News

The Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc. has reached a multi-year agreement with FOX Sports Indiana (FSI) to be the exclusive television home for its state championship events and the IHSAA Champions Network.

The agreement, which begins with the 2013-14 school year, calls for 32 IHSAA state championship games and three tournament pairings shows to be televised annually on the regional sports network. All championships events in football, boys and girls soccer and volleyball will air in the fall, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls swimming and diving and wrestling in the winter, and softball and baseball in the spring. In addition, FOX Sports Indiana also will air state tournament pairings shows in football, girls basketball and boys basketball.

The news was announced this evening at halftime of FOX Sports Indiana’s telecast of the Indiana Pacers playoff game against the Atlanta Hawks at Bankers Life Fieldhouse by IHSAA Commissioner Bobby Cox and FOX Sports Indiana General Manager and Senior Vice President Jack Donovan.

“We’re excited to become the home of IHSAA championships,” said Donovan. “We look forward to helping the IHSAA showcase the accomplishments of schools and student-athletes. The telecasts will have the big-game look and feel that FOX Sports’ Pacers, Fever, MLB and NFL broadcasts are known for, while emphasizing the unique spirit and qualities of high school athletics.”

Under the new agreement, the IHSAA will continue to produce and deliver its own content for air on FOX Sports Indiana just as it has the last three years with the IHSAA Champions Network, a select group of television affiliates from around the state of Indiana. In addition to Indiana, FOX Sports Midwest will be able to deliver all the action and excitement to an even greater number of households throughout Indiana and beyond.

“This new partnership allows the IHSAA to reach a maximum number of high school sports fans with our championship programming,” commented IHSAA Commissioner Bobby Cox.  “Viewers throughout the state, and in other parts of the Midwest, will have unprecedented access to IHSAA state tournament events.  This relationship will provide the largest viewing audience in the history of the IHSAA as we continue to extol the values of education-based athletics in the Hoosier State. We are thrilled to be on the FOX Sports Network.”

“We also wish to express our sincere thanks and pleasure with our flagship station Indiana’s 4 WTTV and all the affiliates who have comprised the IHSAA Champions Network for the past three years,” continued Cox.  “Their professional efforts on behalf of the Association have helped to raise the level of high school sports viewership throughout communities in Indiana.”

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About the Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc. (IHSAA)
Founded in 1903, the purpose of the Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc. (IHSAA) is to encourage, regulate and give direction to wholesome amateur interschool athletic competition between its 410 member schools. The Association provides state championship tournament series in 20 sports, 10 for girls and 10 for boys. Approximately 160,000 student athletes participate in IHSAA sports on an annual basis.