HONOLULU — The Polynesian Bowl, the high school football all-star game based in Hawaii, took a leap in visibility on Tuesday with the announcement of a prime-time broadcast deal with the NFL Network starting with the January 2023 game.

It is a “multi-year” deal, Polynesian Bowl Director of Football Operations Rich Miano told Spectrum News.

What You Need To Know

  • The annual Polynesian Bowl high school football all-star game in Hawaii has been picked up by the NFL Network starting with the Jan. 20, 2023, game at Kamehameha

  • It is a "multi-year" deal, according to Polynesian Bowl Director of Football Operations Rich Miano

  • The game was previously televised live on CBS Sports Network

  • The Polynesian Bowl has steadily rose on prominence since its inaugural year in 2017

The 2023 game will be at 4 p.m. Hawaii time (9 p.m. Eastern) on Friday, Jan. 20 at Kamehameha’s Kunuiakea Stadium during the week of the divisional round of the NFL Playoffs.

The annual event, presented by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame, features, but is not exclusive to, players of Polynesian ancestry. It has previously been televised live on CBS Sports Network.

It began in 2017 and has featured 100 seniors every year, many of whom have gone on to play in college.

“The NFL Network TV deal is … another indication of the rapid rise of the nation’s most exciting high school all-star game,” Miano said in a message.

“The exponential growth of the Polynesian Bowl brand has been the culmination of passion, hard work and great leadership by the Board of Directors.”

In 2018, the NFL Network was available in 67.7 million homes in the U.S., according to Nielsen estimates.

NFL Network can be streamed through the NFL app on mobile devices and is also offered on Hulu’s TV subscription streaming service.

Jesse Sapolu, co-founder of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame, and Mark Quenzel, NFL senior vice president and head of content, issued statements touting the deal.

“This is a significant milestone and recognition for the Polynesian community to have the Polynesian Bowl broadcast live in prime time on NFL Network,” said Sapolu, the former Farrington High and University of Hawaii great who went on to win four Super Bowl rings with the San Francisco 49ers. “We thank Commissioner (Roger) Goodell and the National Football League owners for their commitment to sharing our culture. It’s Friday night football in Hawaii!”

Stated Quenzel, “We are excited to broadcast the Polynesian Bowl exclusively on NFL Network. The impact of the Polynesian community throughout the National Football League is profound and extensive, and we look forward to providing a platform for the next generation of Polynesian talent to showcase their skills and talent.”

Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii.