Winter 2026 Streaming Setup Guide: Getting Basketball and Wrestling Ready to Broadcast

Updated November 2026 for the winter season

The first home basketball game is on the calendar and so is the first wrestling match. Families and fans having the ability to watch both from anywhere depends on a few decisions you can make this month.

Here's how to get winter coverage set before the first event, in six steps.

Step 1: List every venue you'll use this winter

Start with the building. Write down where each home event will take place:

• The main gym for varsity basketball
• The auxiliary gym or wrestling room for matches and tournaments
• Any overflow space for JV and freshman games

Next to each venue, note which sports and how many events are scheduled there. That list is your coverage map.

Step 2: Match each venue to a coverage option

Most Network schools receive two Pixellot units, enough for one indoor venue and one outdoor venue. If your winter sports use more spaces than that, say a main gym for basketball and a separate gym for wrestling, you have options, and the right one depends on your school:

• Add manual production for the extra venue, using your own equipment. Manual and student-run broadcasts are strong draws for families and viewers.
• Run hybrid coverage, with installed cameras in one venue and manual production in the other, so the second gym doesn’t have to stay dark.
• Talk with your representative about another camera. In some cases, your NFHS Network representative can work with you on additional coverage. It’s handled case by case, based on your school and your state.

You won’t be sorting this out alone. Installed cameras are monitored by PlayOn’s team, and live event support is there if you need it. Start by talking with your NFHS Network representative about your winter venues and sports that need coverage. Feature availability varies by sport and production model, so confirm the sport and setup you plan to stream.

Step 3: If you're going manual, get the setup ready early

Manual production runs on school-owned equipment. NFHS Network doesn't provide or fund that hardware.

• Pick the camera, capture device, and encoder, and decide who owns them.
• Assign a named person to every event, with a backup.
• Run a full test before the first event, not during it.

A school's student broadcast setup doesn't have to compete with the Network. It plugs in through manual production, and the stream gets the same streaming, graphics, and highlights treatment as an automated one. If you run a Student Broadcast Program, winter is a good chance to give students real experience with cameras, streaming, and graphics. Families also tend to show up when their own student is working the broadcast.

Step 4: Decide how you'll handle simulcast and postseason

Regular season: Coverage is non-exclusive by default. If you already stream to YouTube, a local cable partner, or a student channel, you can keep doing it. Schools that choose a non-exclusive simulcast membership receive a lower revenue share than exclusive coverage.

Postseason:  The rules are different, and they vary by state. NFHS Network is the official postseason broadcast partner in 46 states. In partner states, it typically holds first right of refusal, so outside broadcasts of a selected postseason event are usually not allowed. Check with your state association before you plan anything for the playoffs.

Step 5: Set up each event in PlayOn HQ

If your school uses PlayOn HQ for event management, you can manage streaming setup there, alongside the event you already created. If you offer local sponsor placements, sponsor logos and messaging can run inside the broadcast too.

Step 6: Tell families what to expect

Families will watch on whatever screen is closest. Before the season, let them know:

• Access is subscription-based. Fans choose a plan that fits how they watch.
  
• Smart TV apps are available on Roku, FireTV, Samsung, Vizio, and LG, depending on the fan's device.
• Delay notifications tell fans in real time why a game hasn't started, whether it's weather, travel, a technical delay, or the previous game running long.
• Multi-viewer lets fans watch up to four games at once on web.
  
  

Your winter streaming checklist

• List every winter venue and the events scheduled in each
• Ask your NFHS Network representative which venues your installed cameras cover
• Choose Pixellot, manual, or hybrid for each venue
• If manual: confirm gear, name an operator and a backup, and run a test
• Decide whether you'll simulcast during the regular season
• Check your state's postseason media rules
• Set up each home event in PlayOn HQ
• Tell families where and how to watch

Winter schedules fill up fast. Settle coverage before the first event, not the night of it. NFHS Network is installed and supported broadcast infrastructure, so your job is picking the setup that fits each gym.

Ready to get set up? Talk to your NFHS Network representative about winter coverage for your venues.