The Iowa High School Athletic Association and the Iowa High School Sports Network have reached a resolution in an ongoing media rights dispute that will ensure that finals-round livestreams in 2024-25 will be free for all viewers.
According to the Des Moines Register, the IHSSN has been the IHSAA's exclusive rights holder for championship events since back in 2006, but that will end this year, cloncluding litigation that dates back to an initial petition filed in June of 2023.
In 2023, the IHSSN asked the a judge to allow it to charge viewers for championship events. The IHSAA sued the network after the announcement, arguing that charging for streaming violated the parties' broadcast deal. The association also asked the court to find that a 2015 extension to the deal, extending it to the 2028-29 school year, was invalid, meaning the deal would expire in 2024.
The IHSSN noted that under its agreement, it had the right to charge viewers for championship events, as the contract didn't mention anything about providing the programming for "free" or at "no cost."
IHSSN made state tournament finals available for free streaming starting with last month’s football championships, leading up to Tuesday's announcement. Earlier state tournament rounds (quarterfinals, semifinals, etc.) will require a fee if viewing via livestream.
