The final statistics are in for transfers for the 2025-26 school year compiled by the 10 sections that make up the California Interscholastic Federation, and it was another record year for transfers.
The Southern Section led the way with 7,248, a record.
CIF transfer numbers for 2025-26.
(Los Angeles Times)
Transfers have been a major topic for discussions in high school sports around the country, with state associations coming up with different ideas, from making athletes ineligible for one year in Texas if they transfer for athletic reasons to offering one-time free transfers.
The CIF held a roundtable for discussions in 2025 about possible policy changes but everything has been on hold while waiting for a court case to play out that was dismissed for a second time recently.
CIF membership has been cautious about intervening or limiting transfer opportunities for fear politicians in Sacramento might get involved.
A lawsuit filed in Northern California federal court by former high school football player Dominik Calhoun against the California Interscholastic Federation was dismissed for a second time on Thursday after a hearing held by Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler, who granted an 84 motion.
The judge will allow the plaintiff to file an amended complaint by Sept. 10. There’s also the chance to appeal.
Calhoun has been challenging CIF rules on high school transfers and NIL.
The CIF had stopped considering possible changes in several policies, including transfers, while the lawsuit played out.
PlayOn Sports continues to expand its high school sports empire in California, winning the bidding for broadcast rights for state playoff games and state championships.
The 10-year deal was announced Thursday by the California Interscholastic Federation, the governing body for high school sports in the state.
Previously, Spectrum signed a 15-year contract for $8.1 million in 2011. The contract expired this summer, with the CIF receiving bids from several organizations.
The CIF will be receiving $165,000 from the NFHS Network in the first year of the agreement that has a 3% escalator each year. PlayOn Sports will pay $810,000 in the first year that also escalates 3% each year of the contract. The total will be $11.1 million.
PlayOn Sports has become a powerful force in the state, now owning MaxPreps, NFHS (National Federation of State High School Assns.) Network, GoFan.co and state playoff broadcast rights. The NFHS Network will be the exclusive content distribution partner. State football, basketball and girls volleyball will be put on linear television.
MaxPreps is the last one standing in California after SB Live (formerly Scorebook Live) stopped sponsoring the CIF following the 2024-25 season and laid off its full-time writers in California while turning to freelancers who get paid by their story clicks as part of a digital agreement with the owners of SI.com.
CIF media rights contract with PlayOn Sports and the NFHS Network.
(Los Angeles Times)
MaxPreps is a free site driven by individual schools uploading their rosters, scores and stats. It has started streaming games with the help of the NFHS Network. GoFan.co has been adopted by most schools as the way to buy digital tickets to games and charges a fee to those buying tickets.
What the new CIF contract means is more opportunities for the NFHS Network, an on-demand high school sports site that streams games for a fee in which fans can buy access to watch one game or pay a monthly or yearly fee for unlimited access. Sometimes the NFHS Network uses automatic cameras supplied to schools or were purchased by schools. Unlimited online access is $99.99 a year.
Nine of the 10 sections in the state leave it up to schools to decide regular-season broadcasts. The Southern Section is the one section that has its own media contract and requires schools to pay a fee for streaming and then returns compensation to the schools later.
For those who worry that PlayOn Sports has so much control it could easily raise prices and face little pushback, CIF Executive Director Ron Nocetti said, “Any deal we have with any company that involves cost [with schools], we always get to be part of that conversation.”
