With its boys and girls basketball teams making strong runs in the state tournament, and with its baseball, softball, soccer, and track teams kicking off promising seasons, the Marion School District is pleased to continue coverage of Patriot athletics with its Marion Patriots Athletics Network (MPAN).
Through MPAN, the school district provides free livestream coverage of Patriot sporting events at marionpatriots.com and through the Marion Patriots Mascot Media app. The professional-quality coverage includes live commentary, stats, multiple camera angles, and more.
Last week, MPAN experienced its most successful week of broadcasting to date. More than 5,500 viewers tuned in to watch Patriot baseball, softball, and basketball in the past week. This smashed the previous record of 3,240 viewers, achieved during the week of the Van Buren playoff game last fall. On the year, MPAN viewership has doubled last year’s total.
“Very few school districts in Arkansas are able to provide a service of this kind to their families and fans,” said Dr. Glen Fenter, Marion superintendent. “It’s innovative. It’s professional. And it provides a way for Patriot fans to get in on the action, even when they can’t physically get to games. The record viewership shows was a top-rate operation this is. We are thankful to all our Patriot Partners who help make this program possible.”
In addition to providing great coverage of Patriot athletic teams, MPAN is also creating valuable learning opportunities for students. Several Marion High School students operate cameras voluntarily for MPAN. Former students have leveraged this experience into opportunities beyond high school. Two former student camera operators currently work for Division 1 colleges as stadium and team camera operators. A third former student was pegged back in November to operate cameras for ESPN broadcasts in the area.
MPAN will continue its coverage of the Patriot boys and girls basketball teams as they continue their run in the state tournament. As the spring sports season swings into full gear, MPAN plans expanded coverage, with new equipment making it possible to broadcast from multiple locations at the same time. This will include coverage of baseball, softball, soccer, and track competitions.
With a growing enrollment of nearly 3,900 students, the Marion School District is committed to helping students develop the academic, social, and decision-making skills needed to become productive citizens in the rapidly changing technological world. For enrollment information, including information on school choice, visit https://www.msd3.org/ or call 870-739-5100.