SPORTSfever has created high profile football and basketball made-for-TV events during the regular season that are designed to provide teams from around the state an opportunity to gain valuable experience and exposure against other top teams from other regions as a way to further prepare for the state tournament. The Pennsylvania Kickoff Classic in September and the SPORTSfever Basketball Challenges in January have provided STN with a unique opportunity to maintain a weekendlong television production that is distributed throughout the state of Pennsylvania both live and delayed and an opportunity to marshall all of the resources of all SPORTSfever Media Properties and its affiliations to promote the events and enable the participating athletes and teams to use it as an enjoyable learning experience.

The success of the events (13 Challenges since 1999 and three Kickoff Classics since 2004) is reflected in the teams, the fans the events have attracted (estimated 40,000 at Kickoff Classics I, II & III and Challenges I-XIII) and the extensive media coverage and the television affiliates the events have drawn to the SPORTSfever Television Network.

Five of the 16 2007 state basketball finalists and four of the 16 2006 state basketball finalists played in Challenges during the regular season. 22 of the 34 2006-2007 Challenge teams qualified for the state tournament and finished with a .692 winning percentage. Five girls and 10 boys teams were ranked in the final Top 10 state rankings. Since 1999, eight Challenge teams have won state titles and seven more have finished runnerup. The 2004 AAAA state football champion Central Catholic launched its 16-0 season in the Kickoff Classic. All four Kickoff Classic III teams qualified for the district playoffs.

Kickoff Classic History

Inaugural Pennsylvania Kickoff Classic
"East vs West"
Sept. 4, 2004
Antimarino Stadium
Gateway, Monroeville
North Hills 34 Bethlehem Catholic 0
Pittsburgh Central Catholic 38 St. Joseph's Prep 12
Gateway 47 Woodland Hills 6

Pennsylvania Kickoff Classic II
"Ohio vs Pennsylvania"
"These games Count"
August 27, 2005
Antimarino Stadium
Gateway, Monroeville
St. Edward 14 Pittsburgh Central Catholic 6
Gateway 37 Benedictine 31

Pennsylvania Kickoff Classic III
"East & West Backyard Brawls"
September 1, 2006
Pine Richland Stadium, Gibsonia
Pine Richland 31 West Allegeny 10
September 2, 2006
Severence Field, Harrisburg
Harrisburg 41 Central Dauphin 7