iHigh

iHigh, Inc., a company based in Lexington, Kentucky, was established in 1999 by founder Rick Ford. His background, which includes serving as COO of Host Communications (later IMG College) and holding leadership roles in the US Army, equipped him with extensive experience in marketing and strategic program development. Ford's vision for iHigh was to create a digital network focused on the high school market, which manifested in two primary business lines: a digital media platform and an onsite event marketing division.

The first arm of the business, iHigh.com, functioned as a digital television platform and online network targeting the youth sector. It provided schools and student organizations with free web-based tools for live-streaming events like sports and other activities. This service enabled schools to broadcast content to PCs and mobile devices, connecting with parents, alumni, and the wider community. The business model for this platform was centered around revenue generation for the schools through advertising and e-commerce at no cost to the institutions themselves. A proprietary software, the "Production Truck(SM)", allowed users to produce live digital broadcasts with professional-grade graphics and multiple camera angles, effectively replacing the need for expensive production trucks. In a significant milestone in May 2012, iHigh secured an $11.7 million investment from Cox Media Group, which acquired a minority interest in the company then valued at nearly $60 million.

The second major component of iHigh's operations is its event marketing services, which eventually evolved into the Great American Rivalry Series (GARS). Launched in 2004, GARS focuses on celebrating and promoting major high school football rivalries across the United States. This initiative serves as a powerful marketing platform for national brands like the U.S. Marines and Army to connect with a youth audience in an authentic and engaging community setting. The series spotlights top high school football games, which can draw average attendances of around 10,000 fans, providing brands with significant onsite activation and digital marketing opportunities. This business line generates revenue through corporate sponsorships, offering brands category-exclusive partnerships and customized exposure. Rick Ford continued to lead these efforts, transitioning to CEO of BRAINBOX Immersive Marketing in 2015, which now manages the Great American Rivalry Series.

Keywords: iHigh Inc, Great American Rivalry Series, Rick Ford, high school sports marketing, digital streaming platform, event marketing, youth marketing, high school football, brand activation, corporate sponsorship, Cox Media Group, BRAINBOX Intelligent Marketing, sports media, online broadcasting, scholastic sports, sponsorship activation, community engagement, live event production, digital advertising, student athletics