NFHS Breakdown

[Silver Rain]

NFHS is a crime, a clear case of corruption. It is so hard to eradicate because it's like an invasive species, a giant vampire squid, with tentacles in every facet of high school sports, from MaxPreps and PlayOn Sports to GoFan ticketing. So far, it has penetrated 44 states and involves almost 10,000 schools.

The organization consists of two separate but related entities, NFHS and NFHS Network. NFHS is like the IHSA on a national level. Competent and respected, it's been around for 100 years, advising administrations and athletic departments. NFHS owns 52% of the NFHS Network.

The other 48% is owned by PlayOn Sports, which describes itself as a media and technology company "supporting millions of fans." But here's the rub. PlayOn Sports is funded by a private equity firm, KKR, whose sole reason for existence is to maximize its wealth, and they do this by sucking the lifeblood out of their assets.

Private equity has polluted youth sports with junk fees, pay-to-play contracts, and private teams in private leagues that play on private fields. Combine their naked greed with the blind hope of parents, who will often spend wildly on an elusive dream, and you get a self-perpetuating machine. According to the New York Times, one of ten parents in youth sports thinks his or her child will reach the Olympics or the pros.

Giant squids have few predators, and certainly no message board will ever have an effect on this behemoth. But now that I understand it, I know there is no point in complaining.

 

[4Afan]

NFHS is a crime, a clear case of corruption. It is so hard to exterminate because it's like an invasive species, a giant vampire squid, with tentacles in every facet of high school sports, from MaxPreps, PlayOn Sports, and GoFan ticketing. So far, it has penetrated 44 states and involves almost 10,000 schools.

The organization consists of two separate but related entities, NFHS and NFHS Network. NFHS is like the IHSA on a national level. Competent and respected, it's been around for 100 years, advising administrations and athletic departments. NFHS owns 52% of the NFHS Network.

The other 48% is owned by PlayOn Sports, which describes itself as a media and technology company "supporting millions of fans." But here's the rub. PlayOn Sports is funded by a private equity firm, KKR, whose sole reason for existence is to maximize its wealth, and they do this by sucking the lifeblood out of their assets.

Private equity has polluted youth sports with junk fees, pay-to-play contracts, and private teams in private leagues that play on private fields. Combine their naked greed with the blind hope of parents, who will often spend on a wistful dream, and you get a self-perpetuating machine. According to the New York Times, one of ten parents in youth sports thinks his or her child could reach the Olympics or the pros.

Giant squids have few predators, and certainly no message board will ever have an effect on this behemoth. But now that I understand it, I know there is no point in complaining.

Everything you said is true, but you're part of the problem by continuing to pay them. Easy solution, don't do it.

 

[FishingandFootball]

I haven't and won't give them a single penny again. It's always been pathetic coverage and that's when it actually somewhat works. I gave them multiple chances and each time it ended with disappointment.

 

[McCaravan]

Everything you said is true, but you're part of the problem by continuing to pay them. Easy solution, don't do it.

I admit I was going to get it for a month and cancel, figured even if it was a bust I wasn't going to cry over losing out on 14 bucks but when I went to look at it if you want to watch multiple teams you gotta go all in on a years subscription now and pay it all in advance. They got wise to the one month and out plan people had been doing.

 

[crusaderpride]

I admit I was going to get it for a month and cancel, figured even if it was a bust I wasn't going to cry over losing out on 14 bucks but when I went to look at it if you want to watch multiple teams you gotta go all in on a years subscription now and pay it all in advance. They got wise to the one month and out plan people had been doing.

Exactly how I feel and IHSA is complicit. One or two months of rolling the dice, ok. I’ll take my chances and cancel at the end of the month.

They have received thousands of complaints over the last ten years and instead of maybe providing a better product, the double down.

I have nothing against public schools, but for how much I know it irks the IHSA when Catholics win, I’m wishing for a top down 8 class sweep.

 

[crusader_of_90]

I bought the year and had no streaming issues even with two games streaming at a time.

 

[McCaravan]

I bought the year and had no streaming issues even with two games streaming at a time.

Go buy a scratchy your on a hot streak!

 

[good_nocall]

I also watched all weekend and didn’t have a single issue.

And if you are an official you get the annual subscription for half price and can write that off as an expense.

 

[LWN_Pheonix]

View attachment IMG_2722.jpeg

 

[Cross Bones]

Sounds like someone hates capitalism... commie

 

[Caravan92]

I admit I was going to get it for a month and cancel, figured even if it was a bust I wasn't going to cry over losing out on 14 bucks but when I went to look at it if you want to watch multiple teams you gotta go all in on a years subscription now and pay it all in advance. They got wise to the one month and out plan people had been doing.

Hmm, I was able to get the one month all access for 19.99 and used a 50% off code. Was sure to cancel at halftime of the MC game and check the box marked “broadcast quality issues”.

 

[McCaravan]

Hmm, I was able to get the one month all access for 19.99 and used a 50% off code. Was sure to cancel at halftime of the MC game and check the box marked “broadcast quality issues”.

I won't doubt I probably missed something .

 

[crusaderpride]

I didn’t see anything either. It was all or nothing. You have a link that goes directly to it for a small brained person like me?

 

[80sRambler]

On the subscription page there's a toggle between Monthly and Annual. It's right above the 3 boxes for Basic / Family / All-Access.

 

[crusaderpride]

Thank you!

 

[McCaravan]

If you like watching basketball without a scoreboard or clock then this is your site!
Occasionally the camera skims by the scoreboard

 

[PowerI66]

If you like watching basketball without a scoreboard or clock then this is your site!
Occasionally the camera skims by the scoreboard

Or a camera is dedicated to the scoreboard but hasn't been adjusted for the brightness making it illegible

 

[4Afan]

Or a camera is dedicated to the scoreboard but hasn't been adjusted for the brightness making it illegible

You guys talk like NFHS is working the cameras. More times than not it's the school, most likely students, who work the cameras and NFHS just broadcasts the games.

 

[Silver Rain]

In many of their broadcasts, NFHS uses an automated camera trained to follow the ball. If it is a student-run production, the students, and the folks at home, must still contend with a glitchy NFHS overlay.

 

[PowerI66]

You guys talk like NFHS is working the cameras. More times than not it's the school, most likely students, who work the cameras and NFHS just broadcasts the games.

Not at all. Students do better jobs. It's whoever set the system up that I blame

 

[refreff01]

Here is my annual do you want to see IHSA seeding ineptitude at its finest. Two top ten girls volleyball teams in the nation are playing in Argo's gym this evening. Imagine the revenue if they played in the state championship. They play annually in the sectional. There is no current more equally matched rivalry in the IHSA (maybe country) at a higher level (New Trier and LA LAX is right there but under the radar) than McAuley v Marist. They play three times a year and two of the games are not know until the day of (in season tourney) or you need to map out the sectional date and site. Oddly neither school even televises these games so they go pretty much unknown. I'd think a match up in the state semi or finals would be a boon for the IHSA.

I am not sure if there is a worst run business model than the IHSA which seems to be good at shaking schools down for money but unable to fully capitalize on revenue streams that could make them money.

Charge catholic schools $2,500 to televise their games on Youtube. Instead they randomly penalize BR and MC while other schools were allowed to use their streams Friday.

MC v BR get over 20K people watching on their streams. IA tells me that largest NFHS telecast was a basketball game in Georgia with 20K views.

God Bless the IHSA looking to make it harder on private schools

 

[4Afan]

Here is my annual do you want to see IHSA seeding ineptitude at its finest. Two top ten girls volleyball teams in the nation are playing in Argo's gym this evening. Imagine the revenue if they played in the state championship. They play annually in the sectional. There is no current more equally matched rivalry in the IHSA (maybe country) at a higher level (New Trier and LA LAX is right there but under the radar) than McAuley v Marist. They play three times a year and two of the games are not know until the day of (in season tourney) or you need to map out the sectional date and site. Oddly neither school even televises these games so they go pretty much unknown. I'd think a match up in the state semi or finals would be a boon for the IHSA.

I am not sure if there is a worst run business model than the IHSA which seems to be good at shaking schools down for money but unable to fully capitalize on revenue streams that could make them money.

Charge catholic schools $2,500 to televise their games on Youtube. Instead they randomly penalize BR and MC while other schools were allowed to use their streams Friday.

MC v BR get over 20K people watching on their streams. IA tells me that largest NFHS telecast was a basketball game in Georgia with 20K views.

God Bless the IHSA looking to make it harder on private schools

I think you're grossly over estimating the amount of people thst would watch HS volleyball or even football. I would be shocked if the football state finals have 20k viewes on TV, MC vs. BR isn't doing 20k streaming.

Not sure what happened for MC or BR as far as their streams last week goes, but not sure I would view it as being punished considering we don't know what happened and several other teams didn't have any issues. If it wasn't streamed then maybe that school didn't pay the fee, otherwise it may have been an NFHS issue or a tech issue on site. If the issue was they didn't pay the $250 then there's a 0% chance any school is paying the $2,500 you suggest.

 

[refreff01]

I think you're grossly over estimating the amount of people thst would watch HS volleyball or even football. I would be shocked if the football state finals have 20k viewes on TV, MC vs. BR isn't doing 20k streaming.

Not sure what happened for MC or BR as far as their streams last week goes, but not sure I would view it as being punished considering we don't know what happened and several other teams didn't have any issues. If it wasn't streamed then maybe that school didn't pay the fee, otherwise it may have been an NFHS issue or a tech issue on site. If the issue was they didn't pay the $250 then there's a 0% chance any school is paying the $2,500 you suggest.

We do know what happened. The NFHS picks the games they want to cover. The high school can do all of the heavy lifting and produce the game for NFHS. BR did not want to do that so NFHS sent their team to do. I believe MC crew was on NFHS (same stipulation as BR) and SR was on their YouTube Channel. BR could not pay their way out of the situation even if they wanted too. Same again this week. SR may have been able to.

I know for a fact that BR and MC gets more views on their Youtube free feeds than they do on NFHS feed simply because it is free.

My volleyball rant is more about how the two programs that are ranked higher than any other team in any other sport in Illinois are playing a sectional final. If that game is on a Youtube broadcast you would get higher views than 95% of the NFHS football games this weekend. The best thing about volleyball is it is over in about an hour.

 

[PowerI66]

Here is my annual do you want to see IHSA seeding ineptitude at its finest. Two top ten girls volleyball teams in the nation are playing in Argo's gym this evening. Imagine the revenue if they played in the state championship. They play annually in the sectional. There is no current more equally matched rivalry in the IHSA (maybe country) at a higher level (New Trier and LA LAX is right there but under the radar) than McAuley v Marist. They play three times a year and two of the games are not know until the day of (in season tourney) or you need to map out the sectional date and site. Oddly neither school even televises these games so they go pretty much unknown. I'd think a match up in the state semi or finals would be a boon for the IHSA.

I am not sure if there is a worst run business model than the IHSA which seems to be good at shaking schools down for money but unable to fully capitalize on revenue streams that could make them money.

Charge catholic schools $2,500 to televise their games on Youtube. Instead they randomly penalize BR and MC while other schools were allowed to use their streams Friday.

MC v BR get over 20K people watching on their streams. IA tells me that largest NFHS telecast was a basketball game in Georgia with 20K views.

God Bless the IHSA looking to make it harder on private schools

To my knowledge, if either of the schools involved has an agreement for showing events with NFHS, then neither school in the game/match can stream on another platform.