NEW YORK -- If the NFL is still locked out in the fall, parents of New York City high school students may be able to watch their kids' games on TV instead.
The city's public school system is negotiating a two-year, $500,000 deal to televise high school sports on the MSG Varsity Network, owned by Cablevision.
City Department of Education spokeswoman Marge Feinberg said Friday that details including how many games would air are still being worked out. The city Panel for Educational Policy is expected to approve the contract on July 20.
About 32,000 city teens play Public High School Athletic League sports including football, basketball, soccer, lacrosse and bowling. Championship games are sometimes televised, but the MSG Varsity Network deal would be the first comprehensive TV rights deal.
Feinberg said the school system would use the money to fund high school sports.
The deal could benefit students hoping to win sports scholarships to college and parents who can't make it to their children's games in person, though most games would be available only to the minority of New York City residents who are Cablevision subscribers.
MSG Varsity began in 2009 and is dedicated to covering high school sports and other activities in the New York region.
"We are extremely pleased at the prospect of becoming the official sports network of the Public School Athletic League, and believe that a partnership between MSG Varsity and the PSAL will deliver significant value to New York City students, parents, educators and the community at large," MSG Varsity said in a statement.
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