For a fifth year, every snap of the Houston High School football season will be streamed online.
For free.
The Houston Herald will continue its partnership with CityLinkTV in 2016 to stream all 10 HHS football games live over the Internet. Select softball games and volleyball matches as well as basketball games and school board meetings will also be broadcast.
Ryan Munson, left, and Jim McNiell volunteer their time as the announcers for the Houston Herald’s live video coverage of Houston High School sports.
Editor Jeff McNiell, who leads the video team, said the production continues to be one of the most popular things the Herald produces.
“We hear stories every year of how our broadcasts connect families and friends all across the country to loved ones right here in Houston,” McNiell said. “I’ve heard everything from someone in a hospital room watching Hoop Queen to grandparents stuck on the road and viewing the Kindergarten Circus from a fast food restaurant in another state. It’s a neat service, and one we’re thrilled to provide.”
The sports broadcasts include a volunteer video team as Ryan Munson and Jim McNiell provide play-by-play. Munson’s wife, Amanda, runs the video camera.
The pregame show includes interviews with head HHS football coach Eric Sloan and assistant Boulder McKinney.
“I can’t say enough good things about the people who volunteer their time to make this a reality in our town,” McNiell said. “Ryan and my dad have been with us from the beginning. Last year alone, they called 10 football games and 32 nights of basketball –– many that included JV games. That adds up to more than 120 hours of volunteer time for each of them. All of us at the newspaper are extremely grateful for them.”
The football coverage begins Aug. 12 with the preseason jamboree, followed by the season opener Aug. 19 against Fair Grove. Coverage starts at 6:45 p.m. each Friday night at www.houstonherald.com/live.