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impact of new conference on TV broadcast


Anderson2200

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Once again, with Midco converting to HD next season, our webcasts will also be shown in HD.

I have DirecTV so I've never watched a game via UND Insider and thus I know nothing of the current quality. I've heard of some folks having issues with the stream, and I guess my question is: will the servers, etc. be able to handle all of the increased demand from the current DTV and FCS subscribers who will be forced to webcasts?

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I know this may take this conversation on a new turn, but here we go. I was thinking today about NCHC and B1G and one of the ways this TV contract may benefit all of us is this. What about a series of games between NCHC and B1G conference teams, like the ACC B1G challenge. Lets make them all the same weekend and lets make it 2 night 2 different teams. Sort of a Bean Pot type of a tourney but Multiple sites. Duluth UND WISC UMN, WMU Miami Michigan Michigan St, get the idea? And I think that Dave St Peter could have a play in this, lets put the game in target field in Dec. The networks would love the ratings and the fans get games they want.

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I know this may take this conversation on a new turn, but here we go. I was thinking today about NCHC and B1G and one of the ways this TV contract may benefit all of us is this. What about a series of games between NCHC and B1G conference teams, like the ACC B1G challenge. Lets make them all the same weekend and lets make it 2 night 2 different teams. Sort of a Bean Pot type of a tourney but Multiple sites. Duluth UND WISC UMN, WMU Miami Michigan Michigan St, get the idea? And I think that Dave St Peter could have a play in this, lets put the game in target field in Dec. The networks would love the ratings and the fans get games they want.

Love the idea, and I love the fact that Dave St. Peter wants a game at target field, but football stadiums > baseball stadiums. If UND were to play in the cities I would rather see it at TCF. However, I think a game at Target Field would be wonderful if it was something like UND vs. Wisc.

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I have DirecTV so I've never watched a game via UND Insider and thus I know nothing of the current quality. I've heard of some folks having issues with the stream, and I guess my question is: will the servers, etc. be able to handle all of the increased demand from the current DTV and FCS subscribers who will be forced to webcasts?

Yes.

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One more question for Jayson:

Does CBS have the rights to air non-conference games, or only games between NCHC foes?

Fr

One more question for Jayson:

Does CBS have the rights to air non-conference games, or only games between NCHC foes?

From what I understand from reading about this subject - Conference games only. When UND plays a non-conference game at home, it can be broadcast nationally. At this point, I don't know what network would do that since the contract with Fox College Sports will be expired. Something for the Athletic Department to work on, I guess. BTW, telecasts of other sports can be broadcast nationally, if a network to do so can be found. It really is too bad about the FCS deal, but maybe UND broadcasts didn't help their bottom line much. There must be some reason they wanted out.
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I have DirecTV so I've never watched a game via UND Insider and thus I know nothing of the current quality. I've heard of some folks having issues with the stream, and I guess my question is: will the servers, etc. be able to handle all of the increased demand from the current DTV and FCS subscribers who will be forced to webcasts?

That's what I was trying to get at. Use all the hd cameras you want but if the videos choppy thanks to the server like I watched, it don't matter.

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That's what I was trying to get at. Use all the hd cameras you want but if the videos choppy thanks to the server like I watched, it don't matter.

That concerns me as well; if UND can't provide a solid server base for streaming SD to everyone that wants it, then HD will be even worse. There better be significant upgrades (not just HD) if many of us are going to be able to watch by any means.

I hope I don't get the response like I have before, "we don't have a problem, it must be on your end". I have watched both HD and SD streams from others in the past (and present), it's UND's that has always had problems.

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That concerns me as well; if UND can't provide a solid server base for streaming SD to everyone that wants it, then HD will be even worse. There better be significant upgrades (not just HD) if many of us are going to be able to watch by any means.

I hope I don't get the response like I have before, "we don't have a problem, it must be on your end". I have watched both HD and SD streams from others in the past (and present), it's UND's that has always had problems.

Notre Dame, Michigan Tech, and CC's streams leave a lot to be desired.
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I'll admit that a part of my overall negativity toward the CBS deal stems from my poor experiences with webcasts. The only decent webcast I've seen is the NCAA regional games through ESPN. I assume ESPN has the best quality of everything and the most resources to produce a decent webcast. Every other webcast I've seen -- especially for hockey -- has been terrible. My overall perception is that webcasts have miles to go before they can be considered even close to on par with television. (And please, tech nerds, don't jump in here and tell me all I need to do is buy this, download that, do this, do that. I'm just a regular guy with a regular laptop with an HDMI cable to an HDTV. Webcasts should be geared to non-tech-nerd people like me if they are ever going to be accepted in the mainstream.)

For the time being, I guess all we can do right now is trust you Jayson when you say the quality is going to be good, but I'll have to take a wait and see approach.

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Am I asking you to refrain from calling for someone's firing over broadcasts that are at least eight months away from even taking place? Yeah, I guess am.

You're parsing the facts here. I just told you that I would suspect at least 1-2 of those doubleheaders will include UND. That means 1-2 will not, which means watching 1-2 additional games via webcast.

Maybe it will help the cause (I doubt it) if I try speaking to you as a fan, not as an administrator, for a moment. It's known by many that I am a die-hard CFL fan. Before moving to the U.S., I had the luxury of watching nearly every CFL game of my choice on television. Now that I live in the U.S., television is no longer an option for me when it comes to watching the CFL. I either run my laptop to my TV and watch via webcast or, more recently, via ESPN3 on the ol' Xbox. And in all honesty, it has not lessened my enjoyment of the product one bit. I've certainly never demanded someone be fired because of it.

I'm not trying to speak for all of you. Or any of you. And I'm not trying to blow smoke up your you-know-whats. I'm only speaking from my own experience. I can still watch every Saskatchewan Roughriders game my heart so desires. Except now, it involves an extra cord. If NBC Sports against broadcasts a handful of CFL games next year, then my first choice will be to watch it on the television. And if it doesn't, I know I can at least still watch via other means.

I certainly have never said anyone should be fired. I have no basis to make such a statement (and wouldn't make it even if I did). However, I do find it frustrating that Faison has seemingly been so diplomatic about this whole deal. Maybe that's his demeanor and style and he doesn't want to rock the boat with the NCHC and the other NCHC A.D.s. But if he fought hard behind the scenes for UND to keep its FCS deal, like you imply, then a comment such as that to a Herald reporter might go a long way toward appeasing the rabid fan base. But I know that in today's environment, A.D.s have to be politically correct, so I guess that isn't likely to happen. But I can tell you that the general consensus out there is that UND simply fell on the sword for the conference.

As for your CFL comparison, it's a little different in this situation. It would be more like if when you moved down to the States, you couldn't watch CFL games at all. Then you could start watching them on webcasts. Then, all of sudden, the CFL worked out a deal with a U.S. national television provider to provide all the games on TV. Then, that arrangement ended, you couldn't see the CFL on TV anymore, and you had to go back to webcasts. Have UND fans been spoiled with the FCS deal? Absolutely. But it's frustrating when, for years, television exposure and viewing opportunities have been expanding, then all of a sudden it goes the other direction.

While personal viewing options is obviously important, I think a lot of us care about the overall exposure of the program. The main problem with webcasts has been quality, but another problem is that a webcast is a destination viewing option. Nobody stumbles across a webcast when browsing for something to watch. I think a lot of us were excited about the FCS deal, not just because that meant we personally got to watch games from our living room on TV, but because of the exposure opportunities for the program in general. I guess that's another frustrating part of this deal and, from the outside looking in, it makes it appear like UND is regressing, not progressing. But like you said, I don't have all the details. Just one fan's impression.

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I live in NW North Dakota, we get the Midco feed through our small, local cable company NCC. There are many, many Sioux hockey fans who watch and follow UND hockey. Many of them elderly, they don't have laptops,hdmi cables or even internet. CBSSN isn't offered through NCC cable. I guess once again they get thrown under the technology bus. Sad.

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Notre Dame, Michigan Tech, and CC's streams leave a lot to be desired.

Anyone remember Harvard's a few years back? That one was hilarious with the announcing. I think we beat them 10-1 in one of the games too and Zach Jones had a goal. UAA's is another that comes to mind as not being great but hey I'll take any webcast I can get to watch my team!

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