When we make promises, we make sure to follow through.
So after a record breaking 2023 year in which our network broadcast more high school events – AND offered a wider variety and featured more schools than ever before – going one better for 2024 was going to be quite a challenge.
On behalf of a very hard working staff at the Astound TV Network, I am honored to pass along that – for the third straight year – we were able to ADD to the number of high school broadcasts AND the number of different sports teams we covered in 2024.
Among our new network-record setting accomplishments for over the last 14 months include:
- First ever girls volleyball doubleheaders broadcast
- First ever girls/boys soccer championships broadcast (and live streamed for free to everyone)
- Record number of viewers to a single broadcast
- First ever stand-along girls wrestling broadcast (and live-streamed for free to everyone)
- First ever District girls wrestling championships broadcast
- Coverage of the Colonial League girls softball “Play Day”
- First ever girls and boys lacrosse District championships
- More high school baseball and girls softball broadcasts than ever before
- More high school football broadcasts than ever before
- More high school boys AND GIRLS basketball broadcasts than ever before
- An entire football and basketball regular season of live games streamed for FREE for everybody
- More features and a wider variety of sports covered on our “ATVN SportsTalk” show than ever before
- Every single school in our Lehigh Valley AND Delaware Valley coverage area was featured on our network for the first time ever
- More Colonial League broadcasts for football, boys and girls basketball than ever before
- More District football, boys and girls basketball playoff games than ever before
- Expanding our on-air announcing staff to bring you more and varying opinions and insights with commentators from different backgrounds and experiences
- Expanded coverage of girls field hockey, girls and boys lacrosse, girls basketball and more interviews on sports that previously had not been covered, with regular features and blog entries
- PLUS…retaining all of the 2023 “records” that we added to our plate last year and continued to bring you in 2024, including the first-ever Colonial League baseball championships and adding new sports to our broadcasting schedule
…AND…at the height of one of our busiest times of the year (this year, the end of the high school football season coinciding with the first high school basketball games of the year…all on the SAME DAY), we were able to produce and air our annual Dream Come True telethon, beating our goal and raised over $72,000 for this incredibly worthy cause, which helps out the families in our community and benefits seriously, chronically and terminally ill children!
Through it all, we continued to receive very positive feedback from our viewers on both the quantity – and quality – of our broadcasts and humbly thank you for your viewership, your continued support and for taking the time out of your busy schedules to let us know what you like, and that you appreciate our efforts.
Again…because of YOU…we are able – and are very happy – to focus on your kids and your teams in our coverage and are anxious to do so again in 2025.
But as I also mentioned last year, we never want to rest on previous accomplishments and are always looking to do more for our viewers and customers! If you have a suggestion or ways we can improve even more on our coverage of your local teams, sports and student-athletes, please send them to me at: chris.michael@astound.com
Last but not least, I will be off for the holiday season and this will be my last blog post for the 2024 calendar year, but check back to “The SportsTalk Shop” as Mason Smith will have more insights and opinions on local basketball while I’m away. I’ll also be back early in 2025 with videos showcasing our annual top “plays of the year” featuring local student-athletes from the Astound viewing area, plus more news on our local sports teams.
In the meantime, have a wonderful holiday season and a great start to the New Year!
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company.
