These days, the decline of local news reporting poses a threat to the United States as it leaves many Americans uninformed and without a voice. These newspapers struggle to publish with less frequency and, in most instances, shut down. The coverage of high school sports has been affected in particular. If it ever is reported on, it typically focuses on marquee sports and varsity teams. This has been to the detriment of many communities, as it has affected the numerous local traditions and economic spirit of towns and regions where high school sports are of primary importance.
Despite diminishing local news coverage, demand for high school sports schedules, scores and content is strong. At the forefront of this landscape is the County Sports Zone (CSZ) Network, a leader in the coverage of high school sports, with a platform that provides fast and reliable information from every game at all levels. It covers approximately 40,000 games annually for over 3,000 teams across nearly 300 schools in all 23 Maryland counties, with plans to expand nationally.
Having recently brought on board an ambitious new CEO, Sam Hopkins, the CSZ Network has set its sights on redefining the future of sports fandom by utilizing unique technology to provide reliable and timely sports game schedules, scores, standings and news. With his keen interest in technology development and translating research breakthroughs into real-world applications, Hopkins leverages his technological acumen to ensure the platform delivers a top-notch user interface and experience.
The CSZ Network facilitates seamless reporting, allowing coaches to share scores and highlights through a simple text message, introducing a more convenient method to disseminate information. What started as a passion project driven by the enthusiasm of a group of innovative, talented individuals now boasts a community of 130,000 regular users, illustrating the CSZ Network's success in providing a wider range of high school sports coverage than any other media outlet. "They keep coming back because we offer something unique that no one else does, and we excel at it. We've developed groundbreaking technology that enables coaches to report their team scores and highlights easily. With just a simple text message, they share this information with us knowing that fans will stay updated and informed, making the process seamless and efficient," Hopkins stated.
The CEO and his team have also initiated a user-centric approach to gamification, allowing CSZ Network registered users to contribute content and even predict outcomes across a spectrum of prep sports contests. Hopkins remarked, "We've been delivering reliable scores, schedules, standings and playoff brackets and are excited to take our engagement of the high school sports community to the next level with gamification. There are countless companies that deliver information and interaction based on particular interests and locations, but we are solely focused on creating fun and community for high school sports fans."
Hopkins' venture into developing a platform dedicated to providing comprehensive high school sports coverage has been a fascinating journey. He obtained his Master in Business Administration degree from the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, where he met John Steuart, the executive chairman of the CSZ Network. With Hopkins' diverse expertise, ranging from health care research and entrepreneurship to music and journalism, and John's 25-year experience in entrepreneurship and early-stage investing, the CSZ Network came to fruition to revitalize high school sports and fill the gaps in local news coverage. Hopkins proudly shared, "We are a Baltimore-based company with strong support from a seasoned Silicon Valley expert. John's been well-versed in points and rewards since the early dot-com era. I'm honored to have been brought in and to be expanding the company with him and the rest of the growing team."
Hopkins has spent most of the last decade in the health care field, supporting researchers at Johns Hopkins University, the University of Maryland and the U.S. Army, as well as a variety of innovative companies. Most recently, he held a central role at a Johns Hopkins spin-out company focused on the early detection of pneumonia, where he helped raise the first round of private funding. "Sam's business experience, his career focus on building technologies for good and his particular passion for creating communities around athletics told me that he was the right person to take this company to the next level," Steuart shared.
The visionary CEO is a lifelong sports fan and has remained active as a player. He's been involved in coaching various youth sports for several years and has taken leadership roles in Cub Scouts and parent-teacher organizations. Hopkins has also explored his creative side, diving into music and journalism. He is multilingual and highlights the parallels between online language learning and interaction around sports. "When we expand our vocabulary or gain access to more information, we are able to deepen our interactions with other people who care about the same subjects. As we expand the CSZ Network, we are providing a platform for both data and delightful experiences," he said.
Ultimately, the CSZ Network, under Hopkins' guidance, is dedicated to meeting the demands of a passionate high school sports audience, providing comprehensive information on the schools, teams and players they love. He made it his mission to develop an innovative platform with the sole purpose of serving a community he is part of and cares about. With Hopkins at the helm, the CSZ Network is poised to become a leader in high school sports coverage and community engagement across the United States.
