BTN and the Lack of Nebraska Baseball Broadcasts

[VectorVictor]

Folks--

 

Was going through the schedule, and I noticed that the BTN is starting to put more baseball and softball games onto its schedule, but they're using the 'Student U' tool (student-run broadcasts to give kids experience) to do this. Of note, Michigan and Michigan State had multiple games (baseball and softball) on TV over the weekend, while DoNU only had the one Friday night game.

 

Considering how popular Nebraska baseball (and softball) is, my question is why we're not jumping on this opportunity to get more Nebraska baseball on during the day using the 'Student U' tool. Is this because we're n00bs to the Big 10 and need to be fully vested before we can use this option? Is our AD asleep at the wheel on this? Or is there some plausible explanation (e.g. ramp-up costs on campus, hardware/equipment limitations, baseball is a subscription cash cow on Huskers.com) that's preventing us from getting these games on the BTN?

 

Frankly, I think we're missing a big opportunity here to get exposure for our men and women. Yeah, production values may not be as great as the 'official' BTN broadcasts, but we're on national television with live events--that counts for something. And when you're competing against ACC, Big XII, and SEC schools who are having whole series and multiple games/conference broadcast every weekend, we should be doing everything within our power to get our program (one of the top 2 in the Big 10) more television exposure.

[95huskers]

I agree with you here MG. Not sure why we don't jump on the boat here. I think you hit it with all of your questions about why we do not. I think its probably some of all of those things i would presume.

[Lyons in the Sea of Red.]

Dont expect the BTN to allow us to do student led broadcasts anytime soon. Have you seen the youtube video of when we had a student led wrestling broadcast? I will try to find it, it is pretty sad.

[NUance]

Seems like a good opportunity for our sports broadcasting majors. Come on UNL admin types! Get crackin on this!

 

 

 

Besides, it seems like baseball would be easier to announce than sports where there is faster paced live action. Just would have a lot of time to kill between plays, is all.

[huskerswrkhavoc]

NSide needs baseball. I wouldn't expect it to happen anytime soon.

[VectorVictor]

Dont expect the BTN to allow us to do student led broadcasts anytime soon. Have you seen the youtube video of when we had a student led wrestling broadcast? I will try to find it, it is pretty sad.

 

You apparently haven't watched any of the other 'Student U' broadcasts on the BTN--most of them are bad in terms of play-by-play and camera work, but you fight through it to watch your team, and it helps knowing that it's giving an undergrad in the Big 10 footprint experience in the job they likely want when they get out of school.

 

And NUance, that's exactly what I was thinking--this is a win/win for our school--it gets more baseball on the air, and it provides a good learning opportunity for our students in how to produce a sporting event for television.

[Nexus]

It's a good idea. Perhaps you should e-mail T.O. about this? Put forth a constructive proposal and see what comes of it? Matter of fact, you should shoot an e-mail to both T.O. and the Broadcasting Dept. It's worth a shot.

 

 

[Hercules]

Why couldn't they have students do the camera work and production, but use the play-by-play from the radio feed?

[VectorVictor]

Why couldn't they have students do the camera work and production, but use the play-by-play from the radio feed?

 

I think there's a difference in the cost of the talent doing a radio/PbP game versus the same folks doing a television appearance. Plus, the other Student U broadcasts that I've seen all had student PbP and color men/women--could be a stipulation of using the 'Student U' way of broadcasting on the BTN.

 

And Nexus, I dunno...