The University Interscholastic League, the governing body for high school athletics for all Texas public schools, on Wednesday announced it has temporarily repealed a long-standing rule preventing schools from televising football games on Friday nights.
The ban has been in place to protect attendance at Friday night games, which is obviously an open question in the midst of the ongoing pandemic.
UIL AD Dr. Charles Breithaupt said Texas plans to conduct an on-time season with full stadium capacity this fall, but allowing schools to televise Friday night games will allow parents, grandparents and other vulnerable persons to watch games without risking the health of themselves and others.
Both schools would have to agree for the game to be televised.
"I do believe this is a time for us to stand down on our Friday night broadcast rule—not permanently, just for a one-time venture," said Dr. Breithaupt. "Because we know this, there will many people who stay away because they are fearful, particularly our elderly and our senior citizens. We want to give them a chance to see the game based on what the local district allows. The agreement between two schools to broadcast the game, either digitally or on a linear product, would exists for just this year.
"The UIL has no interest in getting involved in those conversations unless you need our assistance. We're not going to gain one thing from this," he continued. "It just gives people a chance to see the game that wouldn't ordinarily come because of COVID-19."
In reality, this will most likely amount to a school pairing a simple video feed to its radio play-by-play broadcast, but it's a simple and necessary solution that all state associations should adopt.