How to watch, stream 2023 Iowa high school football games at the UNI-Dome
Things get real in Iowa high school football when the UNI-Dome lights flip on. The decades-long site of the semifinals and championship games always delivers action and intensity.
Semifinal week is a four-day event. Eight-player goes on Wednesday, followed by Class A and Class 4A on Thursday, Class 1A and Class 5A take the field Friday and everything wraps up with Class 2A and Class 3A on Saturday. The first class on each day will have games at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. The second class on each day will have games at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.
More: Check out the Iowa high school football state semifinal pairings for every class
If you can't make it to Cedar Falls this week, there are still ways to follow the action. Here's how to watch the 2023 Iowa high school football semifinals.
How to watch the Iowa high school football semifinals
As the Iowa High School Athletic Association and the Iowa High School Sports Network battle in court over whether the IHSSN can and should charge to watch Iowa high school sporting events, the news remains disappointing for fans wanting a free livestream.
More: IHSAA takes court action against IHSSN that plans to charge to watch state tournaments
The IHSSN is charging $9.99 plus tax to watch each individual game, or you can purchase a state football tournament pass for $18.99 plus tax. The latter option gives you access to all 14 semifinal matchups and all seven championship games while allowing two concurrent livestreams and 30 days of unlimited viewing.
There are additional options to watch as well. All semifinal games will be aired on IHSSN network affiliates, including Mediacom (MC22), Aureon, Premier Communications and The Community Agency (TCA). On Mediacom's channel lineup, MC22 can be found on channel 22, 722 or 822.
The IHSAA's latest statement on the IHSSN continuing to charge for streaming events.
This statement was released on Nov. 6.
"The IHSAA is litigating a media rights dispute with the Iowa High School Sports Network (IHSSN), the current rights holder for select championship events. IHSSN plans to charge live streaming viewers of the upcoming IHSAA State Football Semifinals and Finals at the UNI-Dome. We have objected to IHSSN’s live streaming charges since they were announced this summer. The dispute remains ongoing in Polk County District Court.
"The IHSAA will continue to pursue free public access to broadcasts and streaming of its championship events. Until then, attending IHSAA championships allows fans to support our schools in person and ensures purchases go toward student-athlete programs and experiences."
Dargan Southard is a sports trending reporter and covers Iowa athletics for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: How to watch the Iowa high school football semifinal and championship rounds
