High school athletics is a $5 billion industry in the United States. With growing popularity each year, fans, friends, and family want to watch their favorite team play each week. With evolving streaming services and technology, live streaming high school baseball has never been easier!
Many involved in high school sports have asked themselves, “how can I live stream high school baseball?” Answers to that question and several more are highlighted throughout this article.
The Challenges of High School Baseball Live Streaming
Volunteers, faculty, and community members must be present for a live stream to work. Lack of equipment and resources can greatly impact the ability to live stream and its quality.
If a school has the proper resources to live stream games (or has access to the needed resources), there is no reason to hold out any longer!
Data Connection
The first problem that needs to be solved in order to stream high school baseball games is having a fast and reliable data connection. Without a reliable connection, the live stream quality will suffer and the school will lose viewers. This is the first issue that will need to be resolved if your school is starting to live stream baseball games and other sporting events.
The Right Gear
Once a proper data connection has been secured, schools must make sure they have the correct gear.
Schools generally approach gear acquisition in one of several ways:
- Using what’s on hand. This can result in mismatched gear that’s not designed to work together. And oftentimes the gear is outdated and won’t provide the quality stream the school wants to deliver.
- Piece mealing broadcast equipment from Amazon or Big Box retailers. In this instance, the gear is newer, but the challenge is making sure you’re getting the right combination of gear. You want to make sure it’s all going to work together properly and reliably.
- Work with a partner to get the right gear. Whether it’s an experienced member of your school staff, a community member, or a live streaming partner, working with someone who understands the ins and outs of broadcasting, live streaming, and what gear is needed can save you money and ensure you’re delivering a high-quality live stream.
Having the Right Personnel
As with any job, having the correct personnel is paramount to the success of any baseball live stream. Having students and volunteers is crucial to each live stream. However, it is also important to have someone with the proper experience to teach and help others. This way, the stream’s quality can be guaranteed on day one.
Students will want to take part in each baseball live stream. This is an opportunity for them to learn camera skills, play-by-play skills, and to gain more passion for what they love. A school should not shy away from utilizing student help and creativity!
Live Streaming Your High School Baseball Games
Schools have two options when it comes to live streaming baseball games and other school events:
- DIY (Do it yourself). This involves:
- Building up the broadcast program
- Recruiting and training the staff and student volunteers
- Acquiring the gear
- Securing a data connection
- Setting up the streaming channel(s)
- Managing the broadcasts
- Work with a live streaming partner. Some school leaders prefer to work with a partner who takes care of the details so they can focus on working with the students and running the broadcasts. In this scenario, partners can help you acquire the gear, set up the data connection, provide the streaming channels, and provide training and ongoing technical support.
Schools that embrace live streaming, not only baseball games but a variety of sporting events and activities will have greater success building their fan base, increasing fundraising opportunities, and building school spirit.
Have Questions About High School Baseball Live Streaming?
As a school leader, you face a number of choices when it comes to live streaming your school’s events. If you have questions, we would love to have a conversation to help you get answers so you can make the best decision for your school. You can schedule a call with us and get answers to your questions.