2008 Woodie Awards
NCAA.com and CBS perfect internet streaming
Tim Moore
Issue date: 3/25/08 Section: Sports
In this vast world of technological advancement, the live streaming of sporting events is a task not to be taken lightly. It is an undertaking that requires mass amounts of bandwidth and a dedicated repair staff. Rarely is the art of making sports available to the masses done right.
NCAA.com, in association with CBS has done it right. Throughout the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, NCAA.com is streaming games live and 100% free. The concept is great, and the execution is even better.
The service caters primarily to those in professional environments, locked away from access to a television during one of the best times on the sporting calendar. The interface features the fabled "boss button" for the paranoid employee. The "boss button" transforms the interface into a mock-spreadsheet, instantly giving office-wandering superiors the security of productivity. or so they think.
The service also comes in handy when more than one game is in play. CBS choses what games they will show region by region. For instance, in Sunday's second-round matchups, San Diego's CBS affiliate KFMB showed nearly exclusive coverage of USD's game with Western Kentucky. Near the end of the game, USD was trailing by double-digits with under 30-seconds left on the clock. The game was clearly out of reach for the Toreros, however, because of geographic restrictions KFMB aired the game to the final buzzer, which lasted around five minutes because of timeouts and fouls. During this time, #10 seed Davidson was in the process of upsetting the #2 seed Georgetown. A few clicks was all it took for viewers to have access to the Georgetown, Davidson game online.
Before accessing the online coverage, users must first log in with a CBSSports.com, CBSNews.com, CBS.com, CBSGames.com, TheShowBuzz.com, or NCAAsports.com username and password.
The interface of the service is simple and responsive. A pre-roll short advertisement plays before the user's initial selection, and after that, the only additional advertisements are the normal commercial breaks. The video quality in full-screen mode is comparable to that of the television broadcast. The only drawback to the service is a buffer delay (around one minute) from the actual live game.
NCAA.com and CBS have offered the services for free that other leagues charge premiums for. The service is giving people what they want, and it is a win-win for all parties involved. CBS is projecting advertising revenues of at least $21 million, some $10 million more than 2007's tournament.
NCAA.com, in association with CBS has done it right. Throughout the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, NCAA.com is streaming games live and 100% free. The concept is great, and the execution is even better.
The service caters primarily to those in professional environments, locked away from access to a television during one of the best times on the sporting calendar. The interface features the fabled "boss button" for the paranoid employee. The "boss button" transforms the interface into a mock-spreadsheet, instantly giving office-wandering superiors the security of productivity. or so they think.
The service also comes in handy when more than one game is in play. CBS choses what games they will show region by region. For instance, in Sunday's second-round matchups, San Diego's CBS affiliate KFMB showed nearly exclusive coverage of USD's game with Western Kentucky. Near the end of the game, USD was trailing by double-digits with under 30-seconds left on the clock. The game was clearly out of reach for the Toreros, however, because of geographic restrictions KFMB aired the game to the final buzzer, which lasted around five minutes because of timeouts and fouls. During this time, #10 seed Davidson was in the process of upsetting the #2 seed Georgetown. A few clicks was all it took for viewers to have access to the Georgetown, Davidson game online.
Before accessing the online coverage, users must first log in with a CBSSports.com, CBSNews.com, CBS.com, CBSGames.com, TheShowBuzz.com, or NCAAsports.com username and password.
The interface of the service is simple and responsive. A pre-roll short advertisement plays before the user's initial selection, and after that, the only additional advertisements are the normal commercial breaks. The video quality in full-screen mode is comparable to that of the television broadcast. The only drawback to the service is a buffer delay (around one minute) from the actual live game.
NCAA.com and CBS have offered the services for free that other leagues charge premiums for. The service is giving people what they want, and it is a win-win for all parties involved. CBS is projecting advertising revenues of at least $21 million, some $10 million more than 2007's tournament.
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