Newly launched ASN to feature Gaels football, mirror NJ’s Super Football Conference Network for the metro area
Building on the success of the Super Football Conference Network (SFCN) that launched last fall to offer premier coverage of leading New Jersey high school programs, ASN will further expand Accelerate Media’s presence in the tristate market. In addition to Iona Prep in the Empire State, ASN will simultaneously debut this fall in Massachusetts.
“As any Iona Preparatory #ScholarAthlete knows, ending a season first in the standings starts with being the first one seated and ready in the classroom, the first one in the building for weightlifting or practice, and the first to hold yourself accountable,” said Mr. Ryan Mahoney, who concludes his fifth season as athletic director and 19th as an educator at the school that has been named LoHud Sports’ Tom Whelan Private School of the Year five times over the last eight seasons. “Which is why we couldn’t be more excited to become Accelerate Media’s first New York scholastic partner and elevate the quality of our broadcasts, enhance our school’s storytelling, and provide new, unique and scalable sponsorship opportunities to our teams’ supporters.”
The Gaels have been turning to Accelerate Media since October 2021, when New York became one of the first states where high school athletes could monetize their Names, Images and Likenesses (NIL). Founder Doug Fillis has hosted several seminars at the New Rochelle school and other private institutions across Westchester, offering guidance to the parents of student athletes on how best to navigate the new media landscape.
Few coaches have been more active in helping former players navigate the realities of NIL offers and the transfer portal than the Gaels’ varsity football coach Joseph Spagnolo LS’94, US’98, P’33, who views the partnership as a next-level win for his program, his alma mater, and New York football writ large.
“We are really excited to start this partnership with Accelerate Media; it will raise the bar for our program and also for New York high school football in general,” the former Maroon & Gold quarterback said. “We are very fortunate to have a strong game day experience already, but this is a gamechanger that will put Iona Prep football on a national level from a viewership standpoint.”
The launch of ASN will be led by former IMG and Playfly executive John Willi, president of SFCN at Accelerate Media. His expertise combines professional-level media operations with a deep understanding of how strong local identities and communities drive long-term success.
“The success of the Super Football Conference Network has allowed us to expand into new markets, starting with New York and Massachusetts,” Willi said. “With Accelerate Media and the Accelerate Sports Network, we’re building something schools, sponsors and partners can trust and scale with, while delivering meaningful exposure and revenue opportunities that directly benefit participating programs and their student-athletes.”
For more information on Willi, Accelerate Media and Accelerate Sports Network, please visit AccelerateSportsVentures.com.
