Southern Section reaches six-year media deal with NFHS Network

The CIF Southern Section has signed a new six-year deal with Play On! Sports and NFHS Network for linear television and streaming rights that will be a 13% increase over last year’s previous media deal, Southern Section spokesman Thom Simmons said.

The new deal will see the Southern Section and NFHS Network teaming to produce games that will be shown on Bally Sports SoCal, starting with Friday’s season opener matching Mater Dei and Corona Centennial on Bally Sports SoCal.

The NFHS Network will stream dozens of football games each week. It charges a monthly fee of $11.99 or $79.99 a year. Those who already subscribe to Bally Sports SoCal will be able to watch the games scheduled for its regional broadcast.

Other football games scheduled for Bally Sports SoCal to start the season are Warren vs. Gardena Serra on Aug. 25, Long Beach Poly vs. Mission Viejo on Sept. 1, St. John Bosco vs. Baltimore St. Francis Academy on Sept. 8 and Orange Lutheran vs. Sierra Canyon on Sept. 15.

The agreement includes 20 linear TV events for Bally Sports SoCal. The Southern Section and NFHS Network will be paying Bally Sports SoCal to televise the games. Among the games will be the Division 1 football final, the Open Division boys’ and girls’ basketball finals and the Open Division girls’ volleyball final.

Simmons declined to reveal the specific income the Southern Section will be receiving from Play On! Sports.

The NFHS Network has been helping schools install Pixellot unmanned cameras in gymnasiums and on fields to support game broadcasts.

Some schools that have individually streamed games in the past are expected to make deals with the NFHS Network to simulcast games. Harvard-Westlake is in that process. Its students will broadcast and produce games that will continue to be shown on its HWTV website.