Keeping the Game Close to Home

Texarkana Gameday has become a household name in our community. I remember when I first heard that the local football games were being broadcasted live. Seems like it was yesterday! It was such a new and innovative connection from high school football fields to families sitting at home. Then the pandemic hit and the whole world stopped. Entrepreneur Morgan Smith has always had a love of sports. Being involved in local games had become a hobby for him. He never thought it would one day turn into the small business he operates today. In July of 2019, Morgan had this idea so he made a few calls and asked “Is this a stupid idea?” He was met with an abundance of positivity and support. Red River Lumber partnered with Morgan in creating a set for Texarkana Gameday. “They just gave it to us. That’s when I knew I had to see this through,” he said during an interview with entrepreneur and podcaster, Joseph Peel. “Looking back on it now, the pregame shows weren’t that great but it wasn’t about us. It was about the kids. It was about getting them on the show to talk and be heard.” Morgan credits Dr. Matt Young with Texakana Emergency Center & Hospital and Joe Nichols with State Bank for a great deal of support during this start up. “They have been the pillars for us and really helped us grow,” Morgan said. “We would not be here today if not for them.” He has a great deal of pride when he talks about his team and the hard work it has taken to get to this point. Morgan’s family has played a huge role in this endeavor. His wife, Jennifer, and children, Stella, Walker, and Will have been a great help in supporting this from day one. When the pandemic hit, no one knew what would come of the daily things that made up a life. It was a challenging time for everyone, but the Texarkana Gameday team knew this had to keep going. They worked even harder to stay safe and bring live updates to families back home who couldn’t be at games. They worked closely with local school administration leaders to ensure that every game, live stream, and interview was a success. Texarkana Gameday had set the standard for commitment to their community and created unity for all local families during a truly unpredictable time in history.However this isn’t the only endeavor that Morgan, his family, and his team operate for their surrounding communities. Texarkana Marketing, Longview Gameday, and Phone Pros of Texarkana are also successful. Texarkana Marketing teams up with Texarkana Gameday with a great deal of time and talent to getting incredible photos in the studio and on the field. “We share those photos with everyone in the community and we don’t charge the athletes for them either,” Morgan said. The schools also involve their Audio & Visual classes to be a part of Texarkana Gameday. Students in Liberty- Eylau TV, Tiger Vision, and PGTV, and Rabbit TV help make the videography for Texakana Gameday. “So many people think we are a big company,” Morgan said. “But it is just a few paid staff members, dedicated interns, and local community members coming together to make this happen.”