CIS - Should teams charge for live streaming?

[Rob]

I've noticed that attendance has been down the past couple of years in the AUS. One of the reasons may be the easy availability of live streaming. I believe charging for streaming would help make up for the lost revenue in ticket sales.

I believe that UofA started the practice last year and now all of Canada West does it. Pretty much all of the NCAA teams have been doing it for years now.

Thoughts?

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[AUS Fan]

I seldom watch streamed games because the guys who announce are awful, except for Len Hawley at Acadia. The quality is suspect most times. So, I would not be in favor of paying.

 

[AdamMcg83]

As someone who calls these games, I'm just interested in an audience - and I think that gets reduced drastically if you require a subscription to watch. I understand your point about attendance, but it might be specific to the AUS - I've been doing webcasts for 6 years at Waterloo, and there has been no tangible difference in the gate numbers. In fact, it might have even increased slightly over the past couple years.

The quality of the feed and/or broadcasters is definitely suspect at some venues, and to improve that would likely cut into any profit margins that the school might gain from subscriptions.

 

[Big Bad Jon]

I enjoy having the flexibility to watch webcasts when my team (UNB) is on the road. I might be willing to pay a few bucks to watch or 20-30 bucks for a season's pass but I would have a hard time spending 10 bucks per game or something like that just given the overall poor quality (UPEI announcers are great though). I can't see myself watching a webcast at home vs. going to a local game, but maybe that is just me. No question, UNB's attendance has been dropping year over year for quite a number of years (although still quit high compared to most CIS teams). Maybe hosting nationals in 2017/2018 will help bring some interest back.

 

[connor macdavid]

As someone who calls these games, I'm just interested in an audience - and I think that gets reduced drastically if you require a subscription to watch. I understand your point about attendance, but it might be specific to the AUS - I've been doing webcasts for 6 years at Waterloo, and there has been no tangible difference in the gate numbers. In fact, it might have even increased slightly over the past couple years.

The quality of the feed and/or broadcasters is definitely suspect at some venues, and to improve that would likely cut into any profit margins that the school might gain from subscriptions.

Completely agree with this last point. Also not sure that there is a significant 'hardcore' audience - outside of UofA, Lakehead, and a handful of AUS schools - which would make a PPV service worth it.

Also doubt that any profits gained from the service would result in higher quality broadcasts.

 

[AdamMcg83]

Completely agree with this last point. Also not sure that there is a significant 'hardcore' audience - outside of UofA, Lakehead, and a handful of AUS schools - which would make a PPV service worth it.

Also doubt that any profits gained from the service would result in higher quality broadcasts.

It's a vicious cycle - people who pay would expect higher quality broadcasts, but you can't pay for higher quality broadcasts without subscriptions. And the wrinkle, as you said, is that it would be hard to guarantee that any monies earned from subscriptions would actually go back into the product.

I don't do play-by-play for the money, but I'm also an amateur broadcaster. If you want a pro play-by-play man, you'll have to pay.

 

[HockeyPuck]

As an AUS fan, I need to be honest, play-by-play is good.... only for several teams ( I guess it's the same over the country). One point too, maybe you guys don't understand the UdeM broadcasters (cause they speak french), but I think they are very interesting to follow. Also, UNB, Acadia and UPEI are really good !

 

[Drummer]

I like Acadia, UPEI and Alberta webcasts - I haven't watched many from the OUA. I'm a UNB fan, but I don't really care for the UNB guys. I'll watch them if I'm out of town, but I prefer to be at the rink when I'm in town.

I don't think attendance is down because of webcasts - I think it's the impact of the current economic conditions we're in. There is less in peoples pockets these days.

 

[HockeyPuck]

True. Students are not involved as they were back in the days too..

 

[Drummer]

True. Students are not involved as they were back in the days too..

This is very true at UNB and has been for a long time.

You would think that more students would be at games given that tickets are 'free' and they have the likely chance of seeing a good game that ends in a victory for UNB (the 'feeling good' approach).

UNB, at home, over the past 5 years is
62-8-0 (League) with 9 shutouts
16-3-0 (Playoffs) with 2 shutouts
4-1-0 (Nationals) with 2 shutouts
20-1-0 (Exhibition) with 2 shutouts

Total = 102-13-0 with 15 shutouts.

That's a .887 winning percentage.

They win close to 90% of the time with a 10% chance of a shutout with an average score of 4 to 2. So, the product isn't bad - it must be perception or just that today's University students just aren't into it.

I also don't think the marketing for the Athletics program is very good. They're still 'old school' - radio and posters. It has to be more engaging.

 

[Dutch]

Here's how I see it.

One of the biggest problem with CIS hockey is how it's hard to get information and stories about it. It's really tough to know what happens to your team when they're on the road, or even, in many markets, for home games that you can't attend.

Webstreams have solved, in some ways, that problem. They're not always great, but they do the job. Can't go to a game ? Watch it online and you may want to go to tomorrows... Remember how the Blackhawks didn't draw when they weren't on television because nobody except hardcore fans knew about the product?

I don't think webstreams should be used as a way to make money off subscribers. It won't work, except maybe at 2-3 schools. Some teams can't even draw fans to their games, how could they even think about selling the stream ?

Webcasts should be used to sell the sport. Use the videos to make highlights reels and archives. Put them on the team website, add a coach interview and you've got a good selling package. It can also help recuiting if used properly. I've been told by a Q player that he was listening to the UQTR games over the internet, which made him choose the school because he knew more about it that way.

And also, sell the freaking thing to sponsors. That way, you'll be able to recoup some of the costs linked to the broadcast and losing some spectators, but also get some more ties with the business community.

 

[Rob]

I don't think webstreams should be used as a way to make money off subscribers. It won't work, except maybe at 2-3 schools. Some teams can't even draw fans to their games, how could they even think about selling the stream ?

.

Yeah, I guess I am looking at it from a UNB perspective. UofA starting charging last year. I think the Vreds should as well for home games.