PlayOn was created to champion the spirit of play. The PlayOn team is comprised of GoFan, the NFHS Network, and rSchoolToday – three brands united by a shared passion for school athletics and activities. PlayOn propels schools onward with enduring innovation and service to save time and focus on what matters most: the students, staff, and communities who make their programs possible.
High school athletics and activities enrich the lives of students and bring communities together. Athletics, performing arts, dances, camps, and other extracurricular events can provide lasting memories and lifelong lessons.
A significant amount of work is required behind the scenes to create these experiences. With many competing priorities, separate systems, and tedious tasks, schools are often overwhelmed with event administration and have limited time to devote to supporting their students and evolving their programs.
PlayOn empowers schools to move their programs forward with the only all-in-one platform for digital ticketing, fundraising, concessions, streaming, sponsorships, and athletic websites. With PlayOn, schools can save time, engage their communities, and energize events with unmatched access for fans to discover, enjoy, and relive their favorite moments in person and online.
It all started when CEO David Rudolph was inspired to produce and distribute untelevised live sports. The idea came to life during the firstever broadcast of a Georgia Tech vs. Florida Atlantic baseball game in 2005. This initial broadcast quickly sparked interest in addressing gaps in media coverage for high school athletics. In 2008, PlayOn was founded in Atlanta to broadcast high school sports.
This initial broadcast quickly sparked interest in addressing gaps in media coverage for high school athletics. In 2008, PlayOn was founded in Atlanta to broadcast high school sports.
Fast forward to 2013 when the NFHS Network was established as a joint venture between PlayOn and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and its member state associations. The NFHS Network continues to be the leading provider of live and on-demand high school events nationwide, covering more than 27 sports and activities in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Today, the NFHS Network has streamed more than 2.5 million events and over 816 million minutes of high school athletics.
“I begged my district to consider the NFHS Network. I’m glad they saw the light, and we got set up with the Network. The whole experience with the NFHS Network is fantastic,” said Bryan Geist, Athletic Director a Northern Lehigh High School.
In 2022, PlayOn merged with GoFan, the leading digital ticketing provider for schools. Also headquartered in Atlanta, GoFan supports more than 500,000 events yearly and has sold over 30 million tickets to date. The official partner of 40 state associations, GoFan elevates the event experience for athletics, performing arts, dances, camps, and more. By joining these companies, PlayOn established the first combined offering for digital ticketing and streaming in the high school space. Since then, GoFan has continued evolving beyond ticketing to offer fundraising, concessions, and sponsorships in one system.
“GoFan is an amazing digital platform that has drastically enhanced our game-day experiences for our school, administration, and, more importantly, our fans,” said John Kudley, Athletic Ticket Manager at Aurora High School.
As the next step in the pursuit of saving time for busy school administrators and fostering fan engagement, rSchoolToday joined the PlayOn family of brands in 2023. For over 20 years, rSchoolToday has put the needs of athletic directors first to develop a comprehensive suite of management services for high school sports.
“I wanted to streamline one area where we can have everyone register, where I can have my schedules available, and where the community can go and see exactly what’s happening on a day-to-day basis,” said Brian Silipena, Athletic Director at Pequannock Township High School.
As a leading technology company for schools, PlayOn has gained industry recognition for growth and innovation. Recent awards include the Atlanta Business Chronicle Pacesetters, the Inc. 5000, the Deloitte Technology Fast 500, the TAG Technology Innovation-Driven Company Award, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Top Places to Work.
By uniting these top brands and responding to evolving consumer expectations, PlayOn has created the only all-in-one platform for school event management and fan engagement. With PlayOn, school administrators can save time and elevate the fan experience before, during, and after every event. Looking forward, PlayOn remains committed to innovating for the benefit of schools and communities nationwide.
