How Syracuse University Students Call Digital-Only Games From the Comfort of Home The athletics program is using Zoom to send camera feeds to talent By Kristian Hernandez, Associate Editor
Tuesday, November 24, 2020 - 7:30 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
Around the nation, professional broadcasters are adapting to the need to remotely call games from offsite locations. In the college ranks, Syracuse University is taking a play out of the networks' playbook, constructing an infrastructure that allows students to provide play-by-play commentary and analysis for digital-only games from their respective homes.
We rely on students to call our digital-tier telecasts, says Scott Hecht, executive producer/director, Syracuse University, but their safety is our top priority. We've created our own method to continue to televise games and develop the announcing skills of our students.
Dealing With Changes: As Pandemic Lingers, Athletics Program Devises a New Plan Despite the hopes that the COVID-19 pandemic would subside by the beginning of the 2020-21 academic year, the institution decided to suspend in-person classes for the remainder of the fall semester after initially inviting students to return to campus. With the general student population leaving the campus, the athletics program was losing a good chunk of its on-air talent. Hecht and Broadcast Engineer Tom White were forced to rethink their strategy and execution of live productions.
Play-by-play commentator Sam Oppenheim sits at his desk to call last Friday night's women's ice hockey game between Syracuse and Colgate University.
COVID-19 makes things a little more difficult for people to come back to call games, says Hecht. We saw the need to stretch our resources and try to find a way to do this. Tom, who always rises to these types of challenges, was able to come up with an idea and how to do it.
For televised football broadcasts, the program worked closely with ESPN in an effort to allow professional talent to call the games remotely. After producing more than two games, Hecht harkened back to this pre-existing plan and replicated the system to have students call games that run on the university's digital platforms.
Last week, we picked six announcers that we wanted to take this to the next level, and Tom went through the process with them, says Hecht. We conducted some tests with their computer setups and were able to make it work.
Bedroom Banter: Inside a Student's At-Home Broadcast Setup On a basic level, the setup includes a microphone, a computer or phone, a headset, a video-conferencing platform, and the student's knowledge of sports. At Syracuse University, the creative juices are always flowing. Whether inside or outside the brick-and-mortar classroom, aspiring broadcasters and journalists are busy producing podcasts or honing their craft with constant practice.
Sam Oppenheim's computer features the Unity Intercom system used to communicate with the control room.
Since the students are pursuing other projects on their own, the program didn't have to send industry-grade equipment to their homes. Although this saved a logistical step, the challenge came in harmonizing the workflows of students who use different types of devices.
Students are doing their own podcasts, so, luckily, they're all kind of set up with decent equipment, says White. The challenge was that everyone has different equipment because one kid has a Google Pixel, another two of have iPhones, and another has an Android.
On a more complex level, the setup requires real-time feeds returning to the home of each student, audio integration with the control room, and a simple way of communicating with the broadcast team with miles of separation in between.
We're using Unity Intercom and an Apple Mac Mini server sitting in our equipment room, he adds. The server is integrated into our Dante infrastructure, and, through an app on their phone, we're able to take their audio directly and route it to a channel out on the audio console. As far as IFB goes, we route that from our RTS audio system.
As for video, footage is sent through a capture device and fed through a Zoom call. The Zoom call also hosts camera feeds of the game clock and other important angles of the field of play that helps the students tell the game in a better way.
Back on Campus: Onsite Staff Handles Cameras, Graphics, Replay in Newhouse Control Room The system was first put into action for the women's ice hockey game vs. Colgate University on Friday, Nov. 20 at Tennity Ice Pavilion. Although the students provide color to the broadcasts, Hecht, White, and his crew are still handling operations onsite. In the arena, camera operators are positioned to handle the footage, and, inside the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications building, duties like graphics and replay are fulfilled by the onsite staff in the control room.
Analyst Gil Gross displays the high-quality equipment used by students at home.
Hecht is at the helm as the show's director and Kristin Hennessey is working as the show's producer for both linear and digital-only games. For these digital productions, the shows are scaled down a bit since the technology and equipment are fully funded by the university.
It's a little bit watered down from the capabilities that ESPN has because they can invest more money into it, says Hecht. In the end, [the broadcasts] will function pretty much the same exact way that ESPN is doing their shows.
Endless Possibilities: Productions Open the Door for Future Projects While the pandemic continues to disrupt the pace of daily life, a positive is that these students are learning to adapt to on-the-fly, learn-as-you-go scenarios that come with live event production. The quick thinkin
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
28/04/2024
Mediahaus delivers the first SRT live-streaming sports production over 5G with U...
26/04/2024
Sundance Film Festival CDMX 2024 kicks-off today with screenings in 5 theaters in Mexico City and the opening-night film, FRIDA, directed by Carla Guti rrez...
26/04/2024
[Editor's Note: This interview is part of a larger feature about the women d...
26/04/2024
Once again this year, SGL Carbon opened its doors to interested children and young people. On the occasion of the German Girls and Boys Day, which took place on...
26/04/2024
Orders1 of $5.5 billion; book-to-bill of 1.06x
Revenue of $5.2 billion, up 17%,...
26/04/2024
Five Considerations For Communications Modernization In The 21st Century
In the digital-enabled battlespace, the Joint Force needs to shoot, move and communica...
26/04/2024
CBS Sports has launched Champions League as a new, 24-hour streaming channel that will serve as the year-round destination for nonstop highlights of the UEFA ...
26/04/2024
Despite tough competition in the streaming space, Roku reported solid results in Q1 2024, beating revenue expectations, with total net revenue up 19% YoY to $88...
26/04/2024
LONDON AND TORONTO Pinewood Toronto Studios has appointed Sarah Farrell as general manager of the Studios in downtown Toronto....
26/04/2024
Quantum to Offer Advanced Filesharing Technology and Performance in StorNext and...
26/04/2024
FilmLight Colour Awards welcomes 2024 entries and introduces new Emerging Talen...
26/04/2024
Picture Shop Announces Chris Evans as Head of Unscripted
Brie Clayton April 26, 2024
0 Comments
Picture Shop announced Chris Evans will lead Unscripte...
26/04/2024
Participate in a Survey - The Impact of AI on Media and the Creative Industry
Pascal Wagner April 26, 2024
0 Comments
By participating in this survey,...
26/04/2024
Toy maker Mattel said it is working with Samsung to launch its first free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels later this year....
26/04/2024
Trusted Media Brands (TMB) said it named Marty Moe as president....
26/04/2024
Ron Howard is the director on Jim Henson Idea Man, a documentary that premieres on Disney Plus May 31. Henson of course created Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Big...
26/04/2024
The ice continues to melt under the regional sports network business as the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League have made a long-term deal to broadcast...
26/04/2024
Heading into the upfronts, Warner Bros. Discovery said it launched Olli, a first-party data platform advertiser can use for converged, targeted advertising camp...
26/04/2024
CBS has renewed the drama The Equalizer, which will see season five on in 2024-2025. Queen Latifah stars....
26/04/2024
The CW has entered into an exclusive multiyear broadcast partnership for the Miss USA Pageant and the Miss Teen USA Pageant. The 73rd Miss USA Pageant will air ...
26/04/2024
Fuse Media isn't mincing words in a campaign urging its young viewers to register and participate in the 2024 elections....
26/04/2024
Dead Boy Detectives, a series from Neil Gaiman about a detective agency staffed by ghosts, debuts on Netflix April 25. George Rexstrew and Jayden Revri are in t...
26/04/2024
The Story Collective has gradually repurposed the former Mortlake Brewery to include production offices, workshops and sound stages
By Matthew Corrigan
Publi...
26/04/2024
Perkett joins the company following a 25 year career in product management, product marketing, engineering and user experience (UX) across multiple industries
...
26/04/2024
Teradek, the industry leader in wireless video transmitters and receivers, announced today the launch of new Bolt 6 LT 750 and Bolt 6 Monitor Module 750 RX with...
26/04/2024
NEW YORK Amagi has appointed Richard Perkett chief product officer (CPO)....
26/04/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has announced the results of the 2024 NAB Radio and Television Board of Directors elections. The...
26/04/2024
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. & NEW YORK Mattel has announced a deal to launch its first three 24/7 free ad supported streaming (FAST) channels on Samsung TV Plus, Samsung...
26/04/2024
PORTLAND, Maine Viewers here can now receive the NextGen TV signals of five local stations with the launch of ATSC 3.0 service from host station WPFO, which is ...
26/04/2024
TORONTO Rogers Communications has signed a 10-year agreement with Comcast to bring the latest Xfinity products and technology to Canadians....
26/04/2024
Calrec is very pleased to announce the benefits of its highly flexible approach to customer service has been recognized with a third award for the Argo range. T...
26/04/2024
New Adobe Photoshop with Advanced Generative Fill and Generate Image Brings New ...
26/04/2024
Trends And Takeaways From NAB Show 2024
Melanie Ciotti April 25, 2024
0 Comments
NAB's Eric Trabb (right) awards SNS with two NAB Show Product of ...
26/04/2024
Sony's Ci Media Cloud Keeps NHRA Moving
Brie Clayton April 25, 2024
0 Comments
Cloud-Based Media Asset Management and Collaboration Platform Accel...
26/04/2024
Capitol Broadcasting & Leadership Triangle Collaborate for Third Year
Capitol B...
26/04/2024
The staff at CBC Radio have been hard at work creating several new features for listeners and viewers. Several debuts are taking place this spring.
I have nev...
26/04/2024
26 Apr 2024
Cricket Finds Its Digital Home in Bangladesh: VEON's Banglalink...
26/04/2024
NBA Playoffs 2024: ESPN Rolls Out Huge Production Operation for Busy First Round Tech deployments include miked on-field personnel, shot-distance tracking, AR g...
26/04/2024
NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs: ESPN Ops Team Navigates Both Sides of the Border With ...
26/04/2024
Behind the Scenes at the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit (Photo Gallery) After just the first round, the 2024 NFL Draft has already made quite an impression in Detroi...
26/04/2024
NFL Draft 2024: Van Wagner Powers Onsite Entertainment Experience for Record Cro...
26/04/2024
Rohde & Schwarz presents spectrum dominance in all domains at AOC Europe Rohde & Schwarz demonstrates the next generation of SIGINT/EW systems and sensor fusi...
26/04/2024
MCine Mauritius is to use Qube Wire for all future DCP deliveries across their e...
26/04/2024
Skeem Saam' May Spoiler: Has Lehasa killed Khwezi?The Skeem Saam' May teasers mention Lehasa being apologetic about killing someone. Is it his baby mam...
26/04/2024
Skeem Saam: Thursday's episode, 25 April 2024 [video]Missed an episode of Skeem Saam? No problem! Watch the latest episode of your favourite South African s...
26/04/2024
Prison Journalism: Some issues to considerWesley Leong was incarcerated at the age of 15 in 1996 at Pollsmoor Prison. He is currently part of Restore's rese...
26/04/2024
Tonight on Scandal: A line is crossed and a mother starts to lose focusDon't miss Friday, 26 April's riveting episode of South African soapie Scandal! o...
How Syracuse University Students Call Digital-Only Games From the Comfort of Home The athletics program is using Zoom to send camera feeds to talent By Kristian Hernandez, Associate Editor 
