BERWYN, Pa. (March 14, 2022) – In its continued commitment to paving the way for the future of NIL, Playfly Sports announced today the launch of Campus Cast Live, a student-athlete hosted second-screen experience that will air simultaneously to the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. The fan-focused broadcast will cover Michigan State’s Men’s Basketball tournament games, as Spartan football stars Payton Thorne (QB) and Jayden Reed (WR), host Campus Cast Live:East Lansing Edition.
“Campus Cast Live represents the very best of what NIL can and should be,” said President of Playfly Sports Properties, Christy Hedgpeth. “Student athletes will receive valuable broadcasting experience and be paid for their efforts. At the same time, Playfly is uniquely able to develop highly compelling content with which we can engage our brand partners.”
Campus Cast Live will feature live commentary from Thorne and Reed via Facebook Live on the Spartan Media Network Page during each of Michigan State’s tournament games.
In its first iteration, Playfly has enlisted two of Michigan State’s most notable football players to host. Thorne, the Spartans’ starting quarterback, is looking to score a spot on a 2022 pre-season Heisman watch list after setting Michigan State’s single-season record for touchdown passes this past season. His co-host, and high school teammate, Reed, was named 2021 First-Team All-American and First-Team All-Big Ten, in addition to being named a finalist for the 2021 Paul Hornung Award, an award honoring the most versatile players in college football.
The first-of-its-kind social cast has drawn attention from advertisers ahead of its launch, with seven sponsor integrations already confirmed, including activations from Buick, McDonalds, and multiple East Lansing-area businesses. Graduate Hotel, a hotel chain centered around college towns with a location in East Lansing, will play host to the social cast as part of its sponsorship involvement.
The Campus Cast Live concept was developed by Kris Kassel, Playfly Group Vice President and General Manager of Michigan State Sports Properties.
“We are fortunate to have great partners within Spartan Athletics who quickly got behind the idea as way to amplify the men’s basketball tournament run,” added Kassel. “And in Payton and Jayden, we have two life-long friends and teammates whose personalities fit well for this broadcast. Our goal is to then rollout out Campus Cast Live to our Playfly schools nationwide.”
Playfly Sports Properties then plans to roll out the concept in multiple markets for the forthcoming college football season. A comprehensive production from Playfly Sports, Campus Cast Live will feature streaming and technology assistance from Playfly’s CSL Esports staff. Playfly’s internal agency, Playfly Creates, has developed a complete graphics package for the show.
