WDIV, STATE CHAMPS! partner to expand high school sports coverage

DETROIT – WDIV Local 4 has partnered with STATE CHAMPS! Sports Network to expand coverage of high school sports in Metro Detroit, including more than 50 live game broadcasts, starting with the June 21 Michigan high school all-star football game live from Lawrence Technological University.

Local 4 is greatly expanding coverage of high school sports on all platforms through a  new partnership with STATE CHAMPS! Sports Network, the premier provider of Michigan high school sports coverage in the state.

“High school sports are where passion, talent, and community come together,” WDIV vice president and general manager Bob Ellis said. “When you want to be the best, you work with the best. STATE CHAMPS! Sports Network is the best in Southeast Michigan, and this partnership allows us to elevate that experience for families, fans, and athletes throughout Metro Detroit and beyond. Together we will be THE source for this content that binds our communities together.”

Starting this fall, Local 4 viewers will get expanded live game coverage, highlights, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content from schools across Southeast Michigan. It will be available on air, online, via streaming, and on our social media platforms.

STATE CHAMPS! Sports Network has built a strong reputation for energetic and professional coverage of high school sports, live streams, in-depth interviews, and gameday excitement.

STATE CHAMPS! content will be built into WDIV’sdaily sports segments, online sports coverage, and Local 4+ streaming.

“The high school athletic experience truly brings athletes, families, and communities into perspective,” STATE CHAMPS! President Lou Bitonti said. “State Champs covers the high school athlete from freshmen year through senior year. This partnership lets us showcase even more schools, sports, and standout moments — and bring them to a bigger audience than ever before.”

Full high school sports coverage

Here’s what this partnership will include:

• An aggressive schedule of more than 50 live games of several boys’ and girls’ sports on the station’s streaming channel, Local 4+.
• Expanded coverage of high school sports on Local 4 News, including a weekly football highlight show each Friday night during football season.
• Weekly power polls to rank the best teams in the state in all sports to get a real-time pulse of the teams destined for postseason success.
• A weekly magazine show with content and features about all high school sports airing Saturday morning following Local 4 News and NBC’s The Today Show.
• Expanded live coverage of the Catholic League of Detroit, founded in 1926 — the largest Catholic sports league in the United States with 33 member schools competing in more than 20 sports.
• Each week during the school year, recognition for a Team of the Week, during which one team is celebrated from a different school for their accomplishments both on the field and in the classroom.
• A special MIPics feature section on ClickOnDetroit, where fans and families can send their photos from high school competitions of all kinds to be featured on the news and the station’s website, ClickOnDetroit.com.
• Weekly short programs on the station’s streaming channel, Local4+, featuring experts from STATE CHAMPS! and their analysis of several high school sports.
• A weekly high school sports newsletter on Thursdays covering high school sports and highlighting each week’s schedule of live game coverage.
• Showcasing of the often unseen and unappreciated support structure of high school sports, including parents, coaches, officials, athletic support staff, and cheerleaders on Live in the D, the station’s daily lifestyle show airing weekdays at 11 a.m.

High school football All-Star game

This coverage will begin Saturday, June 21, with the MHSFCA Coaches Association 2025 High School Football All-Star Game. The game will air live on Local 4 and Local 4+ at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

Lawrence Tech is hosting 80 of the top senior football players from around the state of Michigan. The game will take place on an East vs. West format, with Gladwin head coach Marc Jarstfer leading the West and Detroit Central head coach Jimmie Macon leading the East.

Prep Kickoff Classic

Football season on Local 4 begins Aug. 28-29 with a live broadcast of the Prep Kickoff Classic at Wayne State University.

Eight of the top high school football teams from the area will compete on the Warriors’ field, and you can watch all four games live.

High school sports live streams

The partnership will also feature a full slate of other live high school sports, including:

Fall sports:

• Volleyball (3-4 games).
• Boys soccer (3-4 games).

Winter sports:

• Hockey (10-12 games).
• Boys and girls basketball (6-8 games).

Spring sports:

• Girls soccer (2-4 games).
• Baseball (2-4 games).
• Softball (2-4 games).

Additional coverage:

• All-star games featuring top players from across the state.
• Catholic League championships for volleyball, hockey, basketball, softball, and baseball.

Follow Local 4, ClickOnDetroit, and our social media pages, as well as the STATE CHAMPS! social media channels for schedules, featured matchups, and other exclusive content throughout the season.

2025 high school football Game of the Week schedule

For the eight weeks following the Prep Kickoff Classic, the high school football Game of the Week presented by STATE CHAMPS! Sports Network will be Fridays at 7 p.m.

The broadcast will be live from the top game in Southeast Michigan that week.

# # #

For immediate release: Saturday, June 21, 2025

Media Contact: Ted Coutilish, Vice President of Communications, Yellow Flag Productions, 734.320.7981, ted@yellowflagproductions.com