A chance meeting between Mark Allen and other Kansas City entrepreneurs at a November 2024 UMKC Kangaroos men’s basketball event held at the College Basketball Experience revealed a shared passion for supporting the next generation through sports and education.

They connected at the event and quickly discovered common interests in “real world learning” and local sports media.

Subsequent conversations led to the forming of MSM Sports Foundation, a nonprofit foundation, along with its subsidiary company, Metro Sports Media, LLC.

Together, these organizations aspire to strengthen connections between students and their schools — including high schools, community colleges, and four-year colleges and universities. By learning to create video content focused on their classmates and school athletic programs, students will develop valuable real-world skills in sports media production while simultaneously promoting participation in school sports and STEM activities.

In addition, both organizations are founded on a core commitment to mentorship and career development.

MSM Sports Foundation

In partnership with William Jewell College, MSM Sports Foundation is developing a unique sports media and video production “program of study.” Designed for high school students through dual enrollment, traditional college students, and adult learners, the program consists of four three-credit-hour college courses that culminate in a Sports Media Certificate.  The program features “real world” technical training by industry experts.

The four courses are:

Foundations of Sports Media

Production & Technical Operations

Marketing & Business Operations

Applied Internship Experience

Upon successful completion of the program, students will receive a Sports Media Certificate issued by William Jewell College, providing an accelerated pathway into careers within the live sports production and media industry.

Metro Sports Media, LLC

The original Metro Sports — the Kansas City-focused cable television channel that operated from 1996 to 2013 — was widely recognized for its passionate coverage of local high school, college, and professional sports.

The reimagined Metro Sports Media will continue that tradition of local sports storytelling while utilizing a modern content model designed for the future. 

    Request for Donations

We are seeking donations to complete the program of study and provide scholarships for deserving students.