|
Scholastic hockey games to be shown live
(New Haven Register (New Haven, CT) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Jan. 23--Connecticut high school hockey and state scholastic sports in general will be reaching a milestone as www.SportingNewsCT. com will soon begin showing live video broadcasts of games this season for the first time on a weekly basis.
The Web site, owned and operated by the site's main broadcaster, Don Boyle, did a field test b y s h o w i n g the live video of the Simsbury at West Haven boys' hockey game on Jan. 12 with positive results. The first official live video broadcast will be the Notre Dame-Fairfield at West Haven (Bennett Rink) boys' hockey game on Jan. 31 with a live video broadcast of a "game of the week" each week thereafter.
The Web site debuted with radio-like audio broadcasts in fall 2005 with the Southern Connecticut State-Bentley football game.
"Going to a live video broadcast was our goal right from the start, and we were waiting for technology to advance to the point where we could do it," Boyle said. "We understand the technology aspect of it now. This is so exciting for us. It's a breakthrough for us, and it's great for the hockey fan.
"We were very encouraged from a technical standpoint by our field test. The broadcast went so well, and the feedback was great even though we never advertised we were doing it."
Boyle said it takes a great deal more people and work to pull off a live video broadcast as opposed to just a live audio broadcast.
"At first, the telecasts will be very basic with a one-camera shot of the game," Boyle said. "As we iron out any glitches and become more confident, we'll then go to multi-camera broadcasts."
The video broadcasts, like the current radio-like audio broadcasts on www.SportingNewsCT. com, will be sponsor driven. But Boyle said the cost to do the live video broadcast is much higher with the added technological equipment and added staff that is needed to get it done.
After the hockey season, Boyle said he will have to charge a fee to see future live video broadcasts. Fans will have a choice of either a single pay-per-view price or package price to receive multiple broadcasts. Boyle expects to expand the scope of the broadcasts substantially.
"Over the next couple of weeks, I plan to sit down with CIAC (Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference) officials to discuss doing live video broadcasts of the state boys' hockey playoffs, especially all three state championship games at Ingalls Rink," Boyle said. "We've had a great working relationship with the CIAC, and I think it would give more exposure for the sport and be great for the fans.
"We're in the experimental stage right now. But the plan is to do live video broadcasts of other major sports like high school football, soccer and baseball and other sports like wrestling, volleyball and even cheerleading competitions." Boyle also plans to do live video broadcasts of area college sports.
The only limitation with the video broadcast is Boyle needs to be in a venue where a wireless signal is available. Broadcasts could not be done from rinks like the Wonderland of Ice in Bridgeport and Terry Connors Rink in Stamford.
"The video broadcasts will be free for the rest of the hockey season," Boyle said. "Then we'll need feedback and do research to see how it was received by the fans. And if you don't want to pay for the video, you will always be able to get the live audio broadcast of games that we do for free."
SOUTH WINDSOR NO. 1 AGAIN
The South Windsor boys' hockey team has been on a roll as the last undefeated team in the state, and after a wild week last week, the Bobcats find themselves back in the No. 1 spot in the Register Top 10 poll.
South Windsor, with depth front to back and a talented pair of alternating senior goalies in Andre Charbonneau and Zac Entrom, has opened the season at 11-0. It moved to No. 1 in the second poll of the season (Jan. 3), fell to No. 2 the following week and held that spot until this week.
A week ago, Hamden was No. 1 and East Haven, undefeated at the time, was ranked No. 3. But East Haven defeated Hamden on Thursday and then lost to surging Fairfield Prep on Saturday to propel the Bobcats back to No. 1.
"To be honest, I hoped to be about .500 by the midpoint of the season," South Windsor coach Neil Rodman said. "I didn't know what to expect.
"But our kids fight for playing time each week. They practiced hard, played hard and put themselves in position to give us one of the best starts in school history."
The Bobcats' have one of the highest scoring first lines in the state with forwards Ryan Stanley (15 goals, 19 assists), Jeff Pease (11 goals, 10 assists) and Matt Siracusa (eight goals, nine assists). The top defensemen are seniors Brian McConnell and T.J. Duggan, juniors Ian Canty and Dan Wegrzyn and sophomore Kyle Foley.
BLOG, BLOG, BLOG
If you are looking for more high school hockey coverage, check out this reporter's High School Report featuring boys' and girls' sports. To access the blog, go to www.nhregister.com and click on Blog Central.
To see more of New Haven Register, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.nhregister.com.
Copyright (c) 2008, New Haven Register, Conn.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
|
TMCnet LOGIN
Webinars
