Strib Varsity will feature enhanced Hubs sites, more journalism and coverage of schools statewide, and a return of Randy Shaver
Minneapolis, Minn. – The Minnesota Star Tribune today announced the launch of Strib Varsity, a bold new sub-brand dedicated to delivering the most comprehensive, best-in-class coverage of high school sports across the state of Minnesota. This initiative represents a major growth opportunity aimed at expanding the Minnesota Star Tribune’s audience, creating new revenue streams, and strengthening its subscription base by uniting fans, families and communities around the state’s vibrant prep sports scene.
High school sports hold a special place in the hearts of Minnesotans, yet the current coverage landscape is fragmented across numerous platforms, making it difficult for fans to find consolidated, reliable information. Strib Varsity changes that by providing a single, authoritative destination that covers more than 500 high schools and over 200,000 student-athletes statewide.
“We are committed to connecting high school sports fans across Minnesota by bringing together the pride, passion, and stories of our prep sports communities in one place,” said Kathleen Hennessey, editor of the Minnesota Star Tribune. “With our unmatched resources, trusted journalism, and innovative digital platforms, Strib Varsity will be the definitive source for fans, families, and athletes alike.”
Key features of Strib Varsity include:
- Comprehensive coverage of high school sports across Minnesota, including in-depth reporting, expert analysis and human-interest stories centered on local athletes and teams.
- A bold expansion of our popular MN Hub sites, with fresh design and added features, to create destinations for 32 sports, including homepages for every high school in Minnesota.
- Enhanced digital experiences, including livestreaming, interactive stats and engaging social media content.
- Strong partnerships and community engagement initiatives to celebrate Minnesota’s prep sports culture in arenas, schools and online.
Strib Varsity leverages the Minnesota Star Tribune’s 158-year legacy of trusted journalism combined with fresh, modern storytelling designed to capture the excitement and significance of high school sports today. It positions the Minnesota Star Tribune as the unrivaled leader and go-to platform in the Minnesota prep sports space.
“This is more than just high school sports coverage,” added Chris Carr, director of Strib Varsity for the Minnesota Star Tribune. “It’s about building a community where fans can stay connected, celebrate their teams, and experience the thrill of Minnesota high school sports like never before.”
A special new feature will come with the launch of Strib Varsity, starring a familiar face: “Strib Varsity Live with Randy Shaver” will debut on the first night of high school football action, Aug. 28. Highlights from a variety of games will be delivered in Shaver’s memorable style, streaming on stribvarsity.com.
“What a thrill it is to join the team at the Minnesota Star Tribune,” Shaver said. “And I can’t wait to dive back into the madness that is live broadcasting. … I’ll have the support of the largest news and sports reporting crew in the Midwest on my side this season.”
Minnesotans passionate about high school sports can explore the new offerings now at stribvarsity.com.
About The Minnesota Star Tribune
The Minnesota Star Tribune is an innovative modern media organization building on an extraordinary 157-year legacy. With seven Pulitzer Prizes and hundreds of other awards, the Minnesota Star Tribune boasts the Midwest’s largest news organization and is an unrivaled force for journalistic excellence in Minnesota and beyond. As the heart and voice of the north, the Minnesota Star Tribune is on a journey to create the leading model for local news in America – driving innovation in media to make every Minnesotan’s life better. For more information, visit www.startribunecompany.com.