KHSAA Study on Streaming Services for High Schools

A recent study aimed to look at how online streaming services and other interactive websites can benefit high schools and its student-athletes in the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA).

The study, “Perceptions on Implementing a Comprehensive Athletic Website and Online Streaming Service for Kentucky High Schools,” was published in the Atlantic Marketing Journal, and authored by Morehead State University professor of sports management Dr. Steve Chen and recent MSU graduates Anna Gdovka, Adrienne Hall, and Eric Street.

In this study, the researchers examined how interactive websites and online streaming services focusing on interscholastic sports could benefit Kentucky high schools.

Student participation in interscholastic athletics reached record levels in 2019-20 for the third consecutive year in Kentucky (KHSAA, 2020). Sport marketers have strongly advocated social media as a powerful and effective tool to promote sporting events at all levels. However, existing studies rarely focus on the trend for promoting interscholastic sports through social media platforms.

After evaluating more than 102 high school athletic websites, the authors found schools were in need to improve the current website by replacing outdated and insufficient content and empty links. Features such as players’ biographies, statistics, photo galleries, archives, records, video highlights, and advertisements for local businesses and sponsors were ideal website contents. Based on the interview responses of 16 athletic administrators, the authors concluded the development of a live-streaming platform and interactive website would benefit various stakeholders (i.e., parents, students, sponsors, administrators, and collegiate coaches/recruiters) in many ways.

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Strategies, challenges, and recommendations for maintaining the website with streaming features were further discussed and made.

The authors concluded that developing a live-streaming platform and interactive website would benefit multiple stakeholders, including parents, student-athletes, sponsors, and collegiate coaches and recruiters.

To read the full study from Morehead State University on the practicability of livestreaming athletic events at the high school level, click here.