Beginning in September, Newberry College will launch a new, student-led sports show called “Wolves Weekly.”
Courtesy photo
NEWBERRY — Newberry College will be one of the first colleges in the history of FloSports to launch a student-led broadcast. “Wolves Weekly” will air on the platform each Thursday, beginning Sept. 12.
The half-hour, on-demand program will cover the competition and culture of Newberry College’s 24 NCAA Division II sports and two spirit squads. Students in the Professional Media in Action course will comprise the cast and crew, with guidance from advanced communications students. The courses will be overseen by Dr. Jodie Peeler, professor of communications and program coordinator, and Al de Lachica, assistant professor of communications.
The students will manage the content and production of the show, a rarity in collegiate athletics, making Newberry a leader among institutions, especially at the Division II and III levels.
“At many larger schools, students can’t even touch the equipment. Our partnership allows students full access, content control and a professional learning environment, all on a worldwide streaming platform,” said Dr. Steven McClung, dean of business, communications & sport. “Our students will earn real-world, professional experience producing content that people pay to see. This gives our students next-level skills they can’t get anywhere else, making them highly sought-after in the market after graduation.”
The program will include game analysis and predictions, as well as hard-hitting feature stories on Newberry’s diverse community of student-athletes, coaches, alumni and fans. In addition to FloSports, “Wolves Weekly” will air on the campus’ closed-circuit TV every Friday for students to see.
“This show will take the Wolf Nation fan experience to the next level,” said Sean Johnson, director of athletics. “’Wolves Weekly’ will provide never-before-seen coverage of Newberry College Athletics, from once-in-a-lifetime plays and in-depth commentary to fascinating features and behind-the-scenes. It’s a great opportunity for communications students, our student-athletes, and we think our fans will be blown away.”
In 2022, the South Atlantic Conference, of which Newberry is a member, signed the largest NCAA Division II media rights agreement to date. As a result, FloSports is the exclusive digital platform of the SAC Live Digital Network, showcasing all live and on-demand events, including the league’s 23 championships.
“Wolves Weekly” comes as FloSports commits more than $50 million toward a comprehensive new NCAA sports platform — FloCollege. Launching in October, the new platform will include live streaming, sports data, editorial content and social programming. FloCollege will focus on Division II and III athletic programs, boasting the divisions’ largest portfolio of women’s sports available. The direct investment in conference rights will help member institutions apply funding toward their own broadcast and production capabilities to further enhance the quality of coverage across all sports, ensuring parity and inclusivity.
FloSports is available on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Chromecast. To learn more, visit flosports.tv/sac.