Press release from ETV below. The game will be shown on The South Carolina Channel.

They also plan to broadcast Sumter vs. Greenwood on Sept. 26 and another game TBA in October. Duce Staley will be doing color on the broadcasts.


On Friday, Aug. 29, ETV ushers in pigskin season with the showdown between one-time gridiron rivals, the Batesburg-Leesville Panthers and the Lexington Wildcats.

The excitement begins at 7 p.m. with “Friday Night,” a LIVE community-based pre-game program spotlighting the towns of Lexington and Batesburg-Leesville. Hosted by ETV Sports personality Bob Schuster, this 30-minute broadcast features interviews with representatives from both towns. As part of this special broadcast, a Lexington high school student will don the reporter’s hat and spill the beans on the latest happenings in town.

Then, at 7:30 p.m., ETV’s digital broadcast service, the South Carolina Channel brings LIVE coverage of the matchup from Lexington High School. Throughout the broadcast, student reporters from each school will work the sidelines for a little lighthearted dishing from the fans. Then during half-time, Schuster takes center stage again, this time chatting with Lexington High School principal B. Creig Tyler and Batesburg-Leesville principal Raymond Padgett about how each school is touting its winning ways in reading, writing and arithmetic, including a look at Lexington High School’s International Baccalaureate program and Batesville-Leesburg’s Career Cluster.

And as if flea-flickers and fumbles weren’t enough, ETV is sounding the call for all fans to send in their cell phone videos of all the action. Videos should be sent to etvsports@scetv.org. They may be posted to the ETV Sports Web site where, with the click of a button, football buffs can instantly see thrilling game highlights.

And stay tuned for announcements on which additional high school football games are going to be covered on ETV Sports this season.

An encore broadcast of the pre-game show, “Friday Night,” will air on ETV on Saturday, Aug. 30 at 1 a.m. The rebroadcast of the football game will air on Saturday, Aug. 30 at 1 a.m. on the South Carolina Channel and on Saturday, Aug. 30 at 1:30 a.m. on ETV. For additional rebroadcast dates visit www.scetv.org/index.php/sports/.

Glad ETV is giving football some play. I am sure that all of those Lawrence Welk reruns have about tun their course by this time. To be honest, I could care less about the regular season, but do hope that they get back to showing the state championship games again.

For as long as I can remember I would spend the day watching the champ games on ETV. Now I usually attend the state games but for those that can't make the trip it is worth it to have them on the air!!

Andy...Again, I ask this question..How can ETV afford to do these games? A few years ago, the SCHSL blamed ETV saying the cost was too much to broadcast the weekend of champions..Now, they can do a game of the week??
I ask you and all other posters, was it ETV or the SCHSL, I think it was the SCHSL they got too greedy, the didn't want ETV to cover the games so more people would have to attend.

Now, I ask will ETV cover the weekend of champions in Clemson this year? If not it will be a disgrace! JMO!!

I checked at the schsl site in the rules section and their is no cost for broadcasting regular season games. The cost for broadcasting a live tv playoff game is negotionable. I guess the schsl can charge what ever they want. When the games were in Columbia next to ETV, no travel expenses were needed and the feed was right there. It will cost considerably more to broadcast from Clemson, travel, meals, motels, etc. Not sure we will see any broadcasts from the state championship games this year.

Another great decision by Jerome and his band of minions down in Columbia. Just about as stupid as moving the state finals to Clemson. And my take on that has nothing to do with being anti Clemson. It will be just as stupid if they ever decide to take it to Charleston.

quote:

Originally posted by Absit Invidle1:
I checked at the schsl site in the rules section and their is no cost for broadcasting regular season games. The cost for broadcasting a live tv playoff game is negotionable. I guess the SCHSL can charge what ever they want. When the games were in Columbia next to ETV, no travel expenses were needed and the feed was right there. It will cost considerably more to broadcast from Clemson, travel, meals, motels, etc. Not sure we will see any broadcasts from the state championship games this year.

OK, why wouldn't the SCHSL NOT want the games on ETV? The state championship high school football showcase everything that is RIGHT about high school athletics. It showcases kids from all over the state that work hard and do the right thing. In our society, it is always the kids that stay in trouble, that make the headlines. Pick up a copy of any paper in our state and see what I mean, if a teenage kid goes out and kills someone, it is on the front page. Look at that same newspaper and try and find out the story about the young man that goes over to some eldery person's home to carry them something to eat everyday. Look for the story of a kid that mows the neighbor's grass because they are disabled, you won't find it..Sure, the papers will run a feel-good story, every now and then about a kid in the sports section, but not everyone reads the sports section. I am appalled that Jerome Singleton and the SCHSL can't see the oppurtunity that this would create for these young kids. Every year, I am amazed that young men around our state give up their summers for workouts, 7 on 7 and the other things that are involved to be a part of a high school football team. I see young men that have to miss family vactations to stay with the team and make these workouts..That is something to be proud of, while other kids are hanging out with their friends, swimming, just being lazy, these kids are out in the 100+ heat, working to be the best..Many people in our great state of South Carolina can't afford the 7-8 dollars admission...They have to decide between putting food on the table and going to see their children play football. To most of us, that sounds like a load of bunk but to the family that struggles each and everyday, I assure you, it is not.
I get mad! When the SCHSL takes what should be the highlight of a young man's career and doesn't see what I just mentioned above.
Is not high school athletics to be enjoyed by the entire family? I laughed the year that the SCHSL and ETV decided to not show the games, they stated it was because the economy was bad, heck they were right and who is it the worse for? The average fan, that has to pay $3.66 and more for a gallon of gas, to travel all the way to Clemson from Charleston to watch the state championship games.
It sickens me to think that a young man has to celebrate making it to the state championship, by himself because his family can't afford to make the journey..However, if the SCHSL wasn't trying to get rich off of CHARGING WHAT THEY WANT as you stated Absit Invidle 1....Then that young man's family could watch their child and talk with him about the game when he returned home..You see, I know what these kids go through to become the best, the give their blood, sweat and tears and to me, I say thank you! I thank them for making an old guys Friday night, each and every week...I thank them for allowing me to think back to my playing days and by giving me HOPE for the future because I see that some young men still get it..They see that hard work pays off...I thank the coaches for teaching these young men what hard work means and helping them become productive members of society...You see..I get it and I hope the SCHSL and ETV will too...

quote:

Originally posted by steelerfreak:
Andy...Again, I ask this question..How can ETV afford to do these games? A few years ago, the SCHSL blamed ETV saying the cost was too much to broadcast the weekend of champions..Now, they can do a game of the week??

My understanding of the reason that they won't allow the broadcasting of the WOC games is that they believe they will lose revenue from people staying at home who might otherwise attend. If they think the attendance would be, say, 10,000 fewer people, then their rights fees for WOC games would be an attempt to make up that revenue.

I don't think that whether it is ETV or Charter or whatever broadcast outfit makes any difference to the SCHSL, they will want to "make up" the revenue they THINK they would have by someone who doesn't come to the game. How many that would be is anyone's guess.

As far as ETV is concerned, I think the first year they had their digital setup, they wanted to broadcast the WOC games to show off the new stuff. With this regular season game, their expenses will have to be covered by someone... watch the broadcast and see if you can figure out who it is.

I talked with an AD last year after a late season game with a distant opponent last year, and he allowed as there was barely enough ticket revenue to pay the expenses of the game. He was against the idea of HS games on television. If TV were to cut into his revenue, then his school would be in trouble as far as expenses were concerned.

If the Lexington and Greenwood ADs want to take that chance for a regular season game then that is their business. I, for one, salute them for it.

I understand that STat...however you and I both know, the fan that will come to a game, is the one that will come..This would just benifit the parents that can't afford to come and the other family members that are unable to could, illness, age etc...

Georgia makes this happen every year and SC could too..When money gets put ahead of the kids it is sad...

The bad thing about the broadcast is that It is not on regular ETV. A lot of follks still can't get the South Carolina Channel.