According to fan insights from Nielsen, 80% of sports fans have watched sport streams. Anyone can watch sports from anywhere and support their family or local teams even if they miss the in-person game due to work, travel or living out of town.
If you’re interested in providing sports streaming for your school, keep reading to learn how to get started.
Get the Equipment
You’ll need specific equipment to create a high-quality live stream. Getting high quality equipment will make all the difference in quality of the stream.
Audio Source
You will need to buy an audio source so that the audio of the game can be live-streamed. Some cameras support this, and some require a separate audio source for your sport streams.
Camera
When choosing a camera, keep in mind that the quality of the camera you get is going to indicate the quality of the stream. Just like the audio source, you don’t want to pinch pennies when it comes to quality.
The good news is that there are plenty of affordable cameras that produce high-quality video that can include both manned and automated
Internet Connection
An important aspect is the internet connection that allows the video to be available live. A poor internet connection can also impact the quality, causing lagging or freezing.If you have dependable internet, you may be able to rely on it as it is. But most sport streams depend on an internet connection specifically used for streaming.
It may cost you a little extra money to set this up, but it is usually worth it. This is especially true if your internet connection is undependable or crashes often.
Accessories
The next kind of equipment that you can look into is other video and audio accessories. These can improve the stream quality.
Things like a tripod can help you to hold the camera and microphone steady throughout the game. Led rings and light stands help to improve the visuals so that they are nice and bright.
A green screen allows you to get more creative and create altered backgrounds. None of these accessories are required, but they are worth looking into.
Find the Right Platform
You’ll also need to find a platform where your sports streams are available for viewers to access.
Social media platforms are one option for uploading streams but you don’t have much control over your live streams. You can’t change how they appear, and you don’t have control over who watches them. You also can’t monetize live streams that are on these free platforms.
The other option is to choose a paid streaming platform like WSN Live.
Our streaming platform allows you to monetize, control the quality, and control your viewers. It also gives you better data security, so your viewers are protected.
You even have the ability to monitor the analytics for each of the streams you upload. This can help you decide what you need to change or improve to increase your viewers.
Streaming Software
Software allows you to create a high-quality live stream that improves the experience of the viewer and encourages more people to watch.
There are several options that you can choose from depending on the effect you want. Encoding software is very important and creates ready-to-stream files that look good on most devices.
Switching software allows you to select the camera feeds you want to be displayed on the stream.
Simulcasting software allows you to stream your video over multiple destinations. You can do this at the same time, which is why it is often called multi-destination streaming.
You should also invest in production and editing software as a necessity. This allows you to adjust the video and audio in real-time to improve the quality for the viewers.
Publicize the Stream
Don’t forget to publicize and market your live streams on the high school’s social media.
This could include platforms like Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. You can also use snippets of past live streams to encourage viewers to tune in to your most recent streams.
Consider sending out invitation emails to encourage family members and friends to watch the streams.
This is information that should also be available on the high school’s website for friends and family members.
Streaming Location
You will also need to decide where you will set up everything to film the sports games. You should have a designated spot that gives you a good view of everything going on.
The space should be large enough that you can sit up there with all of your equipment. Ideally, it should also be near a restroom since you will be there for long periods of time.
It should also be in a place where no one else will be so that your equipment is undisturbed.
Test Everything
Before you start your first live stream, test everything out well in advance of the stream so you have time to correct any problems.
Test the live stream for clarity, speed, and audio quality. The video should be crisp and bright, and the audio should be easy to understand.
Fixing any errors beforehand will guarantee your viewers a good experience. Viewers are very likely to not return if they immediately experience issues when watching a live stream.
How to Get Started With Sport Streams
As long as you have the equipment and the time, you can create high-quality sports live streams.
If you are interested in high-quality streaming, we can help. Contact us today at WSN Live to schedule a call about our sports streaming services.