Access Sacramento is pleased to provide coverage of CIF-SJS playoff football again this year after a three-year absence. In a new partnership between Access Sacramento and the NFHS Network, Access Sacramento’s Hometown Sports Game of the Week will broadcast CIF-SJS Division II first round football with #11 Pitman of Turlock at #6 Del Campo of Fair Oaks on Fri. Nov. 13 at 7pm.
Access Sacramento announcers Will James and Jim Dimino will call the game, with Rick Stewart providing sideline interviews and updates.
The game can be seen on Comcast or Consolidated Communications channel 17 and AT&T channel 14. The partnership with the NFHS Network means the live cable TV broadcast will also be exclusively provided on the Internet by the NFHS Network’s website <www.NFHSNetwork.com>. The agreement means the game will not be carried live from the AccessSacramento.org website.
The NFHS Network holds the broadcast rights for all CIF-SJS playoffs, and in exchange for carrying the game on the Internet, Access Sacramento can still carry the game on live cable TV. Access Sacramento coverage of playoff football in Sacramento County is also tentatively planned for Playoff Round 2 on Nov. 20, and the Semi-Finals Nov. 27.
CIF Hall of Fame Coach Jim Dimino (right) does color commentary with Play-by-Play Announcer Will James on Access Sacramento’s Game of the Week.
Access Sacramento’s Hometown Sports Game of the Week regularly carried CIF Playoff football and basketball through 2011-12. But a sponsorship agreement in 2012 by the NFHS Network and PlayOn Sports with the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section created broadcast rights fees of $1,500 for live games and $750 for taped games at that time. As a non-profit organization, Access Sacramento’s Game of the Week broadcasts are primarily funded by a grant from Sacramento County elected officials through the Sacramento Metropolitan Cable Television Commission, but even with that funding, the $1,500 price tag was too high.
The new agreement between the NFHS Network and Access Sacramento was facilitated by CIF-SJS Assistant Commissioner Will DeBoard after being contacted by Access Sacramento Executive Director Gary Martin who noted the lack of full game TV coverage of CIF-SJS Playoffs since CIF-SJS had partnered with the NFHS network.