{"id":99620,"date":"2026-09-30T13:55:02","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T18:55:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=99620"},"modified":"2026-09-30T13:55:04","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T18:55:04","slug":"before-the-blaze-set-for-thursday-features-1000-scholarship-competition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=99620","title":{"rendered":"Before The Blaze set for Thursday, features $1000 scholarship competition"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By TANNER MAWHIRTER<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tiger Media Network<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tiger Media Network is no stranger to broadcasting. From athletic competitions to campus events, TMN produces more than 100 live streams each year. However, they will add a new production to their slate on Thursday this week – Before The Blaze. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similar to the college football pregame stage shows seen on major networks, Before The Blaze aims to engage students ahead of Thursday\u2019s \u201cbonfire\u201d activities while also showcasing the talents of TMN\u2019s student broadcast team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eli Blankinship, a junior broadcaster with TMN, is one of the students planning Before The Blaze. His roles include coordinating guests on the show and structuring the show as a whole. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe idea behind the broadcast is to create an immersive experience for all students on campus that gets people excited to show up and support FHSU Football,\u201d Blankinship said. \u201cAs a broadcaster myself, it is so much more fun to broadcast a game at a packed stadium, so the more people we can get excited about Saturday\u2019s game the better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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Blankinship also wants to shine a light on the students who make these broadcasts happen and doing so live in front of an audience, as opposed to fans watching the event on their screens, is a great way to make that happen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI really wanted to showcase the talented broadcast students that we have here on campus and what better way to do that than to have a live audience for a broadcast,\u201d he said.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before The Blaze was named in part because it was going to take place just before the annual FHSU Homecoming Bonfire. However, due to forecast rain on Thursday and sustained rain in the days leading up to it, the bonfire will not take place. However, Before The Blaze will still happen regardless of weather conditions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Pep Rally assembly and subsequent activities scheduled after Before The Blaze will still take place outside Gross Memorial Coliseum, in the VIP parking lot, weather permitting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blankinship knows Kansas weather can be unpredictable, but he and the team have contingency plans if the weather doesn\u2019t cooperate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe weather is certainly going to be a challenge this week, but if it is raining, the show will still go on inside at Hammond Hall,\u201d Blankinship said. \u201cThere will be live interviews with FHSU Football Head Coach Chris Brown, along with a couple of athletes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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