(6-22-23) The Iowa High School Sports Network (IHSSN) is the current media rights holder for select Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) championship events.

IHSSN has recently announced it has adopted a new model that would charge the public to watch certain live events.

IHSSN Statement

As the exclusive provider of many Iowa boys’ state championship events, we were disappointed to learn of the recent lawsuit filed against us by the IHSAA. It is important to remember that fans will still be able to watch championship games on television for free thanks to our broadcast partners around the state. However, under our new pay-per-view platform, accessing our broadcasts via streaming devices – like phones or tablets – will require a nominal fee, which is in-line with current market rates and the cost of actually attending the event live.

IHSSN is a privately held company and we have taken significant steps over the last two years to enhance the programming offered; and we believe a move to a new, pay-per-view platform for streaming customers will provide opportunities for us to add even more coverage and features in the future. Given this, we strongly disagree with the merits of this lawsuit and plan to file a response to the claims made once we have had time fully review the document.

IHSSN plans to begin charging for live streaming with the 2023 IHSAA State Baseball Tournament in July. The network has previously provided the public with free access to championship events via television and other formats.

IHSAA has objected to the IHSSN’s plans to charge the public and earlier today filed a Petition for Declaratory Relief in Polk County District Court seeking, among other things, a declaration from the court as to the rights of the parties with respect to charging fees to the public under the relevant media rights agreement.

Moving forward, IHSAA will continue to strive for free public access to broadcasts of its championship events.

IHSSN Launches New Streaming Platform

(Emerson, Iowa – June 20, 2023) – The Iowa High School Sports Network (IHSSN), which is the exclusive media provider of Iowa boys’ state championship events for baseball, football, wrestling, basketball, track and soccer, announced today it is introducing a new pay-per-view platform for sports fans wanting to view future events via streaming devices. This new platform, which includes either per game/match or championship tournament package options, will go into effect for this year’s state baseball championships, which will be held July 17-21, 2023.

Alan DeBolt, Executive Director at IHSSN

“Our passion is Iowa high school sports, and we are committed to bringing high school sports fans the best coverage of championship events and showcasing the state’s elite talent. We have added nearly 30 live events in the past two years. Our goal is to continue to expand and improve the quality of our offerings. This business decision will allow us to keep moving down that path.”

DeBolt said the IHSSN’s championship broadcasts will still be available live and for free through its Iowa cable and broadcast television affiliates. This will not change. However, watching these same contests via a streaming device (i.e., phone, desktop, iPad, etc.) will now require a nominal fee. This will allow users access to either single games/matches or the entire championship tournament. No monthly or yearly subscriptions are required, and users only pay for whatever sporting event they have selected.  

NEW PLATFORM DETAILS:

• Affordable Pricing – You can watch a single game/match for $9.99, or you can pay $18.99 for a tournament pass, which gives you access to all the championship games or matches for that sport.

• Free App – “Watch IHSSN” is free to downloadon iOS and Android devices, as well as Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku.

• Online Viewing – Viewers can access games easily through ihssn.com. Simply open your favorite web browser, purchase the game or tournament pass and start watching.

• Multiple Devices – IHSSN offers viewership on up to two devices concurrently making it convenient to watch your favorite team(s) at any time and from anywhere.

• Easy Sign-up – Just go to the IHSSN website at ihssn.com to create an account. If you already have an IHSSN account, you do not need to set up a new one. You can also download the Watch IHSSN app on your favorite iOS and Android devices, as well as several streaming services.

DeBolt explained—-

“We are proud to currently broadcast over 100 state championship events each year. We believe this new platform will not only allow us to maintain the coverage and quality that Iowa high school sports fans have come to expect from IHSSN, but also expand our future offerings.”