By KELSEY WICK
Tiger Media Network
Tiger Media Network will showcase its student-led sports production team to a wider audience this Saturday as it broadcasts the Fort Hays State University football game against Central Oklahoma. The game, selected as the MIAA Game of the Week, will air not only on the MIAA Network but also on cable television in Kansas City and Oklahoma City.
This marks a new level of exposure for TMN, which typically streams Fort Hays State home games exclusively online. However, the cable broadcast will allow viewers in two metro areas to tune in without needing to seek out the stream or pay for access. For the students behind the production, it’s an opportunity to showcase their work to a broader audience.
The crew is entirely composed of students, from the director to the camera operators, replay technicians, and on-air talent. Play-by-play announcer Garrett Wellbrock and color commentator Eli Blankinship will be on the call, with Evan Liess directing the production, continuing his role from previous games this season.
Wellbrock shared his thoughts ahead of the broadcast.
“I love sports and you prepare all week for a broadcast that takes a lot of time, and so the actual broadcasting part might be the easiest part of the week, but also the most enjoyable,” he said. “For this week’s game, I’m really excited to be on TV and show everyone what TMN is about and for people to understand that we are basically ESPN+ at the D2 level and better than some D1 schools.”
TMN held a pre-production meeting on Tuesday and began planning earlier last week to ensure the broadcast runs smoothly. While the team aims for consistency in all productions, the expanded audience has added motivation to deliver a strong performance.
“This is my third year doing live productions,” veteran camera operator Kyson Evans said. “I haven’t worked on a production that aired outside TMN’s platform. It’s different to be part of something that people might find on cable.”
This broadcast gives TMN’s student crew a chance to apply their training in a wider setting. With the game airing in Kansas City and Oklahoma City, the team will deliver coverage that reflects their preparation and growing reach.
The game kicks off at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday, with live coverage beginning at 7 from TMN’s Sports Production team.