Mater Dei’s Marketing Deal Signals a New Era in High School Sports

Mater Dei High School, a powerhouse in both football and basketball, just became the first high school to sign a multimedia rights (MMR) deal with a third-party partner. Through a 10-year agreement with Playfly Sports—a company that manages media rights for more than two dozen college athletic departments—Mater Dei will receive expanded sponsorships, enhanced digital content, game-day activations, and a broader national platform. The deal includes new opportunities for brand partnerships, media storytelling, and streaming—signaling a dramatic shift in how high school athletics are marketed and consumed.

This move comes at a time when more high school athletes can directly benefit from the attention. As of November 2023, 33 states and the District of Columbia—including California—allow high schoolers to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL). With increased visibility and a media-savvy partner like Playfly on board, Mater Dei athletes could gain exposure that translates into real branding and income opportunities while still in high school.

It’s a bold new direction for high school sports—one that could create exciting possibilities, but also more pressure. High school athletes play sports for the fun, the sense of community, the challenge of overcoming adversity, the joy of competition, and many other meaningful moments that shape who they are becoming. But as money, media, and marketing become more central, it’s easy to lose sight of what truly matters. If MMR deals become a trend, we must be aware of how easily the deeper purpose of youth sports can be overshadowed by the business surrounding them.