ISU Announces Radio Deal To Carry All MVC Baseball Games

[msreason]

Well, it is hard to believe, but ISU has reached a deal to carry all Missouri Valley Conference games live on radio and streamed on the internet: (See full story at gosycamores.com)



TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State Director of Athletics Ron Prettyman announced today (July 8) a deal has been reached between Indiana State, in conjunction with Nelligan Sports Marketing, and Crossroads Communications on a three year agreement making The Crock 92.7 FM and ESPN Radio 1130 & 1300 AM the flagship radio home of Sycamore Athletics. The agreement includes all football and men’s and women’s basketball games. Additionally, all Missouri Valley Conference baseball games will be carried along with other selected sports, including post-season coverage.


Now, what about the home, non-conference games? Will the Campus station continue to do those? In a way, this is good...but in a way, it could be a step back if the non-conference home games are not aired.

[jlandrus23]

Are the road games going to be covered too or just the home games?

[msreason]

The release indicates that all MVC games will be carried. A few other schools had this kind of coverage last season.

[BankShot]

We need ALL games covered...the IU/Louisville/Mississippi St. games, etc. are rare opportunities to project ISU professionalism OUTSIDE the "box," which is one of the steps necessary in scheduling UPGRADES and enhancing our NATIONAL image.

[TJames]

finding advertisers in the terre haute community willing to bankroll all those broadcasts will be tough.....we used to take the school station with us on those non-conference trips...especially during the big spring trips south and to major non-conference schools.....

[msreason]

While the school announcers are not as polished...that would be a good idea...but there are costs associated with that scenerio, too...and I guess it is harder fro the non-athlete announcers to miss classes.

[TJames]

to get advertising on the campus radio station...they would run university commericals, psa's (public service announcements) and an occasional outside business commercial....as for student broadcasters missing classes, we would work that out the same as we did with the players themselves...they would be on the same road trip study sessions as the players....otherwise they wouldn't be allowed to travel......i well remember being on the road....at a hotel in arkansas or someplace in the south on a spring trip....and having the dining room set up for study sessions....players were told to bring their books, notebooks, etc., and be prepared to study during an extended road trip.....sometimes a tutor would travel with us.....

[BankShot]

If the WISU kids want a real life expose on the life of a sports broadcaster, this would be an ideal situation, but I would think that some sort of scholarship assistance or collegiate credit would be needed from their end also, as compensation for their efforts.

I just feel that we need to ELIMINATE the gaps of media coverage to attract and develop passionate fanhood.

[msreason]

I recieved an answer from Ron Prettyman regarding the start of stadium construction...which I posted on the construction thread. I also e-mailed him back about the non-conference radio coverage. Should have a reply in a day or two. I'll post it when I get it.

[TJames]

a collegiate division i baseball program....you can't buy that experience....we had a lot of very good young broadcasters during that time, like john sherman, t.r. harlan, john michael vincent (now on 1260 am here in indy)...who moved on to bigger and better things....we also had some major busts...lol...but on the whole, we had some very good young sports broadcasters......

[BankShot]

Another option is to read the active teletype of the game and re-create the broadcast from WITHIN the TH-based studio, which probably takes MORE talent that being at the game!

WGBF - Evansville's MARV BATES, who was killed in the '77 UE plane crash, was a master of this technique while broadcasting the E-ville Triplets AA & AAA MLB games during the late 60-s & 70's.

[4Q_iu]

BShot -

Wouldn't that technique be a step backward? With today's technology and the ability to listen via broadband, satellite, etc State should be looking forward...

[TJames]

back in the early and mid-1990s.....i was the sometimes color man on the road games....and then when the regular play-by-play guy had to take a bathroom, smoking or food break...lol...i was handed the keys to the broadcasts....lol....i did middle inning play-by-play.....it was fun once i got used to it...even got a few compliments on it....lol.....told everyone i was trying to imitate harry carey, jack buck and ken "the hawk" harrelson all at once...lol....but it came out pretty good....if i do say so myself...lol......one of my old bosses, eric ruden (who had a background in radio himself) once asked me who was doing the middle inning play-by-play for a particular game...i told him it was me...he didn't believe me...at first....lol.....he said it sounded too professional...lol......

[BankShot]

BShot -

Wouldn't that technique be a step backward? With today's technology and the ability to listen via broadband, satellite, etc State should be looking forward...

If the opposing institution is in the same $$$ boat as ISU, the technology you describe may NOT be available and thus, what other options do you have?

BTW, from a broadcast/journalism/multi-media perspective, the in-studio GAME RE-
CREATION is a novelty in it's own and COULD be a real delight to listeners, given the skills & creativity of the broadcaster.

[BankShot]

back in the early and mid-1990s.....i was the sometimes color man on the road games.......

TJ,

Why don't you become the "Voice of Sycamore Baseball?"

[msreason]

Here is the reply from Ron Prettyman concerning the campus radio station picking up the games at home that are NOT being carried by the commercial station. What he is saying is that we need to convey our thoughts to urge them to pick those games up!

We will work with the campus station as much as possible. We will be on commercial radio for all MVC baseball games and playoffs. We will make all games available to the campus radio station if they want to cover them. We do not oversee the campus station, so you may want to get a list of people together and then communicate with the campus station to see if they will do more games this year than just the ones on commercial radio. They have heard it from us. They may need to hear it from some of our listeners too in order to reinforce their involvement.

Ron

Does anyone know who to contact? We need some e-mail addresses!

[4Q_iu]

Do schools PAY TV and Radio stations to broadcast or do radio / TV stations pay to broadcast?

Agree, that technique is a novelty but not living w/in LOS of WTHI or WISU, I need / want a cable/satellite TV or broadband or satellite radio package to catch the Sycamores.

I have cable TV now, some options but catching MVFC games is next to impossible in my neighborhood; satellite radio is OK, though currently, a listener receives the home announcers, so when the Trees are in Carbondale; I'd be forced to listen to Mike Reis, Greg Starrick INSTEAD of Brian Fritz and Matt Renn. I'm OK w/ that aspect I just want to listen to the Trees.

Tip off is ~125 days!

[TJames]

dave sabaini...he is the head of the campus radio station...and has always...or at least used to be....very open to broadcasting isu athletic events.....

[TJames]

in this case nelligan......and stations bid on the rights dependent on what they view is interest from the community at-large...if there is a groundswell for game broadcasts...and the respective stations can sell sufficient advertising to cover it costs...then that's how interest is generated....

[TJames]

...but all the stations want too much money.....in order for it to happen......but if anybody out there has some cash that they want to put to good use...feel free....lol.....

[4Q_iu]

Makes sense; I'll stay tuned to learn my options, on this side of the mountains, for on-line and cable/sat coverage