Heart Football To Air on ESPN3, KSMO-TV
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Heart of America Athletic Conference commissioner Lori Thomas has signed a historic partnership agreement with the Niles Media Group to televise football games for the 2015 season. Games will be available on ESPN3, as well as in the Kansas City area on KSMO-TV, an affiliate of the Meredith Corporation.
Niles Media, located in Liberty, Mo., will produce a 13-game schedule that will be carried live in the Kansas City area on KSMO-TV as well as on ESPN3 with a consistent kickoff time of 11:00 a.m. CT. All 12 teams will make at least one appearance on the schedule, while 11 of the 12 teams will have the opportunity to show off its respective campuses with a home contest. With the conference introducing divisional play for the 2015 season, the final game of the schedule will be kept open as a "flex" selection, providing the opportunity to select a game with championship implications.
"My goal as commissioner is to look for opportunities to improve the experience for student-athletes and coaches while raising the profile for institutions and the conference," said Thomas. "To televise a 13-week football schedule achieves all of that. I want to thank Niles Media Group for their work and partnership with the Heart of America Athletic Conference to make this happen."
"Niles Media Group and KSMO in Kansas City are proud to partner with the Heart of America Athletic Conference to produce and broadcast athletic events that showcase the institutions and student-athletes of this great conference," said John Sprugel, Partner, Niles Media Group. "The Heart of America Athletic Conference and commissioner Lori Thomas are forward-thinking partners in their desire to brand, market and tell the great stories that these institutions and student-athletes exemplify in their daily pursuit of excellence. It is our honor and privilege to be actively involved in this partnership."
Beginning on Saturday, August 29, at least one game will be televised each Saturday through the conclusion of the regular season on Saturday, November 14. Week two will include a doubleheader when Graceland travels to four-time defending conference champion Missouri Valley at 11:00 a.m. Conference newcomer Grand View will travel to Central Methodist in the second half of the doubleheader with kickoff set at Davis Field for 2:30 p.m.
"This is a great opportunity for the Heart of America Athletic Conference," said Benedictine College President Stephen D. Minnis, chair of the conference's council of presidents. "We are excited to have our alums and friends that aren't able to be at the games in person to be able to enjoy them on ESPN3 and KSMO-TV. The Heart is regarded as the best small college football conference in the country with six teams rated in the preseason top 25, so it is a nice opportunity to show off the Benedictine Ravens and the rest of the Heart of America Athletic Conference."
"What a fantastic opportunity for our great conference to be showcased on a national stage," said Baker head coach Mike Grossner, whose team is one of six that was ranked in the spring edition of the NAIA Football Coaches' Poll. "Our kids and respective schools will benefit greatly from this exposure. An entertaining and great brand of football is being played at the small college level, and now so many more people will be exposed to it weekly. Kudos to our commissioner Lori Thomas for spearheading this television contract with Niles Media."
Founded in 1971, the Heart of America Athletic Conference currently has 10 member schools from Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska, and will expand to 14 teams by the start of the 2016-17 academic year. The conference manages 20 intercollegiate varsity sports programs and all 10 current schools are members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.
2015 Television Schedule
Aug. 29 – Baker at Grand View, 11:00 a.m.
Sept. 5 – Graceland at Missouri Valley, 11:00 a.m.
Sept. 5 – Grand View at Central Methodist, 2:30 p.m.
Sept. 12 – Missouri Valley at Benedictine, 11:00 a.m.
Sept. 19 – Benedictine at MidAmerica Nazarene, 11:00 a.m.
Sept. 26 – Central Methodist at Graceland, 11:00 a.m.
Oct. 3 – Missouri Valley at Culver-Stockton, 11:00 a.m.
Oct. 10 – Culver-Stockton at Benedictine, 11:00 a.m.
Oct. 17 – William Penn at Peru State, 11:00 a.m.
Oct. 24 – MidAmerica Nazarene at Baker, 11:00 a.m.
Oct. 31 – Benedictine at William Penn, 11:00 a.m.
Nov. 7 – Evangel at Avila, 11:00 a.m.
Nov. 14 – Matchup TBA, 11:00 a.m.
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