THANK YOU!

Effective November 9, 2021, SEI Local Sports will disappear...maybe not forever, but certainly for the forseeable future due to both physical and financial reasons.

The physical reason is because I simply can't maintain the level of production and service on the site as before. In mid August, I accepted a new position as Sports Director and Afternoon Air Personality at WRBI Radio (Batesville, IN). I've always had another job while operating SEI Local Sports. The position I hold now, which I do enjoy, involves a larger investment of my time than prior positions I've held. Since joining WRBI, my hours worked between the radio station and my website consistently exceeds 75 hours a week. I physically can't keep up that schedule.

The financial reason is due to the increased expenses I would have incurred had I resumed video webcasts. Newly imposed requirements for commercial video streaming companies to run everything through the state athletic association's streaming service would have been more costly than had I operated through services I've used in the past. Also surrendering commercial inventory to run the state's mandatory public service announcements would have led to additional lost revenue. I would have gone from being slightly profitable to operating in the red. I've never been in this to make money, but I can't operate the business at a loss.

I'm very proud of the work we've done over the last 11 years. There are other organizations which write/publish stories and which broadcast/webcast games. Many do a really nice job. But what made SEI Local Sports different, is it was a single source covering ALL schools in the two area athletic conferences plus one independent. No other area company or organization operated on that scale. Our message and delivery was always positive. We did our best to avoid controversy and being critical of coaches, officials and athletes. To me, there is no place for that in high school athletics. I will stand by that philosophy until the day I die.

Thanks to my sponsors who have supported me...many for all or nearly all of my entire 11 year run. Your generosity and belief in the website's mission and purpose have been truly appreciated. None of this would have been possible without your contributions.

Thanks to all of the coaches, athletic directors, administrators and support staff who cooperated to provide event information and welcomed us at their schools to cover games. Your time, effort and hospitality made the content of our website possible.

Thanks to my team of sportscasters and a few people behind the scenes who helped me promote southeast Indiana athletics the way I believe (present tense) it should be promoted. There are better broadcasters and better writers in the state, but there isn't collectively a better group of people who present a game with a better tone and message than the group I have had the pleasure to work with.

And thanks to all of you who visited the website and who watched our webcasts. The immeasurable number of kind and thoughtful words you've expressed through emails, texts, tweets and in-person exchanges have meant the world to me and, honestly, helped keep me going for as long as I did. What I did was always a grind, but I knew the importance of the service and how much it was enjoyed by you. There just isn't any more gas in the tank to keep the car running.

I'm not going away. My work now at WRBI is beginning to mirror some aspects of my work with SEI Local Sports. I hope you give the station a listen (103.9 FM) if you are in the coverage area. I have daily sportscasts from 6-9 am and also 3-7 pm. You can also listen online as well as read my stories on WRBIradio.com. And you can even listen on your smartphone with the free TuneIn app.

But it's time to say goodbye from SEI Local Sports, maybe not forever, but at least for now.

Best wishes and good health...

Bryce Kendrick
Owner/President
SEI Local Sports