CSTV, MaxPreps, deliver high school sports via VOD

CSTV will create first-of-their-kind video-on-demand channels dedicated to local high school sports. Brian Bedol, President and CEO, CSTV Networks, made the announcement at the National Cable Television Association Show alongside LRMR Innovative Marketing and Branding. The youth marketing and sponsorship company founded by NBA superstar LeBron James and Maverick Carter has signed on to the project to assist with marketing, branding, promotion and sponsorship opportunities.

“Millions of families across the country are connected to high school sports in ways that are unequaled in the world of sports,” Bedol said, “but until now, there were no efficient means of delivering this fragmented content onto the television screen. Now, thanks to advances in production and distribution technologies and CSTV’s unique sports aggregation infrastructure, these passionate athletes, their families, friends and local communities can re-live the achievements and victories of millions of student athletes.”

These channels, which will be powered by MaxPreps, America’s source for high school sports and a division of CSTV, will contain extensive highlights of a broad range of local games on channels organized on a state-by-state platform.

LRMR, which strategically and tactically negotiates and manages all marketing programs for James, has also signed deals with several major corporations including Coca-Cola, Nike and Microsoft.

“We’re thrilled to be part of a plan to use ground-breaking technology to connect great brands to the next generation of great athletes,” said Carter, CEO, LRMR Innovative Marketing and Branding. “Collaborating with smart, like-minded companies that share LRMR’s vision and core values is the key to our company.”

Besides the exclusive local content, there will be programming shared among all the VOD channels across the country, including athlete profiles, rankings, training, and championships.

“High school sports fans have an insatiable appetite to follow their hometown heroes,” said Andy Beal, President, MaxPreps. “Prep sports are the epitome of local programming and Video On Demand is the next, and natural, step to bring these teams and stars into living rooms in every state.”

Said Dave Millhollin, who has won more than 300 games as boys’ basketball coach at Sacramento’s Ponderosa High School: “MaxPreps has brought much-deserved attention to high school athletes in every city by re-defining and expanding the coverage of prep sports. Adding a television component is an exciting evolution and will be a tremendous improvement for the athletes, their families and fans.”

Created by CSTV, each VOD channel has the potential to be co-branded in partnership with distributors in the local markets.

“High School sports represent the ultimate local programming and nobody in the country knows the power of high school sports better than LeBron,” Mr. Bedol said. “Utilizing the content generated by our own Max Preps and its existing coverage of 20,000 high schools, we will provide an unprecedented new connection for our distribution partners.”