Charlotte-area high school football to get a ‘game of the week’ stream this season
With attendance limited at high school events due to COVID-19 protocols, many fans are watching games via internet streams. Most of them are basic, with a single camera following the action.
For at least one football game in the Charlotte-area each week, that won’t be the case.
Teall Properties, National Amateur Sports and OrthoCarolina are partnering to produce “The Spring SZN,” a high school football game-of-the-week that will be broadcast on the NFHS Network free for fans.
The first game will be Vance at Mallard Creek on Feb. 26.
“I think that’s amazing,” South Mecklenburg High coach Joe Evans said. “You’ve got parents that can’t come to games. You’ve got limits on numbers, and if you’re doing something like that, it’s really cool. I grew up in Charlotte and we used to play a game of the week at Memorial Stadium. I remember we played Myers Park my junior year. It was a big deal.”
In recent years, OrthoCarolina has organized a season-opening weekend of high profile games, often between out-of-conference and out-of-state opponents. That wasn’t possible this year, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the start of football in North Carolina to be moved from August to February.
When the season returns Feb. 26, only 100 fans will be allowed at games, and in most cases that will only be fans from the home school. Teams will play a limited seven-game schedule, instead of the usual 11 games.
Because of limited attendance — basketball games, for instance, are limited to 25 fans — most Charlotte-Mecklenburg and area schools are broadcasting games via the NFHS Network, which charges a subscription of $11 per month or $70 per year. The NCHSAA state finals are also being streamed there.
For the majority of high school games, the streams don’t include play-by-play or professional production.
The Spring SZN organizers say they want to showcase some of the best games in the area and reward fan participation via social media. The game to be broadcast will be announced during the week, they say.
“I think kids will get excited about it,” Evans said. “It’s something where the public can watch it and it’ll have more a college-style atmosphere and feel with the play-by-play. I remember my first game as head coach at Independence and we played in the OrthoCarolina Kickoff Classic ... and it was a good opportunity for us to go play and get showcased. This is the same thing.”
This story was originally published February 16, 2021 at 12:02 PM.
