Tech/CUSA.TV Production

Our CusaTv production is so bush league. I watched the USM series last week and it was good.
I don’t know why I’m surprised as we can’t even run our new Video/Scoreboard. I’ve been to 8 games and not 1 replay, no opponent profiles or Stats when they come to bat. Beautiful new facility, but our athletic department needs to be better than this. We have a top 20 program and those of of who have donated to athletics for years would like to see $1MM plus scoreboard used to at least half it’s capability

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Originally Posted by Hermandawg

Our CusaTv production is so bush league. I watched the USM series last week and it was good.
I don’t know why I’m surprised as we can’t even run our new Video/Scoreboard. I’ve been to 8 games and not 1 replay, no opponent profiles or Stats when they come to bat. Beautiful new facility, but our athletic department needs to be better than this. We have a top 20 program and those of of who have donated to athletics for years would like to see $1MM plus scoreboard used to at least half it’s capability

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Amen

I have lots of complaints about the Tech cusa.tv production

No particular order
1) audio - sometimes it sounds like Dave is in a can. The crowd noise mic is too loud when PA announcer talks
2) ome plate camera zoom - needs to be zoomed out so you can see 1st & 3rd. Especially since cameraman can’t always pick up the ball when put in play.
3) need CF camera
4) need different scorebug - similar to USM. The one we have looks bad.
5) player names/stats
6) replays

I don’t know what CUSA allows, but I’d love Tech to make some money with on screen ads and commercials during breaks. Think AT&T call to the bullpen, etc.

I can’t really add anything new to what’s already been said other than to add my disappointment to the ranks. It’s stunning how much simple stuff Tech gets wrong and how little the powers at be seem to care about what the fans think.

I thought we were supposed to be ESPN+ ready.

We could let our AD know, but we’d never know if he heard us because he is not reading/answering his email. At least our last job seeker would reply to you while looking down his nose. This guy just ignores you. Great hire by our people

It’s always 1 of 2 things. We are either ready for the big time and our production would embarrass a Third grade school reporter........or, we have a great opportunity with legit coverage and we lay an egg.

I enjoyed Dave's radio call today. Like an afternoon with an old friend. . . which he is to me.

I felt so sorry for him when "nature called" in the later part of the game and he had to make an extended break down the hall. He was so apologetic about missing an extra minute or two, which was filled with commercials and stuff. No biggy. He DID NOT have to apologize. Twice in fact. He could have blamed it on technical issues and it'd all be the same. But he's not like that. A true professional. An honest person.

All this other stuff like the PPV, we start being big time if we pay for more sports information support staff to manage things. COVID has doubled up all the fall sports with the spring sports and every staff member is stretched. As for planning for the PPV, I don't think the original plan was to have a camera right there behind homeplate taking up the lean-on eating countertops space for fans on the concourse. Were there original plans from production professionals for the PPV production needs? Other than a large open air suite for network TV talent to broadcast from and a couple of platforms at the end of each dugout that seems to be it. Cox TV had to use a spot on the top floor of the dorm apartments above the center field batter's screen to get the outfield view of the Arkansas series.

The university has NOT "offically" taken final possession of the LoveShack. Maybe some corrections can be made.

Yes, the CUSATV for the four UAB games was pathetic. The tv coverage offered by USM was excellent. Perhaps a staff member's child was allowed to operate the balls and strike count on the screen. Most of the time it was very belated and most of the time it was wrong. Same situation for the out count. The base runner location indicators seemed to severely challenge the operator as well. USM was able to offer replays, but it appears this enhancement has yet to even been considered by Tech. If they can't get the balls, strikes and outs timely and correct, then replays must be totally out of the question for this season. The camera location, number and contrast is another failure, but I am tired of typing. ESPN+ is $5.95/month and does an excellent job. CUSATV is $10.95/month and needs to demand some acceptable minimum standards from every member school.

CUSA should be pushing the schools (and helping them) a lot with how much they charge. There should be a single, consistent presentation across all schools. Same style, same score bugs, same programming. It’d look more professional.

I thought we got an upgrade with a new video control room/cams to meet ESPN+ specs? If that is so, our baseball game broadcast via CUSA.TV should not be looking like that.

We had a bid in Aug 2019 for a Video Production System
https://www.bidnetdirect.com/louisia...75151&origin=1

Specifications include, but are not limited to: The Contractor will provide a bid for the installation of the video production systems which meet the requirements listed in this specification. 1. SMPTE 292M compliant, video production system for live LED production of events originating from the facility. Destinations will include ribbon and main LED displays and distributed displays throughout the facility.

I agree with almost all of the comments stated above.

But as bad as Tech's production values are, there are other contenders for the bottom after watching this weekend.

UTSA's behind the plate camera was zoomed so far out that it wasn't easy to see action at the plate. And don't mention the center field shot which was so blurry that made it hard to see anything. Think that Tech's scorebug is slow or wrong? UTSA's had the wrong score for at least two innings in one game. And speaking of innings, it showed the bottom of an inning when Southern Miss was batting and the top when UTSA was batting for a long stretch.

I'm watching Marshall's video-only stationary one-camera production right now. Both outfield corners are cut off completely, so without play-by-play audio if anything happens out of camera view you get to guess unless the guys doing the official scoring say something that gets picked up on the field mic to give you a clue. They do have the camera focused perfectly for the plate and the backstop netting though. I will give Marshall a small break since they are playing at the YMCA park in Huntington this year instead of in the minor league parks in Charleston and Beckley where they have played in prior seasons. Marshall definitely needs the new on-campus stadium it is building.

Charlotte has good production values comparable to Southern Miss. It has a clean scorebug that just needs the count to be included.

Behind the plate cams suck.

I have never paid for cusa.tv for this reason and it sounds like I probably never will.

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Originally Posted by Blue Dawg

I have never paid for cusa.tv for this reason and it sounds like I probably never will.

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Me neither. The whole CUSA TV Network thing is one place that a half decent Conference Commissioner could make a huge difference. It's a layup. A new commissioner could come in and easily fix the whole thing, or form a partnership with a real TV broadcast network to fix the whole thing. But for some reason, we (CUSA presidents) continue to let Judy MacLeod hold a gun to our head.

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Originally Posted by FriscoDawg

I agree with almost all of the comments stated above.

But as bad as Tech's production values are, there are other contenders for the bottom after watching this weekend.

UTSA's behind the plate camera was zoomed so far out that it wasn't easy to see action at the plate. And don't mention the center field shot which was so blurry that made it hard to see anything. Think that Tech's scorebug is slow or wrong? UTSA's had the wrong score for at least two innings in one game. And speaking of innings, it showed the bottom of an inning when Southern Miss was batting and the top when UTSA was batting for a long stretch.

I'm watching Marshall's video-only stationary one-camera production right now. Both outfield corners are cut off completely, so without play-by-play audio if anything happens out of camera view you get to guess unless the guys doing the official scoring say something that gets picked up on the field mic to give you a clue. They do have the camera focused perfectly for the plate and the backstop netting though. I will give Marshall a small break since they are playing at the YMCA park in Huntington this year instead of in the minor league parks in Charleston and Beckley where they have played in prior seasons. Marshall definitely needs the new on-campus stadium it is building.

Charlotte has good production values comparable to Southern Miss. It has a clean scorebug that just needs the count to be included.

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I watched the Lady Techsters at UTSA and the camera work was awful. One camera, zoomed in on the pitcher and batter. Never saw a play at first or third. Pitch count was never shown. And for one game, they couldn't get the video going until the third inning and no play-by-play.

UTSA had no play-by-play audio for the first game of the Friday baseball doubleheader, and that was actually planned. They used natural audio for that game, and at times the Southern Miss radio play-by-play with John Cox was picked up.

The basic standard for cusa.tv should be no video without dedicated audio play-by-play. Once that standard gets established, camera setup standards should be phased in as applicable for each sport. No way any existing video feed meets ESPN+ standards without these basics.

If we are going to use the Home Plate as primary, then it needs to be zoomed like this

https://www.boxcast.com/hs-fs/hubfs/...ll_Diamond.png

Ideal main camera position

https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/LtvB..._irl_720.0.jpg

Here is a non-SEC or big school production. It's 2021, we need to get our sh** together.

Dallas Baptist video production (looks really good with clear audio, video switching is done well)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNtM_QUnP2E

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Originally Posted by sportdawg

If we are going to use the Home Plate as primary, then it needs to be zoomed like this

https://www.boxcast.com/hs-fs/hubfs/...ll_Diamond.png

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But the camera needs to be on other side of net. USM had a behind the plate shot that did not require view through the net. So should we

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Originally Posted by qng001

Here is a non-SEC or big school production. It's 2021, we need to get our sh** together.

Dallas Baptist video production (looks really good with clear audio, video switching is done well)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNtM_QUnP2E

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I'll let the SID know you approve the next time I see him.

USM has a camera on top of the pressbox (which is above the net), also manned cameras by both dugouts.

https://southernmiss.com/images/2018...0715.7055.jpeg

Do we not have a discipline at Tech involving communications, videography, production management, or anything that could use the experience of producing every game in every sport available?

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Originally Posted by techman05

Do we not have a discipline at Tech involving communications, videography, production management, or anything that could use the experience of producing every game in every sport available?

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I couldn’t find anything

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Originally Posted by sportdawg

I couldn’t find anything

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That is truly disappointing.

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Originally Posted by techman05

Do we not have a discipline at Tech involving communications, videography, production management, or anything that could use the experience of producing every game in every sport available?

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Never have. Regents back in the day wouldn't let the journalism dept. have radio/TV broadcast/production elements other than one course and a student club radio station. ULM had that curriculum.

Now the journalism department appears to now teach writing within 143 characters or less. I'm sure that's not true, but it appears that way. I mean, is there still a Tech Talk?

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Originally Posted by Dawgpix

Never have. Regents back in the day wouldn't let the journalism dept. have radio/TV broadcast/production elements other than one course and a student club radio station. ULM had that curriculum.

Now the journalism department appears to now teach writing within 143 characters or less. I'm sure that's not true, but it appears that way. I mean, is there still a Tech Talk?

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I talked about this video stuff a couple of years ago when UNT was producing all those great sideline sports videos during their home football games and in their halftime locker-room. These aren't necessarily "Journalism" resources, although "we never have done it this way" is certainly no excuse for Louisiana Tech's Journalism department not evolving. Rather, these audio/video production resources are tools that any half good Marketing Department in the business school should be able to deploy for purposes of studying advertising, brand building, media training, interview techniques, corporate marketing & training, "Explainer" videos, continuing education training, business testimonials, Drone videography (think Real Estate), Private TV network, animation, etc...... The need for resources to produce such video results is almost infinite these days. If you tell me we don't use the kind of resources within our own university, then I will get very concerned.

Maybe a company like these guys could help. They've got offices in Las Colinas (Irving , TX) and Shreveport.

https://crmstudios.com/video-product...QaAsRxEALw_wcB

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Originally Posted by HogDawg

I talked about this video stuff a couple of years ago when UNT was producing all those great sideline sports videos during their home football games and in their halftime locker-room. These aren't necessarily "Journalism" resources, although "we never have done it this way" is certainly no excuse for Louisiana Tech's Journalism department not evolving. Rather, these audio/video production resources are tools that any half good Marketing Department in the business school should be able to deploy for purposes of studying advertising, brand building, media training, interview techniques, corporate marketing & training, "Explainer" videos, continuing education training, business testimonials, Drone videography (think Real Estate), Private TV network, animation, etc...... The need for resources to produce such video results is almost infinite these days. If you tell me we don't use the kind of resources within our own university, then I will get very concerned.

Maybe a company like these guys could help. They've got offices in Las Colinas (Irving , TX) and Shreveport.

https://crmstudios.com/video-product...QaAsRxEALw_wcB

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It’s just a matter of Tech vision, leadership and delegation. Someone has to start by caring and then either get busy doing it or task someone to get it done. I’d bet there are already a good number of students who have the knowledge and at least some starting out experience through all their social media practices that could quickly advance where we are now. This is the simple stuff that Woods should be knocking off one at a time each month.

Heck, pay some Grambling seniors to do it https://www.gram.edu/academics/majors/pro-grad-studies/mass-comm/degrees/

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Originally Posted by sportdawg

Heck, pay some Grambling seniors to do it https://www.gram.edu/academics/majors/pro-grad-studies/mass-comm/degrees/

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Now you're talking! This is a great opportunity for LA Tech Athletics to partner with Grambling University to do something really good and useful for the Tech Athletic Department. GET IT DONE, Dr. Wood!!

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Now the journalism department appears to now teach writing within 143 characters or less. I'm sure that's not true, but it appears that way. I mean, is there still a Tech Talk?

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I asked someone at the school about this recently and was told there is no more journalism department. They do have communications classes.

And the Tech Talk, as I was told, has gone the way of the dodo bird. Sad.

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Originally Posted by Dorm Fridge

And the Tech Talk, as I was told, has gone the way of the dodo bird. Sad.

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It seemed to be on its last legs when I was there 10 years ago (sheesh, I'm starting to sound as old as some of you codgers)

I was in school 20 years ago and I don’t remember ever reading a copy of Tech Talk. Must have been fading then.

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Originally Posted by sportdawg

Heck, pay some Grambling seniors to do it https://www.gram.edu/academics/majors/pro-grad-studies/mass-comm/degrees/

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we already do. Who do you think does lots of the jobs when the network production companies come to town. Alan Blakeney and his TV production majors.

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Originally Posted by Dorm Fridge

I asked someone at the school about this recently and was told there is no more journalism department. They do have communications classes.

And the Tech Talk, as I was told, has gone the way of the dodo bird. Sad.

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is there an echo in here? ;-)

Our Tech video production is an outgrowth of the old football production team. Budget and interns were added to expand to all sports in the athletics department. Much of this is the result of added video board productions at football, basketball and baseball. An outgrowth is more marketing videos used via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I believe two of the team are full time. Hope that fills in some blanks.

Rice stream
Positives
CF camera
Quick switching of cameras
Replays

Negative (at start)
No scorebug (came up for a sec and went away)
Audio sounds like announcer’s in a can

FIU Steam has commercials

Scheduled complaint

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Originally Posted by Bone_afide_Dawg

I can’t really add anything new to what’s already been said other than to add my disappointment to the ranks. It’s stunning how much simple stuff Tech gets wrong and how little the powers at be seem to care about what the fans think.

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They don't care to grow fans.

Scheduled post / just missed top 3rd

This isn’t even video production... the audio stream on TuneIn only worked for one of the four games this weekend. Net I had to listen on USM stream...

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Originally Posted by Festus

This isn’t even video production... the audio stream on TuneIn only worked for one of the four games this weekend. Net I had to listen on USM stream...

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Tune-In stinks. Thats not on us.
Use the Latech athletics app or the radio station’s website.

Mtsu is worse - wow! I had to zoom my tv

Not going to pay for what you guys describe.

USM production was fine. Glad it was a free pass weekend and we did not decided to purchase.

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Originally Posted by sportdawg

Mtsu is worse - wow! I had to zoom my tv

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I guess MTSU’s approach is they will just go with a locked in single view from the press box that captures the entire field so that nobody has to man operate or move the camera. It is difficult to see where the ball goes.

But I too find it slightly worse than the camera work of our home games where the camera person struggles greatly to follow the ball when put into play. There are times when one could get seasick from the camera movement to find and catch-up to the ball in play.

Luckily filming basketball isn’t as much of a challenge as baseball, but there were moments there too.

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Originally Posted by LEEDAWG

I guess MTSU’s approach is they will just go with a locked in single view from the press box that captures the entire field so that nobody has to man operate or move the camera. It is difficult to see where the ball goes.

But I too find it slightly worse than the camera work of our home games where the camera person struggles greatly to follow the ball when put into play. There are times when one could get seasick from the camera movement to find and catch-up to the ball in play.

Luckily filming basketball isn’t as much of a challenge as baseball, but there were moments there too.

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Yup, the stationary single point low-res camera tells me...

A. You are lazy
B. You are too poor to invest in your live stream infrastructure for sports

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Originally Posted by qng001

Yup, the stationary single point low-res camera tells me...

A. You are lazy
B. You are too poor to invest in your live stream infrastructure for sports

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B should be easy to fix. Require each school to submit a budget amount needed to get an acceptable video streaming system. And then require that same portion of the conference distribution to be spent on that system. Any school failing to upgrade should be penalized by having that same amount of its conference distribution withheld the next year.

C-USA isn't ready for full ESPN+ streaming as long as there are schools that produce sub-standard streams.

Tech's streaming may not be to the quality we would like, but it is far closer to meeting the standard than Middle Tennessee is.

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Originally Posted by FriscoDawg

B should be easy to fix. Require each school to submit a budget amount needed to get an acceptable video streaming system. And then require that same portion of the conference distribution to be spent on that system. Any school failing to upgrade should be penalized by having that same amount of its conference distribution withheld the next year.

C-USA isn't ready for full ESPN+ streaming as long as there are schools that produce sub-standard streams.

Tech's streaming may not be to the quality we would like, but it is far closer to meeting the standard than Middle Tennessee is.

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iirc each school WAS required to do so, and no one did.

Tech has the production equipment and the talent to run it.
Our video production head is a workhorse and produces some fascinating work, especially her promo video work in post production.
I'd say her priority, however, is football.
Do we have the budget to pay for somebody (and hands-on somebody) to oversee and make streaming a normal event . . . every game, every sport required?
After the COVID year of game schedules Tech has experienced, future TV work scheduling should be a breeze. Having volleyball, baseball, softball, golf, tennis, bowling, spring football, track (did I miss any?) going on all at once would be a challenge for most P5 programs.
FWIW, I've only been involved for 49 years, so, yeah, I've got lots of opinions about our alma mater, her politics, her priorities, her successes, her shortcomings. Take it for what it's worth, cuz all I do, as Pawdawg says, is push a button.

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Originally Posted by Blue Dawg

iirc each school WAS required to do so, and no one did.

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Just more proof that new leadership is needed in the conference office.

T-mo - I agree we don’t have the money to put together a full-time staff for all programs. That is why i have been a proponent of creative advertising. Have on-screen logos, sprint call to the bullpen, commercials instead of game day graphic, etc

We did some ads at basketball a couple of years ago. I actually haven’t been to a game in 2 years, so I don’t know if we still do. I know 2 years ago, a local business owner told me that those quick spots at basketball games were outrageous expensive. Maybe that’s why we don’t have them for baseball?

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Originally Posted by techman05

We did some ads at basketball a couple of years ago. I actually haven’t been to a game in 2 years, so I don’t know if we still do. I know 2 years ago, a local business owner told me that those quick spots at basketball games were outrageous expensive. Maybe that’s why we don’t have them for baseball?

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Likely a Learfield issue of demanding the same pricing in all markets.

Someone in Murfreesboro must read this board because Sunday's stream actually got close to a passing score (still didn't quite get there) even with just the one camera.

The camera was zoomed up on the infield so you could actually see pitches. And it was moved to try to follow plays at times. Obvious improvement over Friday night and Saturday.

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Originally Posted by FriscoDawg

Someone in Murfreesboro must read this board because Sunday's stream actually got close to a passing score (still didn't quite get there) even with just the one camera.

The camera was zoomed up on the infield so you could actually see pitches. And it was moved to try to follow plays at times. Obvious improvement over Friday night and Saturday.

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+1

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Originally Posted by techman05

We did some ads at basketball a couple of years ago. I actually haven’t been to a game in 2 years, so I don’t know if we still do. I know 2 years ago, a local business owner told me that those quick spots at basketball games were outrageous expensive. Maybe that’s why we don’t have them for baseball?

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definitely need to make sure it's priced appropriately.

Ad Opportunities
Johhny's Pizza Studio - Have a camera regularly on Dave with JPH Logo
Sprint/Verizon/AT&T - Call to the Bullpen
____ - Trivia
____ - Home Run
____ - Double / Double Play
____ - Strikeout / Walk
____ - Triple/Triple Play
____ - Stolen Base / Caught Stealing (Home Protection Company)
This inning sponsored by _____ / Company logo would be on-screen for entire inning / Dave would mention them several times during the inning.

These were just off the top of my head, I'm sure there's more.

USM has been the best baseball I've seen this season and MTSU the worst. Most are on par with our production. We need to just add a camera from centerfield and continue with behind home plate BUT in front of netting. That along with some operators that will zoom in and out and follow the play, of course Dave on audio and we should be good. My guess is that having 2-3 bodies to run cameras and equip every game might be any issue.
Friday night MTSU had no one manning the camera so it was set with no zoom. Was like watching the game from the football press box with no binoculars. Ours isnt that bad but needs to improve by CUSA tourney time and possible regionals. Of course both may be on ESPN+

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Originally Posted by BruceWillisDawg

USM has been the best baseball I've seen this season and MTSU the worst. Most are on par with our production. We need to just add a camera from centerfield and continue with behind home plate BUT in front of netting. That along with some operators that will zoom in and out and follow the play, of course Dave on audio and we should be good. My guess is that having 2-3 bodies to run cameras and equip every game might be any issue.
Friday night MTSU had no one manning the camera so it was set with no zoom. Was like watching the game from the football press box with no binoculars. Ours isnt that bad but needs to improve by CUSA tourney time and possible regionals. Of course both may be on ESPN+

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The tourney will be on ESPN+/CBS SN. I'm pretty sure that CUSA will take care of the production. When I went to the game last week, I didn't see a CF camera platform, however, you could easily place in the dorm area (similar to what Cox Sports did).

We need a CF platform just left of the batter's eye. The dorm balcony is just okay, too much of an angle to the plate though.

I love what Miss State did, they have a cutout in the batter's eye. Hope we get a solid structure one day with a camera platform like this. As of now, our is fabric.

https://populous.com/wp-content/uplo...dy_10_crop.jpg

Example footage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z55ePSD4Epc

Crazy that MTSU's baseball production is so bad, but they have a production truck and does an awesome job for basketball.

http://sportsvideo.org/main/files/2014/08/MTSU3.jpg

Behind the scene

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrVEjbAHCw0

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Originally Posted by BruceWillisDawg

. . . continue with behind home plate BUT in front of netting.

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How do you propose that one in 2021, risk management man?:)

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Originally Posted by qng001

Crazy that MTSU's baseball production is so bad, but they have a production truck and does an awesome job for basketball.

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I got 4 key words for you. Look on the side of the truck:

College of Mass Communication

Must be nice to have one (not a deparment, but a whole college).

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Originally Posted by Dawgpix

I got 4 key words for you. Look on the side of the truck:

College of Mass Communication

Must be nice to have one (not a deparment, but a whole college).

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Just baffling that their baseball production looks bad.

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Originally Posted by qng001

Just baffling that their baseball production looks bad.

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Maybe they're just as stretched getting in all these re$cheduled pandemic $ports event$.

The CF spot beside the batter's screen (RCF) is too wide an angle. Obviously you're slow at looking at my images taken from there. ;-)

The dorm venue is probably the best angle available, but it's too high, too. Your MState suggestion would be cool if done.

Another example of the architect, athletic department and project managers thought about just about everything but the media in the planning stages. Which is par for the course.

I don't expect to be around next few years, so I'll let others worry about these problems.