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Pixellot Productions On Rise

September 19, 2018

By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties

A year ago, Pixellot – the automated production solution for schools wishing to stream live video of their athletic events on the NFHS Network and MHSAA.tv – was in use at six schools across Michigan.

With the new school year underway, nearly two dozen schools are actively streaming events using Pixellot, with half of those schools streaming indoor and outdoor events. Several schools have more than two Pixellot units in place.

“Schools are finding that Pixellot provides a great opportunity to get a lot of their games out to their fans in a way they could never achieve,” said Mark Uyl, executive director of the MHSAA.  “We have some schools which are using a mix of their traditional, student-staffed, School Broadcast Program efforts along with Pixellot to be able to add subvarsity coverage; and schools going exclusively with Pixellot with installations at multiple venues.”

Pixellot units use from two to four High Definition cameras that cover the length of the playing surface and then focus on the ball and player movement to deliver the action. The unit communicates with the scoreboard to insert a time and score graphic on the screen. Ambient audio is picked up by the device, but the commentary of the public address announcer or the radio style play-by-play of an in-person announcing team also can be patched in.

All that has to be done from a school’s perspective is type in the event schedule and promote the fact that the games are available on MHSAA.tv. Pixellot does the rest. The unit also can be set up to isolate a camera on a fixed location, which allows for activities like cheer and wrestling to be streamed.

Schools actively engaged in Pixellot productions now include: Ann Arbor Greenhills, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, Brighton, Calumet, Dollar Bay, Frankenmuth, Freeland, Fremont, Grand Blanc, Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian, Harrison, Howell, Kalamazoo Christian, Macomb Lutheran North, Manchester, Norway, Novi, Otisville-LakeVille, Ovid-Elsie, Plainwell, Saginaw Heritage, Saline, Stevensville Lakeshore, Warren DeLaSalle and Williamston. Schools using indoor and outdoor units include Cranbrook Kingswood, Frankenmuth, Freeland, Grand Blanc, Howell, Manchester, Norway, Novi, Ovid-Elsie, Plainwell, Saginaw Heritage, Saline and Stevensville Lakeshore. Additional schools will have their Pixellot units coming online soon.

More than 70 percent of the programming taking place this week on MHSAA.tv will be Pixellot productions, featuring a football game Friday evening with two of the top-ranked Division 1 teams facing off for the top spot in the Saginaw Valley League’s Red division. Grand Blanc hosts Davison at 7 p.m. Both teams are 4-0 overall and 2-0 in league play, tied with Lapeer for first place.

Here’s this week’s MHSAA.tv schedule of video streams being produced by School Broadcast Program members and the NFHS Network:

Tuesday - Sept. 18

Wednesday - Sept. 19 

Thursday - Sept. 20

Friday - Sept. 21

Saturday - Sept. 22

Monday - Sept. 24

Tuesday - Sept. 25

All sporting events – live or delayed - are available on a subscription basis only for their first 72 hours online. They become available for free, on-demand viewing approximately 72 hours following their completion.

NFHS Network subscriptions begin at $9.95 a month. Subscribers will have access to all live video and streaming statistics across the country. All content becomes available for free, on-demand viewing 72 hours after being shown live. School Broadcast Program participants also will be selling Season and Annual Passes at a discounted rate. A portion of every subscription sold by a school goes to benefit its program. 

Highlights of games broadcast during the past week by MHSAA School Broadcast Program contributors feature a pair of close football contests – Marquette’s 36-35 overtime win over Escanaba and Howell topping Novi, 21-17 – and a volleyball match with Lake Orion defeating Oxford, 3-0.

Highlights can be found each week on the MHSAA.tv website, the home page of the MHSAA Website, and the MHSAASports Channel on YouTube.

A complete list of participating schools can be found on the School Broadcast Program page of the MHSAA website.

Bally Sports Detroit

Football Fridays Return to Bally Sports Detroit

August 19, 2022

Bally Sports Detroit continues its commitment to Michigan High School Athletic Association sports with Football Fridays presented by Southeast Michigan Ford Dealers.

Bally Sports Detroit will broadcast MHSAA football games each Friday night during the regular season and into the playoffs. Football Fridays Overtime powered by State Champs, a one-hour scores-and-highlights show, will follow each game.

Football Fridays presented by Southeast Michigan Ford Dealers will run the entire MSHAA season, beginning Thursday with the Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic at Wayne State University, through the MHSAA playoffs and state championship games at Ford Field on Nov. 25 and 26.

"Everyone at Bally Sports Detroit is thrilled to kick off this year's coverage of MHSAA football," said Greg Hammaren, senior vice president/general manager of Bally Sports Detroit. "Our crew is excited to feature another season of great rivalries, sportsmanship and great plays that make MHSAA football so fun and compelling. We know that fans are anxious to get this season started, so we'll see you at the Kickoff Classic."

The initial schedule (below) highlights the games, locations and broadcast schedule. Dates and matchups beyond Sept. 23 will be released at a later date. Information will be updated on BallySports.com as it becomes available.

AUGUST

25, 4 p.m., Kickoff Classic: Macomb Dakota vs. Brother Rice, BSD, Bally Sports app, Bally Sports+

25, 7 p.m., Kickoff Classic: Sterling Heights Stevenson vs. West Bloomfield, BSD, Bally Sports app, Bally Sports+

SEPTEMBER

2, 7 p.m.: Birmingham Groves at Oxford, BSD EXTRA, Bally Sports app, Bally Sports+

9, 7:30 p.m.: Clarkson at Rochester Adams, BSD EXTRA, Bally Sports app, Bally Sports+

16, 7:30 p.m.: Detroit MLK at Detroit Cass Tech, BSD EXTRA, Bally Sports app, Bally Sports+

23, 7:30 p.m.: Detroit Catholic Central at Brother Rice, BSD EXTRA, Bally Sports app, Bally Sports+