Big Sky on ESPN+ and ESPNU

[TheKingpin28]

Congrats Big Sky on this contract you got!

https://twitter.com/ESPNPR/status/1402656829512032257

[wapiti]

Congrats Big Sky on this contract you got!

https://twitter.com/ESPNPR/status/1402656829512032257

I wonder if this means BigSkyTV will no longer broadcast games??
If that's the case then this is crappy for me.
As I do not subscribe to ESPN nor does Centurylink, my ISP provider, carry ESPN.

Root sports generally did a decent job of broadcasting BSC games, I am concerned ESPN won't.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

I wonder if this means BigSkyTV will no longer broadcast games??
If that's the case then this is crappy for me.
As I do not subscribe to ESPN nor does Centurylink, my ISP provider, carry ESPN.

Root sports generally did a decent job of broadcasting BSC games, I am concerned ESPN won't.

In the past ESPN has not done the production at game sites . It is up to the schools to send the signal I think and that can be a very iffy deal.

I'm not so sure I'm real big on this deal either. I guess we'll have to wait and see. I like ROOT very much and I see they will still be part of things so I'm not clear on what all the options are going to be but maybe ROOT stays Montana centric and we have that option for most of it.

[walliver]

From reading the Big Sky website, this appears to be about the same deal ESPN+ has with other FCS conferences.
It has worked out fairly well for the SoCon. ESPN+ does not require ISP support (unlike ESPN3). The only potential issue is if an event is picked up by ESPN3 (which doesn't seem to be part of the Big Sky announcement).
WebOS TV's do not support ESPN, but Roku, Amazon, and AppleTV devices do.

[ST_Lawson]

From reading the Big Sky website, this appears to be about the same deal ESPN+ has with other FCS conferences.
It has worked out fairly well for the SoCon. ESPN+ does not require ISP support (unlike ESPN3). The only potential issue is if an event is picked up by ESPN3 (which doesn't seem to be part of the Big Sky announcement).
WebOS TV's do not support ESPN, but Roku, Amazon, and AppleTV devices do.

Android TV devices also support the ESPN app. That includes things like the Nvidia Shield (which is what I personally use, and love), Sony TVs, some TCL TVs, and others. The thing I love about ESPN+ is that even though I don't even have a TV package that includes any of the ESPN "family", I can still subscribe to ESPN+ for $5/month during the football season and watch any of the games on my TV, computer, phone, etc.

[bobcathpdevil56]

It will be nice to have more Big Sky games available, but I am not looking forward to the end zone, single camera view from Northern Colorado with no score or time shown on the screen.

[Bisonator]

I wonder if this means BigSkyTV will no longer broadcast games??
If that's the case then this is crappy for me.
As I do not subscribe to ESPN nor does Centurylink, my ISP provider, carry ESPN.

Root sports generally did a decent job of broadcasting BSC games, I am concerned ESPN won't.
ESPN doesn't do the broadcasts they simply get the feed from the local affiliates or the schools themselves. I'm guessing the existing deals will still be in place with regional providers like Root but this opens up more avenues for nationwide streaming. Win win IMO. Now we just need the conferences to start requiring better broadcasts from their members.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

ESPN doesn't do the broadcasts they simply get the feed from the local affiliates or the schools themselves. I'm guessing the existing deals will still be in place with regional providers like Root but this opens up more avenues for nationwide streaming. Win win IMO. Now we just need the conferences to start requiring better broadcasts from their members.

That is what I was saying in my earlier post and I also have a vague recollection that the BSC started putting in some standards that members were expected to adhere to with their production and equipment etc. but I don't remember exactly what it was all about as it has been a few years.

I think BSC TV got better because of it so hopefully the previously mentioned Norther Colorado crap is all done and over with too.

[ST_Lawson]

...Now we just need the conferences to start requiring better broadcasts from their members.

I have no idea who you might be referring to.

[VandalBasher]

I know that there has been a lot of skepticism about this move. Pluto TV has done an ok job with carrying BSC games.

The benefits of being on ESPN will far outweigh the negatives.

[Bisonator]

I have no idea who you might be referring to.
I know. xcoolx

[acbearkat]

I'm hoping this means the Sam Houston/Northern Arizona game is on ESPN+ at the very least so I can watch it.

[TheKingpin28]

I have no idea who you might be referring to.

You've always had quality productions...if you have never seen sports before that moment. xlolx

[ST_Lawson]

You've always had quality productions...if you have never seen sports before that moment. xlolx

I love the school.
I love the football team.
I do not love the video production...It's sad and embarrassing.

[TheKingpin28]

I love the school.
I love the football team.
I do not love the video production...It's sad and embarrassing.

I was trying to be positive and give you a win in this instance. I understand wanting students to get experience, but for football and mens basketball/hockey (for hockey schools), you really should not have them producing games. Other sports or even high school sports are great chances for them to get their feet wet, but sports that bring eyeballs to the TV really should not be done by students.

[ST_Lawson]

I was trying to be positive and give you a win in this instance. I understand wanting students to get experience, but for football and mens basketball/hockey (for hockey schools), you really should not have them producing games. Other sports or even high school sports are great chances for them to get their feet wet, but sports that bring eyeballs to the TV really should not be done by students.

I fully agree.

For radio, we have a couple of "professional" guys doing the broadcast that goes out to the main broadcast. We also have a student-run station that is low power (pretty much just covers the town and a few miles outside of town (https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WIUS&service=FM)) where we also broadcast the games, but it's students doing the broadcast.

For video, we have a campus "local access" TV channel that airs our broadcasting department's 2x/week news program (http://www.wiu.edu/cofac/bcj/NEWS3.php). They really should have our "student production" of the football and basketball games air on that, then have a more professional crew do the production that goes out to ESPN+.
If they need to do it cheaply, have a couple of people with more experience doing the camera work, then overlay the professional radio broadcast for the audio.

As it is right now, it's an embarrassment for a DI institution.

[TheKingpin28]

I fully agree.

For radio, we have a couple of "professional" guys doing the broadcast that goes out to the main broadcast. We also have a student-run station that is low power (pretty much just covers the town and a few miles outside of town (https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WIUS&service=FM)) where we also broadcast the games, but it's students doing the broadcast.

For video, we have a campus "local access" TV channel that airs our broadcasting department's 2x/week news program (http://www.wiu.edu/cofac/bcj/NEWS3.php). They really should have our "student production" of the football and basketball games air on that, then have a more professional crew do the production that goes out to ESPN+.
If they need to do it cheaply, have a couple of people with more experience doing the camera work, then overlay the professional radio broadcast for the audio.

As it is right now, it's an embarrassment for a DI institution.

I am kind of shocked you haven't tried leaving the Summit for either OVC or D2 at this point. It's only a matter of time before Northern Colorado is offered full membership in the Summit and maybe even MVFC or Summit Football League (clenz will do his thing) and I just can't see you staying financially in a conference with all flying partners.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Big Sky bitches, read the title.xsmiley_wix

[VandalBasher]

Big Sky bitches, read the title.xsmiley_wix

I think you meant "Big Sky, bitches!" and not "Big Sky Bitches."

[ursus arctos horribilis]

I think you meant "Big Sky, bitches!" and not "Big Sky Bitches."

xlolx

Trudat.

[clenz]

That is what I was saying in my earlier post and I also have a vague recollection that the BSC started putting in some standards that members were expected to adhere to with their production and equipment etc. but I don't remember exactly what it was all about as it has been a few years.

I think BSC TV got better because of it so hopefully the previously mentioned Norther Colorado crap is all done and over with too.
The move to ESPN/ESPN+ was the best thing to happen to UNI, and the MVC. The MVC struck the initial deal with ESPN in something like 2010/2011. It was written in the contract that ever MVC school needed to upgrade their production space, and capacity, to meet the quality minimum standards of ESPNU and ESPN2 due to the contract having the Valley getting 15-20 basketball games per year on the ESPN Family on TV. This forced every MVC school to build all new production facilities and upgrade in arena set ups, etc. We all went from each school having their own subscription, which was on it's best day a complete **** show, to every indoor sporting event in HD literally over the course of one summer.

A couple years later the MVFC snagged the same deal with ESPN for broadcast rights, however, the MVFC didn't have the same stipulation written in regarding quality. Wasn't a big deal though as the MVC members were all already producing 1080 broadcasts in 2011 and the DSU's clearly weren't going to have an issue with it, and by extension USD. That leaves, as has already been pointed out, one school as being the significant outlier.

I understand hesitation from Big Sky fans moving to this. ESPN back in the day with the way ESPN3 was available was always a massive cluster **** to get. I remember logging into a few dozen Montana based peoples ESPN accounts and registering "remote access" through my ISP at the time so they could trick ESPN into thinking they had a proper ISP but were out of market. What I will tell you is the ESPN+ set up is worlds better. You've watched games from all over the country on it.

The issue with production quality isn't an ESPN issue. The issue is at the school level. I would say write the conference nicely worded letters stating that with the new deal a preference for a minimum quality/production level being implemented. I watched games on Pluto, and while it was free and available to anyone the production and quality left a lot to be desired. Is that a pluto deal or is that a school issue like we see with some schools and ESPN? The worst quality games, in terms of production, graphics, picture quality, play by play guys, etc. are always the "MVFC Game of the Week" which is put on by Comcast and isn't a school feed. School feeds you'll end up with the homer announcers, but the quality issues from conference/region produced games is bad.

I'm quite jealous of parts of the deal for the Big Sky with working two games into the ESPN tv family though. I hope the MVFC saw that and works on upgrading our deal to get something similar.

[clenz]

I am kind of shocked you haven't tried leaving the Summit for either OVC or D2 at this point. It's only a matter of time before Northern Colorado is offered full membership in the Summit and maybe even MVFC or Summit Football League (clenz will do his thing) and I just can't see you staying financially in a conference with all flying partners.
It's coming for WIU. I feel bad for guys like Lawson, but it's coming no matter how strong of a kick the can gets. It's interesting watching things play out with EWU in the Big Sky and being able to draw some parallels to WIU, but realizing that WIU is in a smaller market and more isolated with less fan engagement than EWU. EWU keeping status quo looks like a win for the athletic department, Big Sky, and their athletic department but I do wonder if financially it plays out like they hope it will.

Summit Football League is not a thing that is going to happen. Not even worth my energy on that anymore.

WIU might have a home in the OVC with how everything has shaken, but I wonder if the OVC is willing to take them on outside of getting desperate for a football body. The profile of the OVC has shifted some with the recent movements and they seem to be at a MVC like crossroad. Do you embrace the private school side of things and work on the basketball side of the conference or do you try to grab football schools - or D2 move ups - that are more Tennessee/Alabama/Georgia geographically. Both of those situations don't bode well for WIU.

FWIW, UNC might get a Summit invite and might end up in the MVFC. I have no information on that side of it. I do know what I've heard regarding a smaller realignment happening regarding the MVC, and it involves a level of smoke that goes well beyond being just fans trying to justify a reason why a school might leave and flirting that gets nowhere(Murray State). The smoke over a 12 team MVC is quite strong and could involve a spot opening for UNC in the Summit. If the MVFC wanted 12 that would be a way to do it. You could go divisions with Summit and MVC+YSU sides but trade WIU and MSU due to geography. Play the 5 in your division and 3 crossovers. Imbalance would be an issue that would have to be worked out I would guess.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

The move to ESPN/ESPN+ was the best thing to happen to UNI, and the MVC. The MVC struck the initial deal with ESPN in something like 2010/2011. It was written in the contract that ever MVC school needed to upgrade their production space, and capacity, to meet the quality minimum standards of ESPNU and ESPN2 due to the contract having the Valley getting 15-20 basketball games per year on the ESPN Family on TV. This forced every MVC school to build all new production facilities and upgrade in arena set ups, etc. We all went from each school having their own subscription, which was on it's best day a complete **** show, to every indoor sporting event in HD literally over the course of one summer.

A couple years later the MVFC snagged the same deal with ESPN for broadcast rights, however, the MVFC didn't have the same stipulation written in regarding quality. Wasn't a big deal though as the MVC members were all already producing 1080 broadcasts in 2011 and the DSU's clearly weren't going to have an issue with it, and by extension USD. That leaves, as has already been pointed out, one school as being the significant outlier.

I understand hesitation from Big Sky fans moving to this. ESPN back in the day with the way ESPN3 was available was always a massive cluster **** to get. I remember logging into a few dozen Montana based peoples ESPN accounts and registering "remote access" through my ISP at the time so they could trick ESPN into thinking they had a proper ISP but were out of market. What I will tell you is the ESPN+ set up is worlds better. You've watched games from all over the country on it.

The issue with production quality isn't an ESPN issue. The issue is at the school level. I would say write the conference nicely worded letters stating that with the new deal a preference for a minimum quality/production level being implemented. I watched games on Pluto, and while it was free and available to anyone the production and quality left a lot to be desired. Is that a pluto deal or is that a school issue like we see with some schools and ESPN? The worst quality games, in terms of production, graphics, picture quality, play by play guys, etc. are always the "MVFC Game of the Week" which is put on by Comcast and isn't a school feed. School feeds you'll end up with the homer announcers, but the quality issues from conference/region produced games is bad.

I'm quite jealous of parts of the deal for the Big Sky with working two games into the ESPN tv family though. I hope the MVFC saw that and works on upgrading our deal to get something similar.

All good stuff and I know that the ESPN+ stuff is different as I have been using that for a few years now to see other conferences. As I had said earlier the production is indeed a school level problem that the BSC started working on many years back...like at least around 2014 or so I think. Some schools just don't seem to take it too seriously though and I would like to see some teeth put into enforcing a leap forward for the schools that do **** work.

Maybe this will do some of that. I don't like ESPN and I don't think I ever will due to the **** they always did to FCS and in particular how they had to make it hard for MT folks to see their teams in the playoffs. **** them. The one and only reason I will turn on any ESPN channel is for FCS related material.

[SDFS]

All good stuff and I know that the ESPN+ stuff is different as I have been using that for a few years now to see other conferences. As I had said earlier the production is indeed a school level problem that the BSC started working on many years back...like at least around 2014 or so I think. Some schools just don't seem to take it too seriously though and I would like to see some teeth put into enforcing a leap forward for the schools that do **** work.

Maybe this will do some of that. I don't like ESPN and I don't think I ever will due to the **** they always did to FCS and in particular how they had to make it hard for MT folks to see their teams in the playoffs. **** them. The one and only reason I will turn on any ESPN channel is for FCS related material.

I would rate the quality of BSC Game Production as:

Quality Production: UM, MSU, UI, EWU, NAU
OK Production: ISU, PSU, WSU
Could be better - limited camera work: Poly, Sac, Davis, SUU
Anything would be better: UNC

I thought UND had the best production quality when they were in the Big Sky. But, I am bias.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

I would rate the quality of BSC Game Production as:

Quality Production: UM, MSU, UI, EWU, NAU
OK Production: ISU, PSU, WSU
Could be better - limited camera work: Poly, Sac, Davis, SUU
Anything would be better: UNC

I thought UND had the best production quality when they were in the Big Sky. But, I am bias.

The ranking is legit in spite of biases but UND got much better as they came along but were still decent in spite of some camera work issues following the ball and so forth in the first year or two.

But UNC throws a phone on the ground in the endzone and hits the livestream button it appears. I don't know if they have started spiffing it up at all because I really don't have the patience to go back and frustrate myself over it. xlolx

[ST_Lawson]

But UNC throws a phone on the ground in the endzone and hits the livestream button it appears.

Oh damn...that's a good idea. We'll have to try that next season...it'll probably improve our broadcasts.

[clenz]

Oh damn...that's a good idea. We'll have to try that next season...it'll probably improve our broadcasts.

Do you have enough cell service in Macomb for that?


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[SDFS]

The ranking is legit in spite of biases but UND got much better as they came along but were still decent in spite of some camera work issues following the ball and so forth in the first year or two.

But UNC throws a phone on the ground in the endzone and hits the livestream button it appears. I don't know if they have started spiffing it up at all because I really don't have the patience to go back and frustrate myself over it. xlolx

I think that UNC should work with the local high school - Greeley Central and see if they could provide hype videos and game broadcasts - Greeley Central Football HYPE 2020 - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZC_UZKQpbsg)

[ST_Lawson]

Do you have enough cell service in Macomb for that?


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You mean we can't send that by telegram?

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Oh damn...that's a good idea. We'll have to try that next season...it'll probably improve our broadcasts.

That is pretty funny that it is a step up. xlolx

I remember when we played at your place and it seemed like the production was decent but I can not remember if it was our people that went there and broadcast it or it it was your side? I just remember that it was about to be the only non televised UM game in about 25 years or so. Memory is foggy but those are the staples of what I remember. Do you know what it was or did I just see an anomaly?

[ST_Lawson]

That is pretty funny that it is a step up. xlolx

I remember when we played at your place and it seemed like the production was decent but I can not remember if it was our people that went there and broadcast it or it it was your side? I just remember that it was about to be the only non televised UM game in about 25 years or so. Memory is foggy but those are the staples of what I remember. Do you know what it was or did I just see an anomaly?

That was in 2018, and honestly, I don't really know, but my guess is it was our own crew doing it. Looking back on our own game thread for that game (https://www.leathernecknation.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1774), it was on ESPN+, but early comments were saying the camera work was not good. I was at the game, so I wasn't able to see how bad the broadcast was, but this last season really revealed to me how bad our broadcasts are currently. We had no external fans allowed at home games, so for the first time since 1995 I wasn't able to attend any games and ended up watching them all on TV. Most of them I just turned off the TV and listed to the radio broadcast instead.

[clenz]

You mean we can't send that by telegram?

Possibly. That at least requires some sort of electrical pulse. Would be a step up from smoke signals, especially in windy weather.


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