CIF State Inks $11-Million Media Rights Deal With PlayOn Sports' NFHS Network

The CIF State office announced a 10-year deal with PlayOn Sports' NFHS Network to be the exclusive content distributing partner for CIF regional and state championship events starting this school year.

The deal is worth $11.1-million, according to a report from the LA Times.

As part of the agreement, the NFHS Network will continue broadcasting the CIF State Football and State Basketball Championships on linear television while also adding the CIF Girls Volleyball State Championship Finals to the TV lineup.

The CIF State's media rights belonged to Spectrum SportsNet, but the contract ended this past 2025-26 sports year.

CHESS MOVE FROM PLAYON

It's a chess move in the world of high school sports, and another feather in the cap of PlayOn Sports, which has a strong grip on the prep sports world nationally. PlayOnSports owns MaxPreps, NFHS Network and GoFan.co. It means they own a majority of the data, content and tickets world of education-based athletics.

“We are excited to partner with the NFHS Network to bring CIF Championship events to audiences across California and beyond,” said CIF Executive Director Ron Nocetti. “Their commitment to education-based athletics allows more fans, families, and communities to share in the experience that is high school sports.”

"At its core, this partnership is about making sure more people can experience the moments that make high school sports so meaningful," said David Rudolph, President at PlayOn. "Whether it's a parent traveling for work, a grandparent across the country, or an alum cheering on their school, the NFHS Network helps keep communities connected. We're proud to partner with the CIF to give more student-athletes the visibility they deserve and make California's championship events accessible to fans wherever they are."

The LA Times reports the CIF will receive $165,000 from the NFHS Network in the first year of the agreement, with a 3% bump each year of the contract. PlayOn Sports will pay $810,000 in the opening year of the contract with the same 3% increase each prep year.

“The NFHS Network is proud to strengthen our partnership with the CIF and expand access to CIF State events for fans across California and beyond,” said Mark Koski, Vice President of the NFHS Network. “This agreement will provide schools with a reliable platform to showcase their student-athletes, increase visibility for their programs and broaden access to championship events. It reflects our shared commitment to supporting member schools while delivering high-quality coverage that celebrates the achievements taking place throughout California high school athletics.”

WHAT NFHS NETWORK DOES FOR PREP SPORTS

The NFHS Network connects communities to high school sports, streaming over 600,000 live and on-demand events annually for more than 8,500 schools nationwide. Schools can broadcast with automated cameras and produce select events with student-led crews.

A joint venture between the NFHS and PlayOn Sports, the NFHS Network brings high school sports to fans on any device. Fans can watch online at NFHSnetwork.com or through the NFHS Network app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Google TV.

MORE ON PLAYON

PlayOn Sports is the nation's leading technology company powering high school athletics, serving thousands of schools and millions of fans nationwide. The NFHS Network, GoFan and MaxPreps are the trusted PlayOn brands connecting fans, families, athletes and schools through streaming, highlights, ticketing, scores and stats.

The company's efforts allows every game to reach more fans, generates more engagement and creates greater support for school athletic programs.

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