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Butler County Sports Network (BCSN) founders Jeff Fuller and Scott Bentley are gearing up for their organization’s annual awards show, celebrating two years of in-depth sports coverage in Butler County. 

BCSN was founded with the goal of providing comprehensive coverage of sports in Butler County through social media.

“It really kind of started off on a whim,” Fuller said. “I went to Scott and said, ‘I have this idea. I feel like sports need to be covered a bit more in-depth in Butler County.’ I felt like there was an avenue to do that through social media. Scott said he was all in.”

The network covers a wide range of sporting events, including middle, high school and parks and recreation games.

“I’m at a game probably five or six days a week,” Bentley stated.

The highlight of BCSN’s year is its awards show, which recognizes outstanding athletes and teams in the area. Fuller says that after a trial run, the event has grown significantly.

“Last year, we had a bit more stability, so we said, ‘Let’s make it nice. Do it up a bit,’” Fuller said.

The awards show is not only a celebration of athletic achievement but also a community event.

“We pick a county team for each sport and during the ceremony, we’ll bring every county team up and recognize them,” Fuller said. “So, it’s not just players winning individual awards.”

The event is made possible by the support of the community and local businesses.

“We sell sponsorships. If you do a sponsorship, you get to come present the award,” Fuller explained.

While BCSN is a labor of love for the pair, it’s not without its challenges. 

“Sponsorship for the ceremony is a paid sponsorship. About 75% of that money goes back into the operation of the company. So, right now, we’re not profiting,” Fuller said. “We’re able to stay afloat.”

Despite the challenges, Fuller and Bentley are committed to providing quality sports coverage for the community.

“It’s not the money… We’re not going to get rich and we’re not here to get rich,” Fuller said. “But we have to make something to keep this thing going.”

The BCSN awards show is scheduled for May 5 at 2 p.m. at the Dunbar Gymnasium. The event is free and open to the public, with food provided by Parks and Recreation. 

“In addition to Tracey at the chamber and Parks and Rec, we have a group of people,” Fuller said. “Because they love these athletes and love these schools, they go to games and keep stats for us because we can’t do this by ourselves.”

Chamber of Commerce Director, Tracey Salter, said she believes the network is a great cause for the community to rally behind. 

“Scott and Jeff do an excellent job of providing coverage for all sports in Butler County. This is an opportunity to bring male and female athletes together as they are recognized for tremendous athletic involvement throughout the year,” Salter said. “I encourage everyone to attend this banquet for a first-hand look at some of our community’s amazing student-athletes.”