Tech/CUSA.TV Production

[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

[LATECH87]

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

Amen

[sportdawg]

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.

[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.

[qng001]

I thought we were supposed to be ESPN+ ready.

[PawDawg]

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

[techman05]

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.

[Dawgpix]

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.

[sharky]

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.

[Tech52]

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.

[qng001]

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.

[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.

[qng001]

Behind the plate cams suck.

[Blue Dawg]

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

[HogDawg]

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

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.