Streaming Services for Schools: What Are My Options?

School sports have gotten more and more competitive over the years. Considering there are nearly eight million high school athletes in the United States, it is no wonder why schools are trying to help their athletes get more exposure. Streaming services for schools can do just that.

What options do you have? This guide breaks it down. 

Facebook 

Facebook is a popular platform for school streaming. It is free to use, and it has a Facebook Live feature that allows you to post a stream of your athletic event for all of the alumni, friends, family members, and recruiters for them to see. 

Another benefit of this is that Facebook is an established platform and many people use it every day. 

Not only is it good for more exposure but there is a chance that your school already has a Facebook page. You can use this to your advantage and have people follow your school’s Facebook page to tune into live sporting events.

YouTube 

Similar to Facebook, YouTube is a widely recognized and popular platform that provides the opportunity for free live streaming. This can be an attractive choice for schools that need cost-effective options to share their events with a wider audience. Your YouTube channel will serve as the central hub for hosting and sharing your live streams. This dedicated space for your content makes it easy for viewers to find and follow your school’s sports events.

Once your YouTube channel is set up, you’ll want to spread the word about your upcoming live streams. Effective communication is key. Utilize various channels like social media, newsletters, and announcements to inform people about the scheduled live streams. Providing clear details, such as the date and time, will ensure that your intended audience tunes in.

While YouTube may not offer the same level of convenience as Facebook for some users, it does possess distinct advantages. YouTube is a platform already associated with video content, which makes it a natural choice for live streaming. People often turn to YouTube when searching for videos and live broadcasts.

Additionally, YouTube provides various tools for creators, including analytics and the ability to archive live streams for future viewing. This can be beneficial for schools looking to analyze viewership data and make their content accessible even after the live event has concluded.

YouTube presents a compelling option for schools with budget constraints, offering a platform that’s widely recognized for video content and live streaming. By creating a YouTube channel and effectively promoting your live streams, you can engage your audience.

Roku

The Roku platform is another option. Roku comes equipped with its own dedicated application. This unique feature significantly streamlines the process of accessing this streaming service on your home television sets.

For a more seamless experience, collaborate with a professional service, like WSN, which specializes in facilitating access to your very own Roku channel. This avenue empowers you to efficiently live stream the sports games that matter most to you.

The primary requirement for this option is that individuals would need to create an account and connect a Roku device to their home router. While this might seem like a small hurdle, it’s worth noting that this setup arguably delivers the most robust and user-friendly experience among the alternatives previously discussed.

Use Streaming Services for Schools 

These are some streaming services for schools that you can consider using. If you want a free streaming service, something like Facebook or YouTube may be the best thing for you. 

You can also consider using your school’s website to host the live stream or a service like Roku. When you create your own platform that you manage and control. WSN can help you can create an option that give you control of all of the content that goes on that platform and avoid the downsides of some streaming options.

Schedule a call with us today to learn more about your options and start streaming your school sports.