After Saturday’s varsity football playoff game, Bill Allan and the LTTV staff remain frustrated and upset after being denied television coverage of the game. Despite LTTV’s reliable coverage of sporting events, the National Federation of State High School’s (NFHS, formerly PlayOn Sports) has a contract signed with the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). The paid contract between the two gives NFHS exclusive rights to cover playoff games, therefore, LTTV could not live stream the game. After much preparation for this highly-anticipated game, LTTV and its vast amount viewers were looking towards a resolution.

“It’s frustrating that because of some contract, which all boils down to money, the LTTV staff, students at LT and Alumni that don’t live in this area can’t watch our broadcast,” General Manger of LTTV Allan said. “Their only option is this NFHS stream, which you need to pay a monthly fee of $9.99, even if you just want to watch this game.”

Additionally, LTTV has significantly better video quality, equipment and footage than the other high school students filming the game for NFHS. Likewise, the school that hosted the game, who knows their team best, should have been the one covering the game, Allan said.

“I was shocked when I found out because I think the IHSA should serve the students more so than their own profit,” LTTV Sports Director Max Abrahamson ’18 said. “It’s sad because we have been a pillar in the community for the past 30 years and to kick us out of our own press box is just terrible.”

The LTTV crew had reached out to the public via social media and contacted various sources, such as the LION, for support and to spread the news, Abrahamson said.

“The only thing we can do, without getting into legal complications, is an audio-only broadcast,” Allan said. “That is what WLTL is there for, and we are going to be pointing towards and supporting them on our social media.”

The inability to capture various high school football games, more specifically in playoff games, has been a reoccurring issue for many other schools said LT Athletic Director John Grundke.

“Last week, just before the playoffs games started, I was in a meeting with the IHSA and with other athletic directors who were voicing their concerns about not being able to tape their games and send them out on the Cube,” Grundke said.

Despite tensions rising annually, high school athletic directors had been working to find a middle-ground, Grundke said.

“I understand why they made their decision so they can earn revenue and promote themselves,” Grundke said. “I think it’s a shame that a school like ours, and others, where they are doing a great job producing and giving the students an opportunity to go through that process and to take that away doesn’t seem right, but I understand why they [IHSA and NFHS] are doing it.”