Media Rights Agreement between High School Athletic
Association and Radio of Television Station
Agreement made on the _______________ (date) , between ________________
______________________ (Station) , a corporation organized and existing under the
laws of the state of ______________, with its principal office located at _____________
________________________________________________________________
(street address, city, state, zip code) , referred to herein as Station , and
_________________ ___________________ (Name of Athletic Association) , a
nonprofit corporation organized and existing under the laws of the state of
______________, with its principal office located at
_________________________________________________________
_______________ (street address, city, state, zip code) , referred to herein as HSAA.
Whereas, Station is requesting the right and privilege to broadcast and originate
the following type of event:
___ 1. Broadcast;
___ 2. Telecast;
___ 3. Audio webcast; and/or
___ 4. Video webcast;
regarding the following sporting event:
Sport:
___ Baseball
___ Girls Basketball
___ Boys Basketball
___ Football
___ Flag Football
___ Boys Volleyball
___ Girls Volleyball
___ Softball
___ Boys Soccer
___ Girls Soccer
Other: _________________________________________________________
Level:
___ Regional tournament quarterfinal
___ Regional tournament semifinal
___ Regional tournament final
___ District tournament/football tiebreaker
___ State football semifinal game
___ State finals game/tournament
Date: _____________ Site: _________________________________________
Team(s) covered for media market: ___________________________________
The broadcast/telecast/webcast will be fed to the following additional outlet(s) and/or
streamed through the following additional web site(s):
______________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Commercial advertisers for this broadcast/telecast/webcast are (provide name of all
commercial advertisers):
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Please list the names of all the people on the radio broadcasting crew:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
By submitting this request to the HSAA, I acknowledge my understanding of the HSAA’s
broadcast policy and agree to comply with Policy _____ in the HSAA Handbook.
Outlets may not reserve facilities until the HSAA signs this form and sends it to the host
school/organization. The outlet designated above will receive a copy of the signed form.
The outlet’s on-site personnel also should have a copy of the signed form for reference.
The HSAA will send an invoice in the amount of the designated rights fee at the
completion of the event. The fee for a radio broadcast or audio webcast is $_______
per event per outlet. The fee for a tape-delay telecast or video webcast is $_______ per
event. The fee for a live telecast is negotiable. Payment must be made by check
payable to “HSAA” and sent within 30 days of receipt of the invoice to the
following address: HSAA, _______________________________________________
__________________________ (street address, city, state, zip code) . Please note
that checks will not be collected at the event site. Payment of rights fees should
not be made until the invoice is received. This agreement must be completed, signed
and filed by the applying outlet with the HSAA Office by fax _______________ (Fax
Number) not later than 3 p.m. on the business day preceding the first date of the
district/state series event for which radio broadcast, telecast or webcast rights are being
applied.
Submitted by: (HSAA OFFICE USE ONLY)
Broadcast/telecast/web cast authorized by:
__________________________________________
Printed name of HSAA Administrator submitting form
_______________________________
Signature of HSAA Administrator Date ____________________
_________________________________________________ /_______________
Outlet_________________________________________________________________
Billing address (street, route or P.O. Box) ____________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
City, State, Zip Code
( _______ ) ______________________ ( _______ ) ______________________
Phone Fax
E-mail address_______________________________________________________
Originating fee............................................................................... $ __________
Affiliate station fee......................................................................... $ __________
Late fee...........................................................................................$ __________
TOTAL FEES................................................................................ $ __________
Invoice number.........................................__________________
Broadcast Policy No.______________
A. Regular Season
1. Radio broadcast, telecast, cablecast and internet broadcast rights for
regular season contests in all sports are held by the home/host school. The
HSAA cannot grant radio broadcast, telecast, cablecast or internet broadcast
rights to regular season contests. Outlets wishing to broadcast, telecast,
cablecast or webcast a regular season contest should contact the principal of the
home/host school to secure rights and make arrangements.
a. The terms “radio station”, “over-the-air television station”, “cable TV
system”, “independent producer” and “internet provider” are applicable
and appropriate any place in this policy where the term “outlet” is used
unless one or more of the terms is specifically used.
b. The term “telecast”, “cablecast” and “internet broadcast” or
“webcast” is applicable and appropriate any place in this policy where the
term “broadcast” is used unless the two are specifically differentiated.
2. An outlet that broadcasts a regular season contest shall agree to hold the
HSAA and its member schools harmless because of any injury to person or
property on the premises. The outlet shall further agree to assume all
responsibility for any damages, which are a direct result of the activities of the
broadcast. The outlet shall also agree to defend all claims made against the
HSAA or its member schools for damages occasioned by the outlet of whatever
nature.
B. HSAA State Series
1. An outlet wishing to broadcast a contest in the HSAA State Series must
request and be granted rights by the HSAA prior to originating or accepting feed
of such a broadcast and make payment to the HSAA Office of the appropriate
rights fee. Such rights are not exclusive.
a. An outlet granted broadcast rights may not feed its broadcast to
any other outlet(s) without written permission from the HSAA. For the
purposes of television or video webcast, a videotape of an HSAA State
Series contest is considered a “feed.” Therefore, an over-the air or cable
television station, even if granted broadcast rights by the HSAA, may not
share a videotape of an HSAA State Series contest without express
written permission from the HSAA and payment of appropriate rights fees.
Requests for permission to feed such broadcasts should be indicated on
the HSAA Broadcast Rights Application Form.
b. The HSAA reserves the right to grant exclusive rights to broadcasts
for HSAA State Championship events to network providers. In these
cases, there may be additional network fees which must be paid.
2. Radio broadcast rights must be secured from the HSAA for both live and
tape-delay broadcasts. Telecast rights, in general, are for tape-delay telecasts
only. However, rights fees for live telecasts may be negotiated at the Executive
Director’s discretion.
a. There can be no delay in the start of a contest to accommodate a
live or tape-delay radio broadcast or a tape-delay telecast of an HSAA
State Series contest; neither can there be any radio or television timeouts,
or any extension of halftime. Provisions for live telecasts, when permitted,
are found in Item B below of this provision.
b. Live telecasts of football and basketball games, when permitted, may
operate under the following guidelines upon approval of the Executive
Director:
i. The intermission between the first and second quarters, the
third and fourth quarters, and overtime periods will be extended
from 60 seconds to 90 seconds;
ii. The outlet will be granted one 90-second television timeout
during each quarter. This timeout will be granted at the dead ball
following the change of possession which occurs nearest to the
midpoint of the quarter. This television timeout will be granted
regardless of whether one of the two participating teams has called
a charged timeout close to the midpoint of the quarter. Additionally,
this television timeout will not preclude either one of the two
participating teams from calling a charged timeout near the
midpoint of the quarter; and
iii. All charged timeouts called by either team will be a full 60
seconds in duration. It will be the responsibility of the referee to see
that these guidelines for television timeouts are strictly adhered to.
3. Tape-delay telecasts may not be aired earlier than 12 hours following the
scheduled starting time of the contest and may not conflict with the playing times
of scheduled HSAA State Series contests in the same sport. There is no limit on
the number of times these telecasts may be replayed by the outlet approved for
such telecasts.
4. The use of audiotape, videotape and/or film by an outlet granted
broadcast rights for any purpose other than for complete playback of the
contest(s) for which it was approved, or for the use of excerpts for regularly
scheduled newscasts is expressly forbidden. Any other use of the verbal
description and/or video account of the contest(s) must be approved in writing by
the HSAA.
5. HSAA approval of broadcasts of HSAA State Series contests is final. Host
schools or contest managers will be required to permit all broadcasts approved
by the HSAA, and admit to the facility without charge personnel originating these
broadcasts upon presentation of the proper documentation.
6. The outlet must make all arrangements for seating and equipment setup
with the host school principal or contest manager. The outlet must assume all
expenses in connection with the broadcast, and must provide all equipment
necessary for the broadcast. This includes arranging for broadcast lines with the
appropriate telephone company.
7. Personnel originating approved broadcasts who are to be admitted to the
facility without charge must not exceed four (4) persons. The host school
principal or contest manager must make every effort to provide these personnel
with seating which provides them with an unobstructed view of the playing area.
8. In facilities where seating is limited in the press box or broadcast booth,
the host school principal or contest manager should provide seating to the one
(1) principal outlet covering each participating school. Thereafter, seating in the
press box or broadcast booth should be provided on a first-come, first-served
basis. An outlet must understand that it may be necessary for it to set up
operations in the spectator seating area at facilities with limited space in the
press box or broadcast booth. The principal outlet for a participating school is
considered to be the outlet which has broadcast the greatest number of regular
season contests and/or HSAA State Series contests in which the school has
participated.
9. The host school principal, contest manager and/or the officials assigned to
work the contest will have the authority to require the repositioning of television
cameras and videographers if they believe their placement may threaten the
safety of the participants or interfere with the conduct of the competition.
10. The outlet must incorporate into its broadcast of each HSAA State Series
contest a minimum of two (2) announcements concerning the HSAA and its
activities programs. Script for these announcements and/or cassette copies of
professionally pre-produced spots will be provided by the HSAA.
a. The outlet may present scripted announcements in a manner of its
choice, and may use sound and/or visual effects as it desires, provided
the integrity of the HSAA State Series in which the announcement is used,
the ____________________ (Name) High School Athletic Association
and its member schools is upheld.
b. The two (2) mandatory HSAA announcements must be
incorporated into the actual broadcast of the contest. Airing the
announcements and disclaimer during a pregame and/or postgame show
will not satisfy the requirements of this policy.
11. The outlet must incorporate into each broadcast the following disclaimer
establishing its broadcast rights as granted by the HSAA:
“BROADCAST RIGHTS TO THIS HSAA STATE SERIES CONTEST HAVE BEEN
GRANTED TO (THE OUTLET) BY THE ________________ (Name) HIGH SCHOOL
ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION AND IS INTENDED SOLELY FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF
OUR (LISTENING/VIEWING) AUDIENCE. ANY REBROADCAST, RETRANSMISSION
OR OTHER USE OF THIS PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN
CONSENT OF THE HSAA IS PROHIBITED.”
The disclaimer must be incorporated into the actual broadcast of the contest.
Airing the disclaimer during a pregame and/or postgame show will not satisfy the
requirements of this policy.
12. Announcers are expected to handle broadcasts with efficiency and without
introduction of objectionable comments such as criticism of an official, coach,
team, player, school or other entity. Reports of any accidents, injuries or other
incidents should be minimized and factual, in order to prevent undue anxiety on
the part of viewers. Announcers should also make every effort to correctly
pronounce the names of individual participants.
13. The terms “sponsor”, “sponsorship” or other like terms that imply or refer
to the presentation and support of the activities under the jurisdiction and control
of the High School Athletic Association by entities other than the HSAA must not
be used during any broadcast of an HSAA State Series event unless expressly
approved, in writing, by the HSAA. Announcers may not refer to or use words
that imply a sponsorship of any HSAA State Series contest by a commercial
advertiser without the expressed written consent of the HSAA (see Item E-9
elsewhere in this policy).
14. The outlet must abide by each and all terms and conditions of this policy.
Failure to do so may result in the immediate revocation of the outlet’s immediate
broadcast rights, and denial of future broadcast rights to the outlet for a period to
be determined by the Executive Director. The HSAA reserves the right to
discontinue at any time an outlet’s broadcast of an HSAA State Series contest if
previous broadcasting by the outlet is considered by the HSAA to have been in
poor taste or incompatible with the educational dignity and propriety of the HSAA
State Series, the High School Athletic Association and its member schools. The
host school principal or contest manager will have the authority to act on the
behalf of the High School Athletic Association in enforcing this policy during all
HSAA State Series contests at his/her facility.
15. An outlet which broadcasts an HSAA State Series contest without prior
written approval of the HSAA may be denied future broadcast rights for a period
to be determined by the Executive Director. A host school principal or contest
manager who permits the broadcast of an HSAA State Series contest that has
not been approved by the HSAA will subject his/her school, organization or
facility to a monetary penalty to include payment of the appropriate rights fees
and, for member schools, a financial assessment in the amount of $50.00 per
game broadcast.
16. An outlet which broadcasts an HSAA State Series contest must agree to
hold the HSAA and its member schools harmless because of any injury to person
or property on the premises. The outlet must further agree to assume all
responsibility for any damages which are a direct result of the activities of the
broadcast. The outlet must also agree to defend all claims made against the
HSAA or its member schools for damages occasioned by the outlet of whatever
nature.
17. The HSAA reserves the right to amend this policy at any time and in
any manner deemed necessary . No exception to this policy may be made by
an outlet, host school principal or contest manager except by written permission
of the HSAA.
C. Obtaining Broadcast Rights
1. Application to broadcast an HSAA State Series contest must be made on
the HSAA Broadcast Application Form, a copy of which is provided in the HSAA
Forms Book and on HSAA.org. An application also may be obtained by
contacting the SAA communications department at _________________ (Phone
Number) .
a. It is the responsibility of an outlet feeding its broadcast to another
outlet(s) to request permission for this feed on its application form, and to
make payment of the appropriate rights fees for both itself and all other
outlets accepting its feed.
b. The Broadcast Application Form shall be an agreement between
the outlet and the SAA and will be governed by the laws of the State of
_____________.
2. The broadcast application form must be received in the HSAA Office not
later than 3 p.m. Eastern Time on the business day immediately preceding the
date of the contest or event to be broadcast. The form may be mailed to the
attention of the Media Relations Coordinator, HSAA, _____________________
________________________ _____________________ (street address, city,
state, zip code) , or faxed to the HSAA Office at ____________________
(Phone Number) .
3. A late filing fee of $25.00 shall be assessed an outlet that fails to meet the
appropriate deadline for filing its broadcast application form. The HSAA reserves
the right to deny any request for broadcast rights which is filed after the deadline.
This agreement must be completed, signed and filed by the applying outlet with
the HSAA Office by fax at __________________ (number) not later than 3 p.m.
on the business day preceding the first date of the state series event for which
radio broadcast, telecast or webcast rights are being applied.
4. The HSAA will not grant blanket broadcast rights to an outlet which
intends to follow a school, until it is eliminated, through each level of an HSAA
State Series. An outlet must file a separate broadcast application form for
contests on each level in which the school being followed participates, with the
exception of district tournaments in the sports of baseball, basketball, soccer,
softball and volleyball. Requests for broadcast rights to games or matches in
district tournaments in these sports shall be processed as a single event for
which a flat rights fee shall be paid regardless of the number of games or
matches in the tournament that are broadcast. Levels of the HSAA State Series
are: Football – district shootout, each round of the regional series and the HSAA
State Championship game; Baseball, Basketball, Soccer, Softball and Volleyball
– district tournament, regional series and HSAA State Championship tournament;
Other sports –district tournament or meet, regional tournament or meet, and
HSAA State Championship tournament or meet. Individual rounds in the district
and state championship tournaments are not considered to be separate levels of
an HSAA State Series.
5. Upon approval of an outlet’s broadcast application, the HSAA will fax to
the outlet the approved application form signed by the Executive Director or
his/her designee which grants the outlet permission to broadcast the contest. The
approved application form will also be faxed to the host school principal or
contest manager. An outlet’s broadcast crew should have a copy of the
broadcast approval in its possession to ensure admission to the facility.
D. Payment of Rights Fees
1. An outlet granted broadcast rights to an SAA State Series contest must
pay rights fees as follows:
a. Live or tape-delay radio broadcast – $_________ (per event)
b. Tape-delay telecast or tape-delay video webcast – $________ (per
contest)
c. Live telecast or live video webcast – to be determined by Executive
Director.
An outlet must pay all rights fees, both for itself as well as $25.00 for each outlet
to which it feeds its signal, to the HSAA. Payment of rights fees must be by
company check made payable to the HSAA. Payment of rights fees must be
received in the HSAA Office not later than 30 calendar days following the event
broadcast. A $25.00 late fee shall be assessed if payment is not received by the
30-day deadline.
An outlet which feeds its broadcast to another outlet(s) is solely responsible for
collecting reimbursement for its $25.00 feeder fee payment to the HSAA from
each outlet to which the originating outlet feeds its broadcast. Any fees charged
by an originating outlet to accepting outlets will be in addition to HSAA rights
fees.
2. A $30.00 returned check fee will be assessed to any outlet whose
payment of rights fees is returned due to insufficient funds. Additionally, such
outlet will be denied broadcast rights to future HSAA State Series contests until
such time as payment of rights fees and any other fees assessed by the HSAA is
made to the satisfaction of the HSAA.
3. An outlet must pay all costs of collection to include reasonable attorney’s
fees if it becomes necessary for the SAA or the host school principal or contest
manager to place the account for collection and bills incurred. Venue of any such
civil action relative to the collection of rights fees shall lie in _____________
County, __________ (state) , or in the county of ____________ (state) wherein
the host school or facility is located.
E. Commercials and Sponsors
1. An outlet must submit the names of all sponsors on the Broadcast
Application Form, and must be able to produce in writing upon request of the
SAA any and all commercials used during the broadcast.
2. The HSAA reserves the right to reject any and all applications for
broadcast rights, whether sponsored or unsponsored. The HSAA reserves the
right to approve or reject the product or service which desires to sponsor the
broadcast.
3. Advertisements for the following are prohibited:
a. Promotions for the possession, use or sale of alcoholic beverages,
tobacco products, harmful drugs, firearms and contraceptives;
b. Bars, taverns and cocktail lounges or other establishments that
serve alcoholic beverages;
c. Exotic dance clubs;
d. Political issues;
e. 900 call-ins for personal services, betting services, scouting
services or other 900 call-ins which are in poor taste or are incompatible
with the educational dignity and propriety of the HSAA State Series or the
_______________ (name) High School Athletic Association;
f. Parimutuels, excluding the ______________ state) Lottery; and
g. Any other business, product, service or ideal that is incompatible
with the educational dignity and propriety of the HSAA State Series, the
High School Athletic Association and its member schools.
4. Combination businesses such as drug stores, grocery stores, department
stores, hardware stores, hotels and restaurants which dispense alcoholic
beverages, tobacco products, harmful drugs, firearms and contraceptives may be
acceptable as sponsors provided no part of the advertising messages for these
establishments refer to the dispensing of such products; or to a bar, tavern,
cocktail lounge or other facility dispensing such products.
5. While advertisements for political issues are prohibited by this policy,
political candidates may be acceptable as sponsors provided no part of their
political advertisements raise controversial political issues.
6. Advertisements of the type prohibited in Item E-3(a-g) above are
prohibited from use at any time during the broadcast from the time the pregame
show begins until
the completion of the postgame show. Advertisements of this type are prohibited
from use in pregame and/or postgame shows whether such pregame or
postgame shows originate from the site of the contest or from the studio of the
originating outlet. At no time during the broadcast may a listing of broadcast
sponsors be read which includes the name of such business, product or service
listed in Item E-3(a-g) above and referred to in this note.
7. Sponsorship of a broadcast does not provide for display of sponsor
banner(s) and/or other promotional items and such display is prohibited.
Originating outlet name identification banners, however, are permitted.
8. Commercial announcements may not occupy time when actual
competition is taking place. An outlet must, as near as possible, limit its
commercial announcements to timeouts and other times when the contest is not
in progress.
9. Outlets may not use or allow to be used during a broadcast, both live and
tape-delay, any commercial announcement that implies a sponsorship of any
HSAA State Series contest without the expressed written consent of the HSAA.
Example: Language may be used which indicates that contest coverage “is
brought to you by ________,” “is sponsored by _______,” or “_________ is a
sponsor” of his tournament coverage. Outlets may not allow advertisers to claim
that they are sponsors of SAA State Series contests.
10. The HSAA will exercise immediately its responsibility to cancel all
broadcast rights for the particular contest and subsequent contests of any outlet
found to have violated the provisions of this section of the policy. The host school
principal or contest manager will have the authority to act on behalf of the HSAA
in enforcing the provisions of this section of the policy.
F. News Film Crews
1. A film crew not to exceed three persons from an over-the-air television
station or cable TV system will be allowed access, without charge, to an SAA
State Series contest to shoot news film clips for use as part of the outlet’s regular
news telecast or other special news programs. The outlet may not air a total of
more than three (3) minutes of such footage. Any use of such footage must
include visual credit to SAA.
2. The outlet must not sell, loan or give away any part of the footage shot
and must use it only for the purpose set forth above unless permission for its use
otherwise is granted in writing by the HSAA.
G. Credentials
1. The HSAA will not issue credentials to HSAA State Series contests below
the state championship level. Authorized working personnel employed by an
outlet which has been approved to broadcast an HSAA State Series contest must
be admitted to the facility without charge upon presentation of proper
identification and payment of appropriate rights fees to the host school principal
or contest manager.
2. Application must be made to the HSAA for credentials to certain HSAA
State Series contests on the state championship level. Please refer to the HSAA
Media Credential Policy for regulations governing state championship contest
credentials.
WITNESS our signatures as of the _____day of ____________, 20____.
_________________________
(Name of Station)
___________________________ _____________________________
(Name of HSAA Administrator) _________________________
___________________________ (P rinted Name & Office in Corporation)
(Signature of HSAA Administrator) _________________________
(Signature of Officer)