When it comes to student-athletes and scholastic achievement and sports, there’s no such thing as too much attention, too much coverage. The more voices the better.

Still, 717 Sports Media continues to carve out its own unique place on the local sports scene.

Based in Lancaster, 717 Sports Media employs internet technology, through podcasts, writing and social media, to cover a variety of Central Pennsylvania sports – in and around the 717-area code - in ways that many other local media outlets won’t or can’t. Still in the infancy stages of its development, 717 Sports Media is gaining momentum by accentuating the positives in athletics and bringing attention to student-athletes who wouldn’t otherwise receive it.

“Central Pennsylvania is home to some great athletes and teams and programs,” said 717 Sports Media founder and CEO Brandon Way. “We’re trying to spread that word. We’re trying to deliver a different point of view on sports. We’re trying to promote the athletes, the coaches, and the teams.

“We want to do a little bit of everything,” added Way. “We’re not a podcast company or a publishing company. We want to do it all.”

While certainly podcasts and writing are at the heart of what 717 Sports does, the media company’s strength is firmly rooted in its people. Backed by a strong social media presence and with head writer Carl Frederick, Jr. showing the way, 717 Sports Media’s five-to-six-person team of young and upcoming journalists sports the resources to cover a handful of events on any given day or night.

“My team is strong,” said Way, a 38-year-old resident of Lancaster. “We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without them. I’m grateful for them. I had a vision to promote sports in Central Pennsylvania as much as possible and these guys share that vision.”

Founded in 2021, 717 Sports Media is off to a great start, and it continues to build an audience. While its future success may depend upon the level to which the community gets behind, the need certainly exists.

“We want to cover the areas that some of the other media outlets can’t,” said Way. “We want to be seen as an equal, not a competitor. We’re all in this together. We’re gaining respect from the high schools and athletic directors, and they’re taking us seriously. In our area, people know us and love us.

“We’re gaining respect every day,” continued Way. “We are a growing sports media company. The biggest challenge is funding and finding different sponsors. The next step is being able to financially support my employees.”