By Sam Parsons

Earlier this week, the Iowa High School Sports Network (IHSSN) made an announcement that they would be introducing a new pay-per-view streaming service for certain Iowa High School postseason games. This new platform would be the standard for streaming postseason games beginning with this year’s state baseball championships, which will be held July 17-21. However, yesterday, the Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) issued a statement objecting to the move.

The IHSAA said in their statement that the IHSSN “has previously provided the public with free access to championship events via television and other formats” and that they have “objected to the IHSSN’s plans to charge the public.” The organization said it has 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.”

In the initial statement from the IHSSN, Executive Director Alan DeBolt said “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, but anyone attempting to watch the same contests via a streaming device (i.e. a phone, computer, tablet, etc.) will now be required to pay a nominal fee of $9.99 for a single game/match or $18.99 for a full tournament pass.

The IHSAA said that moving forward, they “will continue to strive for free public access to broadcasts of its championship events.”