NEWS

CHUCK LIVINGSTON
Marion Patriots Activities Network | 6/10/2024
Marion Patriots Activities Network | 6/10/2024
2023-2024 MPAN BY THE NUMBERS
The Marion Patriot Activities Network (MPAN) concluded its most-watched broadcast schedule in history on Thursday, May 23.
With the program's broadcast of Marion High School's Class of 2024 graduation ceremony held inside Southern Bancorp Stadium, MPAN wrapped its 2023-2024 slate with more than 62,000 viewers tuning in to almost 100 school events over the past 10 months.
MPAN is a school-run broadcast company that shows live events on MarionPatriots.com, the Marion Patriots Activities Network mobile app and this year began showing broadcasts on the MPAN YouTube channel.
Unofficially, MPAN attracted 62,007 viewers for 98 events in the 2023-2024 school year.
Chuck Livingston capped his third year at MPAN, while Jordan Evans enjoyed his rookie campaign. That duo traveled approximately 4,384 miles showing events.
“We had so much fun this year broadcasting eight sports and keeping up with our teams there,” said Livingston. “Graduation is such a special event, and we were glad to bring that to the people who could not join us in person for whatever reason. We have so many wonderful things going on these days at the Marion School District, and MPAN is one of the ways we can tell the story about our kids that we couldn't not so long ago.”
In addition to adding YouTube as an outlet for its unique broadcasts, MPAN also enjoyed healthy student volunteer support in '23-'24. Juniors Eryn Edwards, Nia Prude, and Rhealee Tacito volunteered to do 10 events or more throughout the year, while classmates Micah Charlton, Marselo Amaya, and Journee Thomas were also reliable over the course of the school year.
“We have a great team here of people who have taken an interest in what we're doing here,” said Livingston. “The amount of exceptionally bright, hard-working young people who want to be involved with these productions is kind of incredible. We couldn't have pulled this daunting schedule off without them.”
The year began in mid August with broadcasts of Marion's volleyball jamboree against Valley View, Nettleton, and Brookland at Valley View's Blazer Arena, followed by football's annual benefit scrimmage against Maumelle.
Patriot football and volleyball enjoyed prosperous 2023 seasons, with football finishing 8-3 and volleyball earning the 5A East conference title.
In all, 24,326 people tuned in to Marion football games in 2023, split between MarionPatriots.com and the MPAN YouTube channel. The Pats' dramatic 20-14 victory at West Memphis on Friday, October 13 attracted 3,847 viewers, while Marion's home quarterfinal loss to juggernaut Pulaski Academy welcomed 4,029 sets of eyeballs on Friday, November 17.
Patriot volleyball brought in 7,861 viewers in 2023, including 500 viewers or more four times, including the de facto conference title match at Valley View (612), an eye-popping 1,195 viewers for an October victory at West Memphis, and state tournament contests against Sylvan Hills (702) and Greenwood (1,103).
Viewers continued to find MPAN in the winter, as 18,715 people tuned in for 17 exclusive basketball broadcasts from November to February.
Marion's conference-opening home tilt with West Memphis on January 5 drew a season-high 2,751 viewers, while the January 9 league date with Nettleton entertained 1,967 viewers, and January 26's road conference contest at Valley View posted 1,242 viewers. Home dates with Greene County Tech (1,132), Valley View (1,262), and February 28's state tournament contest against Little Rock Parkview (1,773) rounded out the 1,000-view slate for 2023-2024 hoops.
More than 7,000 people tuned in to Marion's spring sports offerings of baseball, soccer, and softball, including 837 viewers tuning in for Patriot baseball's March 26 doubleheader against Valley View, and 1,730 viewers for May 9's state tournament contest against Maumelle. Patriot softball posted a season-high 572 viewers for its conference doubleheader on March 12 Searcy, while 117 people tuned in for Marion's home soccer match with Nettleton.
Chuck Livingston
Marion Patriots Activities Network | 6/10/2024
Marion Patriots Activities Network | 6/10/2024