I had more thoughts today on the power of democratization of live video. Ustream’s solution for live interactive television over the Internet
differs in two important ways from traditional television:
1) It is turnkey and easily scalable, which means that it is both easy and economical to broadcast shows on a much smaller scale. TV networks require audiences in the millions to be viable; Ustream broadcasts can be successful with a handful of viewers. Yet Ustream broadcasts can also scale up to over 100,000 viewers without a problem.
This means that it’s easy to broadcast shows, and that Ustream provides the scalability broadcasters need to take advantage if their program turns out to be a hit.
2) It is live and interactive, which means that viewers can interact with each other, or even the broadcaster during the course of the broadcast. This makes Ustream videos a highly engaging experience. Instead of watching a game while sitting alone in a hotel room, you can watch with your friends. You can even yell back at the video, and the broadcaster might actually listen.
This week I’ve been following a great local sporting event the Yarmouth Mariners VS Lumber Kings from the Lobster Pot Tournament. Traditional TV would never broadcast this hockey game–they could never make enough money to offset the costs. But the fans that tuned in got to watch their favorite team live, and carried on quite a lively running commentary in the associated Ustream chat room.
Ustream is the solution that lets local sports and other events to compete with the big boys. Why watch Oakland Raiders or Dallas Stars for the umpteenth time when you can watch the teams and people you really care about?
OH NO YOU DIH-ENT!!!!! I surely must have misunderstood that line about “Why watch Oakland Raiders or Dallas Stars for the umpteenth time when you can watch the teams and people you really care about?” Nope, I reread it and that’s what it said. Are you some kind of crazy?!?!?!? THE DALLAS STARS IS THE TEAM I CARE ABOUT AND WANT TO WATCH!!! Furthermore, I would be the happiest person in the world if I could watch a hockey game every night, regardless of who was playing. Why is it that people like you that apparently don’t care for hockey think that the whole world should think YOUR WAY. I know that football is pretty much a god to most men, and then comes basketball and maybe baseball. You should try to think out of the box a little and try something different. Those sports do not compare in any way to the physicality of hockey and, I might add, hockey is also a very mental sport. Maybe that’s why so many don’t want to learn about it. They know it takes too much brain power to know what’s going on. Hockey and soccer players are the most physically fit of all team sports and then tennis players come in that group too. I’m certain that there are probably some Oakland fans in this area as well. You just stepped on a lot of toes. BTW, you know my screen name, what is yours? Please don’t put the Stars down again just because you don’t want to take the time or energy to learn the sport.
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StarsRule-
I hear you man, but I’m afraid you have completely missed the point of the post.
Btw, I’m from Dallas and love the Dallas Stars.
Brad
The beauty of Ustream is the way it will enable all fans, not just the fans of the major sports franchises, to follow their favorite teams.
StarsRule, the Stars do kick ass (remember all the awesome goals that Modano scored over the years?). I think Brad is just trying to say that soon folks who are as passionate about their high school or minor league teams as you are about the Stars will be able to get the same thing you do: live broadcasts of their favorite team’s games.
The Yarmouth Mariners and their fans deserve a chance to be on TV too!
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