Key Takeaways
- Overtime and Omaha Productions will host the inaugural Overtime Nationals High School Football Championship on December 10 in Baltimore, featuring Corner Canyon (12-1) and St. Frances Academy (8-1)
- The winning school’s athletic program will receive a $250,000 donation, while Subway serves as presenting sponsor with on-field branding and VIP access for select rewards members
- ESPN will broadcast the game from the 1,400-seat Under Armour Stadium, with tickets starting at $10 and going on sale November 21
- Overtime founder Dan Porter plans to expand the single-game format into an annual multi-team tournament following the inaugural matchup
- No previous event has attempted to crown a nationwide high school football champion, though states like Michigan and Texas host regional showcase games
Filling a Gap in High School Football Competition
Overtime and Omaha Productions are partnering to create what they describe as the first national championship game for high school football. The Overtime Nationals High School Football Championship will take place December 10 at 7:00 PM ET at Under Armour Stadium in Baltimore, bringing together Corner Canyon Chargers from Utah (12-1) and St. Frances Academy Panthers from Maryland (8-1).
While individual states like Michigan and Texas currently host high school football showcase events, no competition has previously attempted to identify a national champion across all 50 states. The December matchup represents the first effort to create a nationwide title game for the high school level.
Overtime will handle event organization, Omaha Productions will manage production, and ESPN will serve as the media and broadcast partner. Tickets went on sale November 21 starting at $10 for the 1,400-seat venue.
Sponsorship Structure and Financial Incentives
Subway has signed on as the presenting sponsor for the championship game. The partnership includes on-field branding, a custom broadcast booth, and visibility during player introductions. Select Subway Rewards members will receive VIP field access during the game.
The winning school will receive a $250,000 donation for its athletic program, creating a significant financial incentive beyond traditional championship recognition. This prize structure mirrors trends in college athletics where monetary rewards increasingly accompany competitive success.
Production Approach and Broadcast Strategy
Dan Porter, Overtime’s founder and CEO, emphasized the production ambitions for the event. “I don’t think this will feel like watching a high school football game. It should feel like the Super Bowl, epic in how it’s produced,” Porter said.
Overtime brings over 100 million followers across its social media platforms to promote the event. Porter indicated the company will use widespread promotion across these channels as the December date approaches, leveraging relationships with top programs and players built through its existing football coverage.
ESPN’s involvement as broadcast partner provides traditional media distribution alongside Overtime’s digital-first approach. The combination aims to deliver what Porter describes as a “true championship environment, similar to what’s seen for the CFP and even the Super Bowl.”
Exposure Opportunities for Participating Athletes
Porter highlighted the platform’s potential impact on individual athletes. “For a lot of these kids, this could be the biggest stage they ever play on in their lives,” he said. The national broadcast and Overtime’s digital reach offer exposure that typically remains unavailable to high school athletes outside of heavily recruited prospects.
The timing coincides with ongoing changes in college sports, including name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights and transfer portal dynamics. Porter noted: “With everything changing in college sports and the rise of national high school programs, now is the right time. We’ve established an incredible base in football, and it’s the perfect moment to bring teams from across the country together for something on this scale.”
Expansion Plans and Future Tournament Format
Porter described plans to grow the event beyond a single-game format. Following the inaugural championship, Overtime will evaluate expansion into an annual multi-team tournament structure. This would increase the number of participating schools and create additional sponsorship activation opportunities.
The expansion strategy depends on several factors Porter identified: growing the event’s audience, attracting more top programs, and securing additional sponsor partnerships. The December game serves as a proof of concept for whether a national high school football championship can generate sufficient interest from schools, athletes, sponsors, and viewers to support a larger tournament.
Strategic Context for Youth Sports Media
Overtime’s move into organizing live championship events represents an evolution from content creation to event production. The company has built its business on producing and distributing highlight reels, player features, and game coverage across social platforms. Creating its own championship event gives Overtime control over premium content while testing whether its digital audience will engage with linear broadcast formats.
The partnership structure, dividing responsibilities between event organization (Overtime), production (Omaha), and broadcast distribution (ESPN), reflects how youth and amateur sports increasingly require multi-party collaborations to execute at scale. Each partner contributes distinct capabilities: Overtime’s youth audience and school relationships, Omaha’s production expertise, and ESPN’s broadcast infrastructure.
Whether the model proves sustainable depends on several unknowns, including sponsor interest beyond the inaugural year, school willingness to participate in future iterations, and audience engagement with a single-game or tournament format at the high school level.
via: SBJ
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