The South Dakota state Capitol in Pierre
PIERRE | A dispute over broadcast rights for high school athletics appears to have been put to rest by the passage of SB128 by the Senate Education Committee.
At issue was the South Dakota High School Activities Association’s relationship with the National Federation of State High School Associations. NFHS contracted with the state association for the broadcast of regular season and postseason high school athletics.
Confusion ensued when some broadcasters were told that NFHS had exclusive broadcast rights to the high school games. SB128 was heard earlier in the legislative session by the Senate Education Committee and held over while the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Brock Greenfield, R-Clark, worked on an amendment.
Greenfield presented that amendment to the committee Thursday morning, explaining that all parties were satisfied with new language that said “No association or media contractor may charge a fee for news media to engage in journalism at any such activity or event.”
SB128 makes sure that broadcast rights to state championship contests stay with the high school activities association and South Dakota Public Broadcasting.
“I think that satisfies the concerns of everybody involved,” Greenfield said. The bill was endorsed by the committee on a 7-0 vote and now goes to the full Senate.
