Flosports deal with new WCHA a disaster for fans

[bigblue_dl]

Re: Flosports deal with new WCHA a disaster for fans

BG's broadcasts are all student run and that's not going to change any time soon. It's an opportunity to start learning your craft whether it's behind the camera, behind the board, or on the mike. Doc Emrick never hesitates to say he was thankful for the opportunity to make mistakes broadcasting the second period of all those BG games back in the 70's. It's college and we have to cut these kids a little slack.

BTW, I think Ferris' Harrison Watt is one of the better play-by-play guys in the league.

If people are paying $30 per month, it is absolutely unacceptable to have students doing the broadcast that don't know what they're doing. This is a business, not a class. If they're going to be student broadcasts, the price needs to be FREE. If they're charging, it needs to be a professional production. END OF STORY.

[The Exiled One]

Re: Flosports deal with new WCHA a disaster for fans

If people are paying $30 per month, it is absolutely unacceptable to have students doing the broadcast that don't know what they're doing. This is a business, not a class. If they're going to be student broadcasts, the price needs to be FREE. If they're charging, it needs to be a professional production. END OF STORY.

Really depends on the school. When Fox Sports picks up the SCSU games, the productions are student run and are as good as any professional sports broadcast. The PxP (Jim Rich) and Color (Pat Micheletti) guys are paid professionals, but everything else is students including rinkside reporting and intermission pieces and interviews. Of course, the broadcast journalism program is one of SCSU's hallmarks, so it wouldn't be fair to expect the same from other schools.

The UMD broadcasts are pretty good too. I'm not sure who runs those. Everybody else's local broadcasts are fairly amateurish except for when CBSSN picks them up nationally.

Also, the early bird annual pass for NCHC.tv is only $99. I heard Josh Fenton on an interview last night say that there were 15,000 subscribers. That's about $1,500,000 in revenue and I expect they're still losing money on the deal, but he sounded optimistic about growing into profitability. The WCHA pricing model seems to suggest they're going for profitability straight out of the gate. Comments on this thread seem to suggest that strategy may be failing.

[bigblue_dl]

Re: Flosports deal with new WCHA a disaster for fans

Really depends on the school. When Fox Sports picks up the SCSU games, the productions are student run and are as good as any professional sports broadcast. The PxP (Jim Rich) and Color (Pat Micheletti) guys are paid professionals, but everything else is students including rinkside reporting and intermission pieces and interviews. Of course, the broadcast journalism program is one of SCSU's hallmarks, so it wouldn't be fair to expect the same from other schools.

The UMD broadcasts are pretty good too. I'm not sure who runs those. Everybody else's local broadcasts are fairly amateurish except for when CBSSN picks them up nationally.

Also, the early bird annual pass for NCHC.tv is only $99. I heard Josh Fenton on an interview last night say that there were 15,000 subscribers. That's about $1,500,000 in revenue and I expect they're still losing money on the deal, but he sounded optimistic about growing into profitability. The WCHA pricing model seems to suggest they're going for profitability straight out of the gate. Comments on this thread seem to suggest that strategy may be failing.

That is why I added the "that don't know what they're doing". If a program can have a student broadcast team, and still put out a professional looking product, more power to them. But it should not be an excuse for a ****ty product. People are paying for that product, and those paying customers, at $30 per month, are paying for a professional product.

[manurespreader]

Re: Flosports deal with new WCHA a disaster for fans

That is why I added the "that don't know what they're doing". If a program can have a student broadcast team, and still put out a professional looking product, more power to them. But it should not be an excuse for a ****ty product. People are paying for that product, and those paying customers, at $30 per month, are paying for a professional product.

I don't know, Sure some of the broadcasts are less than good but honestly i get what's going on. I watch 4 games per weekend at least, and I get a goood bang for the buck.

[chickod]

Re: Flosports deal with new WCHA a disaster for fans

I can understand both opinions. But I have to say, as one who remembers sitting in my dorm room huddled next to a transistor radio trying to hear the broadcast of the NCAA tournament (which was like trying to tune in a radio station from Finland), I have to take the view that being able to see the game is better than nothing. Yes, the production could be better. What's REALLY annoying is the schools that just take the scoreboard feed, and what's even worse is how the production literally ends about 1.5 seconds after the clock goes to zero. But it's still better than not being able to watch the game at all.

[bigblue_dl]

Re: Flosports deal with new WCHA a disaster for fans

I can understand both opinions. But I have to say, as one who remembers sitting in my dorm room huddled next to a transistor radio trying to hear the broadcast of the NCAA tournament (which was like trying to tune in a radio station from Finland), I have to take the view that being able to see the game is better than nothing. Yes, the production could be better. What's REALLY annoying is the schools that just take the scoreboard feed, and what's even worse is how the production literally ends about 1.5 seconds after the clock goes to zero. But it's still better than not being able to watch the game at all.

Then the price should reflect that. You didn't have to pay for that ****ty radio broadcast.

[The Exiled One]

Re: Flosports deal with new WCHA a disaster for fans

That is why I added the "that don't know what they're doing". If a program can have a student broadcast team, and still put out a professional looking product, more power to them. But it should not be an excuse for a ****ty product. People are paying for that product, and those paying customers, at $30 per month, are paying for a professional product.

I get you, but you missed the part where I said everybody else's broadcast is pretty amateurish. It's not as enjoyable watching UNO's hack broadcast, but I get that it's built into the price as the NCHC is getting the streaming service off the ground.

Also, what's the alternative? It's unreasonable to assume that all of the schools will improve (or in some cases create from scratch) elite broadcast journalism schools for the sake of the hockey team's video needs. Therefore, you'd have to expect the conference to invest revenue into the creation of a professional sports broadcast production company. That would be an insanely expensive proposition for which the current streaming revenue doesn't even come close to covering. It's a bit of a chicken and egg scenario: Invest money and hope to get more subscribers, or get more subscribers in order to generate more revenue in which to invest in a better production?

[bigblue_dl]

Re: Flosports deal with new WCHA a disaster for fans

When compared to other TV/Sports entertainment options out there, WCHA TV customers are paying for a Ferrari, and getting a 15 year old Kia.

FloHockey - $30/month
Netflix ~ $16/month
HBO ~ $15/month
Fox Sports Regional Networks ~ $8/month
ESPN+ ~ $5/month
Hulu ~ $10/month

[bigblue_dl]

Re: Flosports deal with new WCHA a disaster for fans

I get you, but you missed the part where I said everybody else's broadcast is pretty amateurish. It's not as enjoyable watching UNO's hack broadcast, but I get that it's built into the price as the NCHC is getting the streaming service off the ground.

Also, what's the alternative? It's unreasonable to assume that all of the schools will improve (or in some cases create from scratch) elite broadcast journalism schools for the sake of the hockey team's video needs. Therefore, you'd have to expect the conference to invest revenue into the creation of a professional sports broadcast production company. That would be an insanely expensive proposition for which the current streaming revenue doesn't even come close to covering. It's a bit of a chicken and egg scenario: Invest money and hope to get more subscribers, or get more subscribers in order to generate more revenue in which to invest in a better production?

If there is no interest in improving quality, then the price needs to come down.

[The Exiled One]

Re: Flosports deal with new WCHA a disaster for fans

If there is no interest in improving quality, then the price needs to come down.

I won't disagree with you there. Like I said, the $99 annual rate for NCHC.tv seems reasonable to me, even if it means they lose a little money while they ramp up subscriptions. It'd make sense for WCHA to follow suit.

[wildcathegs14]

Re: Flosports deal with new WCHA a disaster for fans

UNH fan here and I agree with the sentiments on the thread. Hockey East has the same "deal" for $30 a month and I wish they had some sort of package for less for the HE tourney for single games or at least one for just the weekend instead of paying for a whole month.

[lakersparty]

I can understand both opinions. But I have to say, as one who remembers sitting in my dorm room huddled next to a transistor radio trying to hear the broadcast of the NCAA tournament (which was like trying to tune in a radio station from Finland), I have to take the view that being able to see the game is better than nothing. Yes, the production could be better. What's REALLY annoying is the schools that just take the scoreboard feed, and what's even worse is how the production literally ends about 1.5 seconds after the clock goes to zero. But it's still better than not being able to watch the game at all.

My next best option was to listen to an online radio feed that sometimes didn’t work while following on barely updated gametrackers and Twitter. The fact that I can now see nearly every Lake State game is amazing to me. The only complaints I have is that LSSU doesn’t put powerplays in its graphics at home, and the main camera at Taffy Abel is a little off center but not badly.

[giwan]

Re: Flosports deal with new WCHA a disaster for fans

My next best option was to listen to an online radio feed that sometimes didn’t work while following on barely updated gametrackers and Twitter. The fact that I can now see nearly every Lake State game is amazing to me. The only complaints I have is that LSSU doesn’t put powerplays in its graphics at home, and the main camera at Taffy Abel is a little off center but not badly.

Curious what ESPN+ offered the ECAC to broadcast all their games. Anyone know?

[aparch]

I though Flohockey's subscription got you *all* their other hockey. So not only are we getting WCHA.tv, but also NCHC games, B1G Mistake games, Hockey East, junior teams, whoever else they have. But, as a WCHA fan, I dont really have interest in the rest of the product.



What kept me from signing up is the secrecy of their plans and coverage. The only way to see what they have is to start to sign up. Nothing else anywhere on their website breaking down the plans.

No thank you.

[Alaska Hockey]

Re: Flosports deal with new WCHA a disaster for fans

If there is no interest in improving quality, then the price needs to come down.

Flo can't fix stupid.. It all starts with the poorly trained and led staff of each school.....call them I have Brad at BSU blew me off with....." It’s always going to be a bit home-heavy as the bulk of the fans are BSU fans."