• Loading stock data...
Saturday, May 3, 2025

High School Sports Power Signs Eight-Figure Rights Deal in First

The deal pays roughly $1 million annually, FOS has learned.

Desert Sun

A California high school sports power made history Wednesday, selling its media rights to a marketing company for millions of dollars.

Mater Dei, a Catholic school in Santa Ana, agreed to a 10-year deal with Playfly Sports, a marketing and media company. 

Playfly Sports president Christy Hedgpeth told Front Office Sports the 10-year deal will pay the school “roughly $1 million” each year and increases in amount over its life. 

The Monarchs are one of the country’s top high school athletics departments and boast famous alums across multiple sports. They are perhaps most known for football, producing former Heisman winners Bryce Young and Matt Leinart as well as Lions star receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. 


The deal further professionalizes high school sports and raises the obvious question of who will be next. There are plenty of schools with résumés to Mater Dei’s, and high school football is even more popular in Texas and Florida.

Hedgpeth said the company has already heard from other interested high schools since the Mater Dei deal was announced. 

“There has already been outreach, and we were certainly in touch already before that, but it’s clear that it’s gotten the attention from a lot of schools,” Hedgpeth told FOS. “We’re ready to engage.”

Playfly describes itself as a “revenue maximizer.” Hedgpeth said she hopes the money “drives additional educational programs” at Mater Dei, in addition to supporting its athletic programs. 

One thing the deal is not is a name, image, and likeness agreement. California high schools can’t negotiate NIL deals for athletes; they must do so themselves. Mater Dei players won’t be required to participate in promotions on behalf of the school. Hedgpeth said its possible student-athletes net NIL deals as a result of Playfly’s agreement, but the company won’t be involved in such arrangements. 

The deal comes shortly after Playfly acquired Paragon Marketing Group, which has a history in high school sports events and marketing and has a two-decade relationship with the school. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Front Office Sports
exclusive

Jayson Werth: Winning Belmont Stakes ‘Comparable’ Emotions to World Series

Werth spoke to FOS at Churchill Downs about the race day high.
Apr 13, 2025; Bristol, Tennessee, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney (12) during driver introductions for the NASCAR Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

NASCAR Champ Buys Into Ohio Racetrack

Blaney won the NASCAR Cup Series championship in 2023.
Dec 17, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Floyd Mayweather Jr. during the 1st quarter of the Emirates NBA Cup championship game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Milwaukee Bucks at T-Mobile Arena.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. Hits Business Insider With $100M Defamation Suit

The suit seeks at least $100 million and a public retraction of the reporting.
Jun 23, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) passes the ball against Indiana Fever forward NaLyssa Smith (1) during the second half of a basketball game at Wintrust Arena.

WNBA Takes Its Preseason College Series to a New Level

Multiple preseason WNBA games will be broadcast nationally.

Featured Today

Mint juelps

Inside the 120,000-Cup Mint Julep Frenzy of Kentucky Derby Weekend

The official cocktail at Churchill Downs costs $22—or $5,000.
May 1, 2025

How Larry Collmus Became the Longest-Running Kentucky Derby Caller

Collmus will call his 15th straight Derby on NBC.
Apr 25, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) pitches during the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium
April 30, 2025

The Pirates Are Struggling, But Paul Skenes Fever Is Still Spreading

The 22-year-old pitcher is (finally) giving Pittsburgh something to cheer for.
April 29, 2025

How DJ Adam Amin Mixes Baseball With Bangers

Amin is one of Fox’s top NFL and MLB voices.

Max Verstappen Linked to $300M Aston Martin Deal Ahead of Miami GP

Aston Martin is currently seventh in the constructors championship.
March 20, 2025

Maxx Crosby’s Agent: Edge Rushers Set to Dominate NFL’s Non-QB Market

Maxx Crosby just signed a three-year, $106.5 million extension.
March 27, 2025

Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions Gets PE Boost

The Hall of Famer’s company gains another prominent backer.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Portfolio Players is our bi-weekly spotlight on the athletes and investors reshaping the business of sports. This week, venture capitalist Kai Cunningham unpacks why athletes land top deals and how the usual investing rules don’t always apply.
March 4, 2025

Eagles Make Saquon Barkley NFL’s Highest-Paid Running Back Ever

Barkley is coming off a historic 2024 season with the Eagles.
February 18, 2025

Tiger Woods Signs First PGA Tour Player to Wear Sun Day Red

Karl Vilips will wear Sun Day Red at his season debut at the Mexico Open.
Teammates embrace during matchup in The Hundred cricket league
February 15, 2025

Google, Microsoft, Adobe CEOs Buy Stakes in Cricket League

The England and Wales Cricket Board raised £520m by selling team stakes.
Jul 30, 2022; Pasadena California, USA; Juventus forward forward Dusan Vlahovic (9) and Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jose Paixao (20) battle for the ball in the first half during an international friendly at the Rose Bowl.
February 14, 2025

‘Make Juventus Great Again’: Crypto Firm Tether Buys Stake in Soccer Club

Tether is just one of many crypto firms making sports investments.