USports Livestreams: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – Part 2

The Rankings

Earlier this week, I wrote a piece on what makes a good live stream. For my rankings, I have not included the talent as part of my analysis. Partly because at some schools talent can change week to week, and partly because as I wrote in the previous article, talent is not one of my “need to haves”!

I’ve broken down each school in to four categories

1. TV Quality– there has obviously been significant structural and personnel investment. They either are partnering with a company, broadcaster or have the skills internally to make a really great product. Other schools should look to follow their model
2. High Quality Streams with multiple cameras – These schools are putting on a good broadcast and no one will complain about the quality.
3. Single Camera streams – The quality of the stream is good. It’s very watchable, but there are no bells or whistles. I can watch the match very clearly.
4. Needs Improvement – Yes, there is a live stream. Thank you for that, but the product being produced is not the quality that the OUA is striving for

TV Quality

Calgary – Calgary’s gym is made for events and for broadcasting. The angle of the wide camera’s are perfect. There are multiple camera angles including net cam with instant replay

Guelph – With the building of Guelph’s new athletic facility, they also invested in livestreaming infrastructure. There is a broadcast room in the athletic facility that allows for a central hub to control the entire broadcast. There is instant replay after every single point. There are multiple camera angles including the ceiling camera which is a nice touch that doesn’t require a camera operator.

Laval – Another school that has recently built a new athletic centre, Laval’s broadcast is one of the best. Multiple camera angles and net cam. This is a high quality video and production.

Manitoba – You aren’t the former national team training centre, hosting multiple international events without learning a thing or two about broadcasting. The Manitoba broadcast has multiple camera angles with instant replay and graphics.

Ryerson – When your University is the premier broadcasting university in the country, it’s not a surprise that your sports broadcasting is very good. Most broadcasts have a pregame show with on camera talent. They have done their research even if volleyball isn’t their favourite sport. The broadcast has multiple camera angles with replay.

Toronto – The Goldring Centre is designed to be for entertainment. The black walls centre your eyes on the court. The broadcast has multiple camera angles, with instant replay and a graphics package. There are multiple screens in the gym showing the livestream and other graphics.

TWU – Playing at an Events Centre has its perks! Trinity Westerns broadcasts are high quality with multiple camera angles and instant replay and graphics

High Quality Streams with multiple cameras

Acadia – Almost to TV quality, multi camera with replay, but still need some work to make it flow a little bit better to reach that next level

Brandon – Multiple camera angles. No replay. No graphics. Player interviews during timeouts a nice addition

McMaster – Interestingly shot from the baseline with multiple cameras. No replay. No graphics

Mount Royal – Multiple camera angles. No replay. No graphics

Regina – Multiple camera angles. No replay. No graphics

Saskatchewan – Multiple camera angles. No replay. No graphics

UNB – Two camera angles with camera operator.

UBCO – Multiple camera angles. Highlight replays between sets

TRU – Multiple camera angles. Professional graphics. No replay

Western – Multiple camera angles. No replay. No graphics

Windsor – Multiple camera angles. No replay. No graphics

York – Pregame commentary and Graphics. Multiple stationary cameras

Single Camera Streams

MacEwan – Single camera with camera operator moving camera.

Queen’s – Single camera with camera operator moving camera. This broadcast may improve as we have seen Queen’s have very good broadcasts over the years.

St Mary’s – Single camera with camera operator moving

UBC – Single camera with camera operator moving camera. Bonus points for Emily Cordonier commentating!

Waterloo – Single camera with camera operator moving camera

Winnipeg – Two camera angles with camera operator. Very dark shots

Needs Improvement

Dalhousie – Single camera at the rear. No graphics. Better than single camera from sideline

Lakehead – Rear camera off centre

Memorial – Single camera stationary. No graphics

Moncton – Poor angle and low quality video

Montreal – Rear camera view. No graphics

Nipissing – Single Camera

RMC – Single camera (For years RMC didn’t live stream, so this is a good step)

Sherbrooke – Rear camera. Video quality low

Trent – Single camera off centre

Mainly in the RSEQ, there were a few schools that I actively tried to find their live streams for volleyball and could not find. If the school is not listed above it is because I could not find and example.

As you can see, most schools are falling in to that high quality multi-camera broadcast. I’m excited to see how the TV quality broadcasts can continue to push the boundaries while all the others continue to try to catch up.

So what do you think? Did I get it wrong? Did I miss something let me know in the comments!