West Central PA News

Reps. Marla Brown, Jim Struzzi, and Brian Smith have called for changes to the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association's (PIAA) broadcasting policy. They argue that the current agreement with the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), which provides a streaming service for high school sports, restricts local media from covering away games and forces viewers to pay subscription fees.

In a letter signed by 45 bipartisan lawmakers, Brown, Struzzi, and Smith stated: “The PIAA’s current broadcasting policy is unfair on many levels, and most importantly, to the families of the players on the fields and courts of Pennsylvania. Our athletes work for years to hone their skills in their respective sports, and a lucky few get the chance to show those skills in PIAA playoff matchups. However, those matchups can be several hours away from their local communities."

They emphasized that local media outlets often travel significant distances to cover these events but are hindered by an exclusivity contract between PIAA and NFHS. The statement continued: "These athletes finally reach their moment on the big stage, and all too often their friends and family are blocked from watching them by an NFHS paywall."

The issue was previously addressed during a 2022 Department of Education hearing where lawmakers were assured it would be resolved. Legislation introduced on January 26th, 2023—known as the Fair Play in Broadcasting Act—seeks to grant visiting teams equal rights to broadcast games as home teams do. The act has strong bipartisan support.

The representatives concluded: “It has become clear that fair broadcasting is not a priority being addressed in the PIAA. We, and the 42 other lawmakers who signed our letter, believe this issue needs to be addressed as soon as possible for the sake of Pennsylvania’s players, families and fans.”