Horizon League, CSTV Networks Partner to Provide Free Live Video Web Casts of Men's, Women's Basketball Games
Dec. 28, 2005
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The Horizon League and CSTV Networks, which operates CSTV: College Sports Television and CSTV.com, announced Wednesday (Dec. 28) an extended partnership to provide free live video web casts of all conference men's and women's basketball games not otherwise cleared on television outlets.
Horizon League All-Access will feature more than 125 live men's and women's basketball games during the 2005-06 season featuring each of the conference's nine member institutions. The webcasted games, which also will be archived for later viewing, can be accessed via the "All-Access" link on the League's official web site at www.horizonleague.org. In addition, some televised games may also be available via CSTV.com. Unlike many video web casts, all games will be available free, provided viewers have registered on the site.
The web casting initiative with CSTV.com is a product of the Horizon League's new television budget redistribution plan, which was approved by the League's Executive Council in June. The new plan focuses resources on the institutional level and allows the schools the freedom to broadcast their teams in their local markets or make them available via the All-Access web casts. Under the plan, all 144 of the League's men's and women's regular-season conference basketball games will be available on local, regional or national over-the-air or cable television, or via web casts.
"We are excited to be able to take advantage of this new technology, which we believe is the future of television, and expand our partnership with CSTV," said Horizon League Commissioner Jonathan B. LeCrone. "With the broadband distribution platform, our member schools will be able to market their basketball programs to fans across the country and around the world via the web. It should be especially beneficial to reaching potential recruits' and current student-athletes' families as well as displaced fans and alumni."
The full slate of live coverage of Horizon League games on CSTV.com begins this Thursday, Dec. 29, with three women's and one men's conference games. Thursday's women's schedule features the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee at the University of Detroit Mercy at 7 p.m. ET, Youngstown State University at Butler University at 7 p.m. ET and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay at Loyola University Chicago at 8 p.m. ET. On the men's side, Loyola plays at Cleveland State University at 7 p.m. ET. Horizon League men's and women's basketball tournament games in also will be available via All-Access if not being produced for a regional or national carrier.
"College fans have voracious appetites for their teams and their sports," said CSTV CEO Brian Bedol. "CSTV is dedicated to making games available through as many platforms as possible, and online programming certainly provides one of the most convenient and effective delivery systems for fans anywhere in the world."
CSTV Networks has been the web site provider for the Horizon League since November 2004. Its network of nearly 250 official athletic web sites includes those of League schools Butler, Cleveland State, the University of Illinois at Chicago, Loyola and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
What they're saying about the Horizon League's new video web casting venture ...
Beth Couture, head women's basketball coach, Butler University
"We're very excited about the commitment the Horizon League and its schools have made to make our games available to fans. The League has taken the first steps to promote women's basketball to a larger audience and really is on the cutting edge with this endeavor. This is going to be great for our team, our fans and recruiting for all the league schools."
Mike Garland, head men's basketball coach, Cleveland State University
"The addition of the online broadband telecasting will give our league the recognizable exposure needed to show just how good basketball is in the Horizon League."
Mickey Barrett, head women's basketball coach, University of Detroit Mercy
"At first I was skeptical - looking at why it would not be a good move forward. However, after seeing all the potential of web streaming, I can only imagine how many alumni and fans will have a great opportunity to follow their teams. This is the first step in reaching out to all those who truly are interested in our teams."
Tonya McGowan, Associate A.D./Senior Woman Administrator, University of Illinois at Chicago
"UIC is part of a league which is always on the cutting edge of new experiences for its student-athletes. I am extremely pleased that our parents, fans and others can follow the Flames throughout the season with the use of broadband technology. If I am traveling, in the office or at home, it is nice to know I can follow the Flames and their rivals simply by turning on my computer."
John Planek, Director of Athletics, Loyola University Chicago
"The Horizon League initiative of streaming live our League games puts us ahead of the technological curve when compared to other conferences around the country. Anytime you can distinguish yourself among your peers it's beneficial. We look forward to providing this unique delivery to our alumni, fans and especially student-athlete family members."
Tod Kowalczyk, head men's basketball coach, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
"Our basketball program at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is extremely excited to be a part of the Horizon League's decision to be on the cutting edge of technology and provide TV/broadband online services. It will greatly enhance our recruiting opportunities by providing this service so that families can see all the Phoenix games live on the internet. I know our fan base is equally as excited, as they also get the chance to follow their team for all road games much more closely! It is a great concept that has a huge future in college basketball, and I am very proud that our league is on the ground floor."
Deanna D'Abbraccio, Associate A.D./Senior Woman Administrator, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
"Our fans and prospective student-athletes have become so technologically sophisticated and computer savvy that they immediately go to the web for entertainment and to find answers. Web casting and game tracking have become a way of life for UWM fans. It's the next great way to follow the Panthers and other Horizon League teams. The Horizon League is out ahead of others in this initiative."
Mike Cusack, Director of Athletics, Wright State University
"The web casting initiative by the Horizon League allows us to not only make all of our games available world wide, it gives us the opportunity to experiment with a technology that has unlimited possibilities. It is a credit to the Horizon League and the institutions that they were willing to attempt such an ambitious and creative undertaking. In the years to come what we are doing now will seem very simple, but it will have given us the platform to expand the exposure we can give all of our student athletes and our institutions. The only thing that can limit what we can do with the technology is our imaginations."
Tisha Hill, head women's basketball coach, Youngstown State University
"It is truly a testament to where we are going as a League. Having complete access to all men's and women's games over the internet will assist not only in the recruiting process for both programs, but will enable our fans to track us wherever we may be competing."
