Weekly odds that the game is broadcast nationally.

[KSSioux]

Sprig, 82SiouxGuy always thinks he knows best. It is laughable that he thinks that the FTA folks are less than triple digits and he obviously does not understand digital feeds of television. Just because he has thousands of posts does not make him right. Folks like him are the reason that I do not post much and just review what is on here. I guess we are to take what Jayson says as gospel and cower back into a hole and accept mediocrity without voicing an opinion (or fact in this case regarding the video quality). I am done on here as I will try to find a way to voice my opinion to Midcon. My purpose for posting was to get folks that actually have watched the past few years and see the quality difference to voice their opinion. My mistake for trying to actually improve things.

[The Sicatoka]

Production has moved to a whole new crew. I expected some "learning curve" time. If you didn't you probably walked in and were perfect on your first day of a new job. Good for you. I wish I was that good.

That said, if there are still issues a month from now the criticism may be warranted.

My feedback:

- in football, leave the angle wide longer. There's no need to go tight on the ball in the air during passes --> You're not keeping up and losing the reception end of the play. My proof? Kenny Golliday's one-hand catch v. Cal-Poly was missed by the main camera because it zoomed on the ball and didn't move fast enough to see the catch. Only a secondary camera got it.

- same story for hockey, stay wide with the main camera. The additional angles are better for trying to go tight. Watch an NHL broadcast (yeah, I know ...) and you'll see the main camera seldom if ever goes tight.

- quit trying to do it like the MNF or other 'big time' production crews right away. Step 1: Get the game on the cameras with good images and signals to the viewers. Step 2: After you have Step 1 down cold, then try the cool, flashy stuff.

[sprig]

Production has moved to a whole new crew. I expected some "learning curve" time. If you didn't you probably walked in and were perfect on your first day of a new job. Good for you. I wish I was that good.

That said, if there are still issues a month from now the criticism may be warranted.

My feedback:

- in football, leave the angle wide longer. There's no need to go tight on the ball in the air during passes --> You're not keeping up and losing the reception end of the play.

- same story for hockey, stay wide with the main camera. The additional angles are better for trying to go tight.

- quit trying to do it like the MNF or other 'big time' production crews right away. Step 1: Get the game on the cameras with good images and signals to the viewers. Step 2: After you have Step 1 down cold, then try the cool, flashy stuff.

Sic,

I'm not complaining about any of the above, just about the quality of the picture for anyone outside of midco cable (that can actually get it). I don't know if other cable co's use satellite (certainly directv does) to get the feed, but that may be a reason why it's so much worse than the old FSSN (although satellite feeds don't explain it either since the FSSN, via satellite FTA, was very good). Otherwise, there is no logical explanation that I can think of. Also, with all midco cable areas connected by fiber, the midco video is no doubt as good as last year. But for other cable co's and satellite, it doesn't come close to the old FSSN.

[The Sicatoka]

Step 1: Get the game on the cameras with good images and signals to the viewers.

[choyt3]

Watched Friday night via arvig communications. The picture was a great deal better than previous years, when it was impossible to find the puck or numbers on white jerseys because of how washed out the picture was. I was at the Manitoba game, so can't compare.

My only complaint is that no one ever seems to know who's responsibility it is to make the connection "live". The Manitoba game wasn't on in our community. And the USA game started showing well into the action. But that's the same crap as previous years. Call acs and they tell you it's UND issue.

[82SiouxGuy]

Those reports are simply wrong, for not only directv but other non midco cable co's that buy the feed. NCC cable at Ray buys the channel, the picture has been horrible, absolutely nowhere near close to last year's quality. On Friday night, however, we had a very clear blank screen for 3 hours, even though the game was on the NCC schedule. Maybe it's good for fiber feeds to all midco cities, but for everyone else, it's poor.

When I say Midco broadcasts I mean those shown on Midco systems. I have said a couple of times that the problem seems to be when they are transmitting to other systems, like DirecTV or non Midco systems. But choyt3 says that the broadcast on Arvig looked good, so it isn't all non Midco systems. This problem will get fixed. But as tSic noted above, I hope everyone complaining about this problem was 100% perfect when they started every new job, because that is what they are expecting here. The outrage shown here is almost comical.

[sprig]

The outrage shown here is almost comical.

Exceeded by your outrage at the outrage. Don't understand, when you can go to the games or get a good TV picture in GF, why you're so negative about those of us that would like to watch but can't, or when we can have to watch a crappy picture. We're waiting, but not that patiently.

[sprig]

My only complaint is that no one ever seems to know who's responsibility it is to make the connection "live". The Manitoba game wasn't on in our community. And the USA game started showing well into the action. But that's the same crap as previous years. Call acs and they tell you it's UND issue.

The game/portions you didn't see were sent out in a different video format, that was only available on midco cable systems. It's possible arvig is connected to midco via fiber, and may not have to take signal from satellite downlinks, like others do.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chroma_subsampling

[TheGreatSiouxNation]

When I say Midco broadcasts I mean those shown on Midco systems. I have said a couple of times that the problem seems to be when they are transmitting to other systems, like DirecTV or non Midco systems. But choyt3 says that the broadcast on Arvig looked good, so it isn't all non Midco systems. This problem will get fixed. But as tSic noted above, I hope everyone complaining about this problem was 100% perfect when they started every new job, because that is what they are expecting here. The outrage shown here is almost comical.

Why is there a problem this year?? There were none last year? The outrage is comical to you when you have Midco as a choice? I think Midco should should blackout the Greater Grand Forks area then you will see a comical outrage. It is a fact that the quality has taken a nose dive. Polor Comm has been a distaster with picture issues and not showing the games until after the start times. Maybe UND could have thought a little bigger than regional and we may not have a problem. I guess since Midco is so new to producing television we should understand that they have problems. Easy to sit in GF and judge us that do not. If the games are only to be in the Midco footprint I for one will say goodbye and watch other college hockey that still cares about getting their product out nationally and with a better picture.

[82SiouxGuy]

Why is there a problem this year?? There were none last year? The outrage is comical to you when you have Midco as a choice? I think Midco should should blackout the Greater Grand Forks area then you will see a comical outrage. It is a fact that the quality has taken a nose dive. Polor Comm has been a distaster with picture issues and not showing the games until after the start times. Maybe UND could have thought a little bigger than regional and we may not have a problem. I guess since Midco is so new to producing television we should understand that they have problems. Easy to sit in GF and judge us that do not. If the games are only to be in the Midco footprint I for one will say goodbye and watch other college hockey that still cares about getting their product out nationally and with a better picture.

There are problems this year because of a totally new crew running the operation. And they are doing things differently because different companies do things differently. There were problems in past years, but everyone seems to forget that since they are so upset this year. There were technical problems, games starting late, etc. Don't forget all of the complaints about a lack of power play clock, complaints about being in SD, etc. Midco has plans to fix all of those complaints, too.

Actually, you are looking at 2 different issues and mixing them in your rant. First are the technical problems they have had with the 2 hockey games. Technical problems happen with every company. Having a new production team with new people seems to be adding to the problem. Technical problems will be fixed, it is hard to fix them before they know that they are going to have a problem.

The other problem that is stuck in your craw is that this will be the end of the contract with Fox. Two things to remember, one is that the national part of the contract is because of the new hockey league. They have a national TV contract for the new hockey league. My guess is that the new national TV contract is actually going to pay the NCHC for the programming. UND never got paid for providing programming content to Fox. Exposure is nice, but it don't pay the bills. That money will probably help pay for administration of the new league. On top of that, Midco is paying $200,000 per year on a 5 year contract to UND to broadcast UND sports. Again, UND didn't make any money off the previous broadcasting contracts. Running a Division I athletic program costs a lot of bucks and actually making money from the broadcasting rights is important to the program. Do you have a way for UND to make up that $1,000,000?

If you're worried about the technical issues, be patient and they will be fixed.

[SiouxForever]

Maybe, just maybe, Midco Sports Network and UND Athletics should have agreed and televised the first women's hockey home game series and tried to get the kinks out and situated before the Men's season began.

There should have been a plan and this should have been implemented in the contract right away to work out the kinks and avoid this on-going backlash about the broadcasting and inferior quality.

[82SiouxGuy]

Maybe, just maybe, Midco Sports Network and UND Athletics should have agreed and televised the first women's hockey home game series and tried to get the kinks out and situated before the Men's season began.

There should have been a plan and this should have been implemented in the contract right away to work out the kinks and avoid this on-going backlash about the broadcasting and inferior quality.

Don't forget that the first 2 hockey games were EXHIBITIONS. They don't count. They were glorified practices. The season hasn't actually started yet. The building was half empty for both games, so obviously a lot of people weren't too concerned with watching the games even if they paid for tickets. That's when you experiment with things, when the games don't count. If this were the WCHA playoffs, or the Frozen 4 I could see being upset. But not for exhibition games in early October.

[Speez]

I'm not an apologist, but I'm also not going to set my hair on fire because UND hockey games aren't in 3D 1080P quality video, with play by play by Doc Emerick, and broadcast on every cable and satellite system in the country, before the regular season has even started.

end mini-rant

I couldn't watch the Sioux on Directv on Friday but was able to watch Pierre MCguire interview Dean & call the UNO & Notre Dame games that barely had 3000 people in that hockey hotbed of KC.

[Ranger]

So, it only cost $1M to whore a Div-1 athletic program into mediocracy? Too bad. And oh, exposure=money.

[The Sicatoka]

I couldn't watch the Sioux on Directv on Friday but was able to watch Pierre MCguire interview Dean & call the UNO & Notre Dame games that barely had 3000 people in that hockey hotbed of KC.

... because NBC has a 'thing' for Notre Dame.

[82SiouxGuy]

So, it only cost $1M to whore a Div-1 athletic program into mediocracy? Too bad. And oh, exposure=money.

Do you work without getting paid? Do you attend games without paying for tickets, even for high school games? I've paid to attend middle school basketball games. Do networks pay for broadcast rights to NCAA Division I football and basketball games? Why shouldn't UND expect to get paid for broadcast rights to games for their top sport? And why should they give it away when someone will pay for it?

[The Sicatoka]

It should also be noted that UND lost Sean Johnson (primary media relations and media contracts guy) to be AD at a DII back in late July and the new person in the position has barely been there a month.

It also bears noting that the new person is pretty good at getting content out to viewers based on his track record at his last job.

Kyle Doperalski -- Kyle.Doperalski@athletics.und.edu

http://www.undsports...TCLID=205679505

[KSSioux]

Ranger you hit it on the head about exposure=money. I travel all around the country and folks know who the Sioux are and some actually will watch a game when I point out where they are on their system. Just look at our roster and tell me that we are a ND-MN team. It is huge that the quality gets much, much better in a hurry. With the NHL lockout, could the NHL network start showing college games? I guarantee they would not pick a UND game up with the quality anywhere what we saw against Manitoba. The CBSSN contract did damage the exposure nationwide unless something is done to improve it for the games that are not on their system.

One million dollars over five years is chump change if crowds start to dwindle and kids that would be great prospects do not get a chance to see the team play other than a couple of times a year. What about the UND gear that would be sold with the additional exposure (I know the Sioux brand will never be replaced as a premier ticket item, but that has to be factored in).

[The Sicatoka]

It is huge that the quality gets much, much better in a hurry.

No one will disagree with you on that point. (However, I do wonder if we're all spoiled by high-def hockey so standard def just seems weak.)

Some changes were made with broadcast agreements over the summer. There will be bumps until everyone is settled in with the new agreements. Let them know the issues, give them a chance to solve them.

With moving to the Big Sky and the WCHA imploding, the UND Athletics office has been busy I suspect. Then add in the new media arrangement with Midco and making all of it work together: Midco deal, Big Sky deal, NCHC deal. I have no doubt they understand the importance of media (or else why would they hire someone with the resume of the new AAD for media).

And as far as exposure. UND SID Jayson Hajdu has been good enough to post here regarding the changes (and he's even hinted that there may be more in the works).

I'm going to give them another month or so to let the dust settle before I get too harsh with them.

[Blackheart]

No one will disagree with you on that point. (However, I do wonder if we're all spoiled by high-def hockey so standard def just seems weak.)

Some changes were made with broadcast agreements over the summer. There will be bumps until everyone is settled in with the new agreements. Let them know the issues, give them a chance to solve them.

With moving to the Big Sky and the WCHA imploding, the UND Athletics office has been busy I suspect. Then add in the new media arrangement with Midco and making all of it work together: Midco deal, Big Sky deal, NCHC deal. I have no doubt they understand the importance of media (or else why would they hire someone with the resume of the new AAD for media).

And as far as exposure. UND SID Jayson Hajdu has been good enough to post here regarding the changes (and he's even hinted that there may be more in the works).

I'm going to give them another month or so to let the dust settle before I get too harsh with them.

Fine...but they have a ways to go just to get back to a Standard Definition video quality; and from what I have read on here it's almost unwatchable in a lot of areas...come on Midco; show us what you got!!

[southpaw]

The CBSSN contract did damage the exposure nationwide unless something is done to improve it for the games that are not on their system.

The contract isn't even in effect yet, but you say it's damaging the nationwide exposure? Give it some time and something can likely be worked out. There is still a full year before it goes into effect.

Maybe UND could have thought a little bigger than regional and we may not have a problem.I guess since Midco is so new to producing television we should understand that they have problems. Easy to sit in GF and judge us that do not. If the games are only to be in the Midco footprint I for one will say goodbye and watch other college hockey that still cares about getting their product out nationally and with a better picture.

Wow...

You have two completely different problems in this post. One is about the regionality of the broadcasts. That has absolutely nothing to do with Midco and everything to do with FCS deciding to not air football, volleyball, etc. You're forgetting that every home hockey game (except the U18 exhibition) is scheduled to air nationally on FCS. That sound pretty regional to me...

The other issue is the picture and broadcast quality. Mido may not be new to producing sports, but some of the crew is new to working together. They have a new producer who is very familiar with college sports and even attended UND, however there is a learning curve to putting on live tv. Feel free to spout how you think this year sucks compared to the past, but realize that the crew from the past had been doing live sports for a dozen years. The quality of Midco will pick up once all the bugs are figured out. Don't compare the first few games this year to the last few games of last year... it's completely unfair. Compare the first couple games of FSSN to the Midco games and they're a lot closer than you expect.

Midco will figure out how to get into all of the smaller cable systems. The producer, director and camera operators will get on the same page and things will be much smoother. I produce and direct live sports for a much bigger audience than UND hockey, I know how many things need to go right to make a good production. Swapping out just one camera operator can change the quality of the entire broadcast. Throw in trying to send the signal out to several companies (and them properly receiving it) and it's more than understandable that there are technical issues early on. Be patient. I'm outside of the Midco market too and am disappointed I can't watch the games... but I know that it will improve and get better.

Plus, UND sucks the first half of the year, so it's practically not even worth watching til January

[Sodbuster]

You know....I remember when FSSN first started with the games. There were many times that they missed the first period or things like that. I always called MIDCO as that's who my cable provider was. They always said it something wrong at the Ralph's end. They never blamed it on WDAZ, come to think about it. After a while, they got all the bugs straightened out.

[sprig]

Here is the bottom line, forget all the production problems, picture complaints, and everything else. After this year, a whole lot of us (thousands) can no longer get Sioux sports (without directv, that starts this year). We're not in midco's footprint so we can't pay for it, other than a couple games on CBSSN (if we pay dish or directv plus sports paks), we can't pay for it and get it on dish/directv. FTA is gone, so, Sioux hockey is gone, permanently, unless midco can sell their channel to dish/directv. If you think all of us are happy about that, you'd be wrong.

It really makes no difference how good the picture/production becomes if we can't watch it anyway.

[southpaw]

Here is the bottom line, forget all the production problems, picture complaints, and everything else. After this year, a whole lot of us (thousands) can no longer get Sioux sports (without directv, that starts this year). We're not in midco's footprint so we can't pay for it, other than a couple games on CBSSN (if we pay dish or directv plus sports paks), we can't pay for it and get it on dish/directv. FTA is gone, so, Sioux hockey is gone, permanently, unless midco can sell their channel to dish/directv. If you think all of us are happy about that, you'd be wrong.

It really makes no difference how good the picture/production becomes if we can't watch it anyway.

I'm not happy about that either as I relied on FCS to watch all home games. However, that is 350 days away. UND knows how important the national exposure is to both the program and the fans. UND has been on the front end of getting their sports broadcast nationally and I have faith they will expand the agreement with CBSSN to something similar to Root Sports and the BSC.

P.s. Don't be so dramatic. UND hockey isn't gone permanently if nothing changes in the next year.