com is to schedule your games at least two weeks in advance through PlayOn! and then use every other means possible to promote those broadcasts.  Here are some other promotion tools:

Right click to save these buttons for use on your website:

 

 

 

 

 

 

MHSAA Promotional Messages

You can use these scripts or pre-produced video files during breaks in the action during your events.  Copy the video files in the PlayOn Media folder.

SCRIPTS

2016-17 Fall PSA Scripts - Posted 9-13-16

VIDEO (Right click to save MP4 files, left click to play Preview files)

Available as H.264, MP4 files at 640x360 or 854x480

NFHS Network Program Open
640x360 Web Format (Posted 12.15.15)

School Broadcast Program
SBP - Join The Program (:30) - 640x360 Web Format (Posted 12.15.15)

Value of School Sports
Just One Place (:30) - 640x360 Web Format
My Reason Why (:30) -  640x360 Web Format

Health & Safety - Co-Branded (MHSAA, Michigan High School Football Coaches Assn., The CORE Institute)
Opportunities of Sports (:30) -  640x360 Web Format

Football Promos
Safer Than Ever & It's Mother Approved (:30) - 640x360 Web Format

Help Wanted-Just Whistle - Official Recruitment Program
Football (:30) - Posted 9.13.16 (854x480)
Basketball (:30) - Posted 9.13.16 (854x480)
Baseball/Softball (:30) - Posted 9.13.16 (854x480)

Student-Athlete Belief Statement
2016-17 Version (:60) - 640x360 Web Format (Posted 12.11.16)

Michigan Army National Guard Promos
At This Moment (:30) - 640x360 Web Format (Posted 12.15.15)

Features For Halftime/Fill Use - Click Here For Scripts To Use As Lead-In

Feature on MHSAA Concussion Study - 854x480 - 3:48
2016 Football Finals - Top 5 Plays - 640x360 - 6:05 (Posted 12.2.16)
2016 Girls Basketball Finals - Top 5 Plays - 854-480 - 4:25
2016 Boys Basketball Finals - Top 5 Plays - 854x480 - 3:37
2016 Track Finals - 640x360 - 4:08
2016 Baseball Finals - Top 5 Plays - 854x480 - 4:30
2016 Softball Finals - Top 5 Plays - 854x480 - 4:31

GRAPHICS (Right click to save PNG files - 640x360 - Place in your Graphics Folder)

Scripts to read while displaying graphics - PDF File
MHSAA Second Half
Health & Safety Page of MHSAA Website
Get Social With MHSAA
This Week In High School Sports
Officials Recruitment
Watch-Clip-Share

Production Toolkit

A well-produced event takes preparation and a game plan.  These documents reflect some best practices and will help you produce a good-looking broadcast.

Best Practices Event-Specific Production Guides

So many times student announcers (and adults) just get thrown a headset and are told to announce a game without much guidance.  Announcers need a road map to plan for and get them through games.  The document at the link below includes guidelines, production formats, information gathering forms and other useful materials.