Florida HS Football 18-19 Coverage
OUR STORY
Since our launch in February 2010, FloridaHSFootball.com has grown to become the go-to source for high school football and girls high school flag football in the Sunshine State through several key critical components that we feel makes us different than any other site that has tried or is covering the state currently. These components include:
• Promotion of ALL 11-man football teams no matter if they are Class 8A or Class 1A or even in the Sunshine State Athletic Conference. If they play the game, we want to promote them!
• Promotion of ALL girls flag football teams in the Sunshine State. Florida is the leader in girls flag football and we are the only statewide high school sports website to provide extensive coverage of what we do!
• Strong relationships with Coaches. Without the support of coaches, we wouldn’t be able to cover the teams in ways others don’t. Strong relationships with coaches help us understand the pulse of high school!
• Strong relationships with the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA), the Florida Athletic Coaches Association (FACA) and the Florida High School 7v7 Association (FHS7v7A). The strong relationships with each of these organizations allow for us to cover teams even better with staying in the know of what is going on with all three organizations that help us keep the entire state in the know of what is going on!
The 2018 football season will be our ninth (9th) overall season covering high school football in the fall while the 2019 girls flag football season will be our fourth (4th) overall covering that sport!
In Florida, football is not just a seasonal thing – it is a YEAR-ROUND PASSION!
OUR SUCCESSES
We have come along way since Day 1 of the site when we were using a simple website builder to just get our name out there.
Currently, FloridaHSFootball.com runs on some of the most advanced CMS (Content Management Software) in the world, allowing us to keep our technology up-to-date to create the best user-friendly high school sports website for the Sunshine State.
Also, we the developing of the strong relationships as we have mentioned have been another part of our success story to this date. The strong relationships are critical to maintaining success. Without success of this area, we would still not be around in our current capacity today.
We have also been able to generate partnerships and sponsorships over the last few years with the likes of Legacy Team Sales, Varsity Sports Network, NFHS Network and USA TODAY High School Sports.
THE STRUGGLES
One of the biggest struggles we face is revenue. Operating a website, let alone a multi-media journalistic website covering high school sports in some form and fashion has been an uphill battle.
The first part of the revenue battle is this – under the current FHSAA media policies regarding credentials, internet-only websites (like FloridaHSFootball.com) will not be granted credentials if they offer a subscription platform (behind the paywall). That means a potential revenue generating source is not available to us right now because we want to continue to maintain our credentials for the foreseeable future.
The second part of the revenue battle is that we use two advertising platforms to provide advertising to our website. These platforms only pay per so many page views or per click, neither which are highly effective in generating the revenue we need compared to the many eyes that will see a banner ad that does not click. One of the platforms, which we have been on since Day 1, has seen a decrease in payouts to publishers in nearly nine years, something that other website publishers have noticed.
We also seek out sponsorships and while we have had some success, it has not been able to be sustained at the level we would like to have it at, but we are continuing to look for ways to improve upon this area. For anyone interested in a sponsorship package beyond this that can expose your brand please email [email redacted] for more information for a media kit with current rates.
To put it in layman’s terms – we have to have the revenue to continue expanding and to pay freelance writers to cover more games and features in the state. It is no longer a one person’s job or a few interns job to cover this the way high school football and girls flag football needs to be covered today. Also, we have to be able to cover travel expenses, licensing fees, server fees and more to keep FloridaHSFootball.com functioning for you all – the fans, the coaches, and the players!
Another big struggle that is currently creeping up faster as an issue that has been put on the back burner for the last couple of years is the mode of transportation with a growing amount of equipment and supplies that have been added.
As you can see in the photos shown below this just what a packed car looked like for Owner & Publisher Josh Wilson’s recent trip to Orlando and Daytona Beach for the Florida High School 7v7 Association Orlando Regional Tournament and the 2018 FACA Summer Clinic for football. As you can see there is literally no room left for anything other than for Josh to drive his 2001 Saturn. With a potential sponsor in negotiations to supply a tent, media backdrop banner and table covers, there is zero room to include this equipment properly with other possible equipment upgrades coming as well.
The thing about the car is this… finding a car dealership sponsor has been a tedious task because a lot do not want to commit a new vehicle or even a gently used late model vehicle which would give their brand the exposure of a vehicle driving thousands of miles across the state every year. Alone so far in the first six months of 2018, Josh has driven over 3,000 miles to games, events, and functions related to FloridaHSFootball.com. That does not even include any personal mileage that could add additional eyeballs to the exposure for a car dealership brand.
(Everything, you name it was loaded into the car from broadcasting and production equipment to t-shirts and even Josh’s personal luggage for the trip, the car was packed every which way around without trying to make it difficult to drive).
One other thing that we have struggled to meet the demand for is a mobile app. This has been one of the most requested items now for several years, but there is a big cost factor to having an app including development to match the functions of our website platform, paying fees to Google and Apple to have the app made available to you in the respective app stores, and fees to keep the app up-to-date.
WHAT IS ON TAP IN 2018?
We have a lot on tap for the 2018 season. So, let’s get diving into what is going on.
• We are scheduled to be at least six (6) media days from late July until early August covering most corners of the state that will cover over 50 percent of the teams in the state. This is going to be a major travel expense as at least four to five nights of hotel rooms will be needed alone.
• We will be working with Varsity Sports Network with some preseason programming in early August that will be shown either on television or through online platforms. We don’t want to give away the whole enchilada yet, but this is will be a very big thing ahead.
• I would like to get freelancers to cover the big game each week in each of our designated 16 regions, plus provide a weekly preview and recap of other big games in their region each week during the season.
• We launched the FloridaHSFootball.com Scoreboard Show last year and we found success with this. We are hoping to acquire a sponsor that will allow us to travel to different parts of the state and host a restaurant/sports bar type location to bring the Scoreboard Show to you live each Friday night. We are also seeking to get the show on radio stations statewide, including seeking a flagship station to be able to produce the show and send the signal to other radio stations via satellite.
• We have some plans for other show in conjunction with Varsity Sports Network including the return of the Gridiron Report show. There are a few things we can’t speak upon just yet, but once we can do so we will be glad to share them with our backers.
• There are more things on tap, but just some above shows you just how big we want 2018 to be at FloridaHSFootball.com.
THE SOLUTION
The solution is simple… with your help!
I have put together exactly some of the cost factors and where the money will go.
• Mobile App: $5,000
Mobile App will include push notifications and be made available for free to all on Android and iOS platforms. This cost includes keeping the app updated as the technology and software powering smartphones is ever changing. Below is the company we are most likely going to be using to build the app out.
• Mid-Size SUV: $15,000 to $30,000
If a car dealership comes through with an offer to sponsor, we would be blessed to take it. However, the cost range I posted here is very likely for a late model mid-size SUV (think Chevy Equinox, Chevy Traverse, Kia Sorento, Ford Explorer, Nissan Rogue, GMC Acadia, etc.) within the last couple of years that is also low mileage. If we luck out to get something fresh off the lot brand new, then that means we have done our homework shopping for the best deal. With an SUV we would wrap it with our logo and sell sponsorships for those who want exposure. Details still to be worked out on how a sponsorship would work, but a 1-year contract will be required as wraps are not cheap. We want to buy the vehicle outright or make as few car payments as possible. The sponsorships would cover fuel and proper insurance as required by law. This SUV will help to haul added equipment and possibly a small trailer in the future.
• Freelancers & Writers: $25,000
This would be just enough to cover paying for freelancers and other writers for the season to provide the stories and information to keep you coming back to FloridaHSFootball.com.
• Operating Expenses: $15,000
This will help cover travel and operating expenses for the season and possibly for flag football season. Any money raised over the $75,000 goal will be divided between here and freelancers and writers.
IF WE DO START TO SEE WE WILL GET OVER THE GOAL WE WILL LOOK AT STRETCH GOALS POSSIBLY AS WELL!
THE SOONER WE RAISE THE FUNDS, THE SOONER WE CAN MOVE ON MAKING THESE THINGS A REALITY, ESPECIALLY THE APP!
THE GOODIES (REWARDS)
Here are the rewards we will have for you all if you commit to a certain level. Note some of this preproduction and may not reflect the final product. All rewards will be delivered within 8 to 10 weeks after competition of the campaign. If you are seeking out the rewards, please make sure to email your mailing address over to [email redacted] so we can send your goodies over once we have them (that is if you want them!).
Thank you ($5 or more)
• We will list your name on our Friends of FloridaHSFootball.com page who are supporting us through this campaign or through our Friends of FloridaHSFootball.com donation tab. NOTE: $5 is minium amount that you can donate through GoFundMe.
Kickoff ($10 or more)
• We will list your name on our Friends of FloridaHSFootball.com page PLUS send you a FloridaHSFootball.com Sticker!
First Down ($25 or more)
• We will list your name on our Friends of FloridaHSFootball.com page, send you a FloridaHSFootball.com Sticker PLUS a FloridaHSFootball.com & Legacy Team Sales branded T-Shirt!
Field Goal ($50 or more)
• We will list your name on our Friends of FloridaHSFootball.com page, send you a FloridaHSFootball.com Sticker, a FloridaHSFootbal.com & Legacy Team Sales branded T-Shirt PLUS a FloridaHSFootball.com Ball Cap!
Touchdown ($100 or more)
• We will list your name on our Friends of FloridaHSFootball.com page, send you a FloridaHSFootball.com Sticker, a FloridaHSFootbal.com & Legacy Team Sales branded T-Shirt, a FloridaHSFootball.com Ball Cap, PLUS we will create a digital poster with your favorite Florida high school football team helmet which will include a certificate of permission to have it printed anywhere that prints posters!
FINAL WORD
Your help is only one part of the solution for us to keep growing and keep being successful with what we do, however, your contributions will likely provide the biggest impact we will have seen in years. If you want us to keep doing and being the pillar of what we do in the Sunshine State for high school football and girls flag football, we need you now more than ever!
If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me directly via email at [email redacted].
If you want to support the campaign, but want to mail a check instead, please make all checks out to Florida HS Football, LLC and mail them to:
Florida HS Football, LLC
c/o Florida 18-19 Coverage Campaign
P.O. Box 141601
Gainesville, FL 32614-1601
LEGAL NOTES
• Any amounts sent to FloridaHSFootball.com are purely donations and are not a part of any offer to purchase securities or any other interest in FloridaHSFootball.com or its parent company.
• All donations are non-refundable, and you will own no equity, debt, or other interest in FloridaHSFootball.com (or its parent company) as a result of your donation.
• Since FloridaHSFootball.com (and its parent company) is not a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, donations are not tax-deductible as charitable contributions, but all funds received will be allocated for the purposes mentioned above, but also reserve the rights to expand the funds into other areas as see fit for the purpose of covering high school athletics in the state of Florida.