SOUTHFIELD--The Lawrence Technological University Athletics Department, in conjunction with Yellow Flag Productions, have teamed up with
WXYZ (Channel 7-ABC affiliate) and
WMYD TV20 to broadcast up to five Blue Devils home football games this fall.
Lawrence Tech will have the following contests broadcast regionally by WMYD: August 26 season opener versus Indiana Wesleyan (7 p.m.), September 16 versus St. Francis-Illinois (Noon), October 7 Homecoming versus Concordia-Michigan (7 p.m.) and November 4 Senior Day versus Taylor (Noon). In addition, should LTU host an NAIA playoff game then this would be televised as well.
"We are fortunate and grateful for this opportunity for WMYD to broadcast our football games," stated LTU athletics director Mary Ann Meltzer. "Detroit is the 13th largest television market in the United States, so to showcase our program led by Coach (Avante) Mitchell will provide excellent exposure for our student-athletes to excel on the field.
"There are few schools of our size that have a TV package like this. We thank Yellow Flag and WXYZ/WMYD for this unique partnership," she said.
Mitchell added: "We are extremely excited about the new partnership that has been established between Lawrence Tech and WXYZ to broadcast our home football games this fall. I feel that this will enlighten viewers to who we are and what an amazing institution we represent in our University. We look forward to playing with the live TV coverage this fall. I would like to thank Lou Bitonti and Yellow Flag Productions for bringing this to fruition."
The package also will include promotional considerations by the Action 7 News team on the 10 and 11 p.m. WXYZ newscasts on Friday to set the stage for Saturday's contest. Also, the stations will air promotional announcements during the week leading up to each home game as well as on social media.
Mike Murri, who is the vice president and general manager of both stations, said that he is excited to partner with Lawrence Tech as the official broadcast home of LTU Blue Devils football, this fall on TV20. "We take great pride in shining a light on our community and local collegiate sports, this partnership is a perfect fit that complements our programming on TV20."
Yellow Flag Productions has a history of working with SCRIPPS networks, such as WXYZ and WMYD, by providing programming through high school sports coverage.
"We are going into our third season of LTU streaming services, and currently stream over 150 LTU varsity sports competitions for 12 men's and women's sports each year," Bitonti, President of Yellow Flag Productions, said. "Having the ability to produce such live coverage is pretty unique for this university. Adding the at-home LTU Football coverage is a natural extension of a successful sports program and we believe this will bring real value to not only business partners, students, faculty, and alumni but also to the local southeast Michigan communities."
