[New Article]Behind the Scenes with David Jackson

[Yosef]

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[/img]YC:  A lot of comparisons are being made between the way Appalachian State and Georgia Southern announced the move up to the SunBelt.  Why did Appalachian choose to have the announcement closed to the public, forcing everyone to use GoASU TV to watch the announcement?

DJ:  We mentioned at the beginning of the press conference that we did not have any options for a large public venue on that date.  Farthing Auditorium is off line while undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation, the Holmes Center was in use for the Harland E. Boyles lecture series, which is one of the main campus events of the year.  Since there was 4-inches of snow on the ground at the time, we elected that an outdoor event would not be feasible either.  The Broyhill Inn has been locked up and vacated and is no longer an option for any use of any type.  With all of that said, the largest room we had access to given the tight turnaround on the Sun Belt’s timeframe was to hold it in the Athletic Center.  Since we are limited in space on the 5th floor, we had no choice but to limit numbers to the event due to occupancy issues.



YC:  GoASU TV seems to have had a lot of problems in the past.  It seems as though this whole production is just like a water balloon:  We have one issue that gets fixed but then another issue instantly pops up.  Other programs don’t seem to have these constant problems.  What is being done to address this in the background?  Is this a funding issue, a software issue, are we trying to do most of this in house or is it a vendor (3rd party provider) issue?

DJ:  I certainly understand this assessment.  As mid-major college programs attempt to build the arsenal needed to create live television, it is all about money and resources. 

I know everyone enjoyed College of Charleston’s stream (baseball) a few weeks back, and they indeed are one of the few schools that has maximized the value of spending money to create a live application that takes them beyond streaming.  They spent over $1,000,000 over the last three years on building a live truck and they have a substantial operating budget to use that equipment to produce HD broadcast quality feeds for both web and live TV.  Because they can produce at that level, they are able to partner with ESPN and ESPN Regional to create content for the ESPN3 platform at the world wide leaders specs (hence the graphics package you see on their stream).  This is where we want GoASU TV to be, and we are actively seeking the funds to create this platform.

We began live streaming in full back in 2006 on a backbone of equipment that was purchased to create 30-minute TV shows and special projects.  With a very few exceptions we are working off the same equipment today.  The funds we generate off GoASU TV subscriptions go directly to the creation of a state-wide radio network and covering the operating expense of our area as a whole.  We’ve never been fortunate to have a capital outlay for creating the infrastructure to truly produce live video at the highest quality.  Much of what we have created has been piecemeal and using staff with imaginations and pride to figure out a way to make things work, be it pieces of the equipment that we have received as part of our video board control center that we strip out and repurpose, or things we have borrowed/been handed down from other areas.  We are working with athletic development on a capital expenditure to help us upgrade our technology and take our place at the top of the chain moving forward.  If this outlay can be attained, we will be able to create a fiber optic control center that will allow us to stream true HD, not the up converted product we are pushing now, from every venue we stream from, and do it at the most stable rate we possibly can.

I’ll also say the marketplace has demanded a much higher expectation of product than most mid-major schools can keep up with.  ESPN3, MLB, NBA, etc can throw millions of dollars of upgrades and push a premium product.  As an example, when ESPN3 comes to do a broadcast (output solely to the internet), they bring a multi-million dollar production truck, use a satellite to send their signal back to Bristol to be encoded, and have a crew of about 15 to pull off their event (an expenditure that costs about $15,000-$30,000 per game to outfit, staff, and crew depending on the location and sometimes even more than that.) 

When we do a GoASU TV stream, we use a Dell tower to encode and have a crew of 3-6, mostly students, and are pushing the same type product to the same destination, with people expecting the end product to be roughly the same.  It takes a considerable amount of money and resources to pull this off.

I would however, beg to differ on the statement that most schools don’t have the same issues.  If you do a comparison of like situations with like resources, you will find that we all have hiccups, especially when the backbone is built on limited resources and lack of copious full-time, professional staff.  Heck, even the Super Bowl had issues this time around.



YC:  At what point do we say enough is enough and dump the GoASU TV product we are using completely for an alternative, proven industry solution that other schools use?

DJ:  The GoASU product is self-generated.  There is no industry proven solution.  Everyone gets the end product to the consumer in a different way.  Some schools have the luxury of using a campus TV station as the backbone of their operation, some pay 100,000s of dollars to bring in a production crew to do it, and some have money invested by the conference office end that helps create a league-wide look to streams (B10 On the Go, ACC, SEC Digital), but that comes from the large pots of money those leagues dedicate to that philosophy.  ASU does not have a TV backbone we can rely on, outside of the student volunteers that we currently utilize.  No matter the platform – Neulion, Sidearm Sports, CBS Interactive, or an in-house application, people have challenges.  You can see this the best in the fact that, at the mid-major level, no stream looks the same.



YC:  What does Appalachian have to say to those who are paying for this service that constantly has outages?  Will Appalachian be offering any type of credit for a month of service or refund?

DJ:  We are working on this and hope to have something to announce soon.  There will be an incentive of some sort offered to all subscribers going forward as a sign of good faith.  Also, we have to be careful of that as there are some outages that are legit and some that are indeed user-end issues.  I can tell by the nature and volume of trouble tickets that get submitted (see them on my phone during games) as to the nature of an issue.  The best thing people can do is to submit one of those tickets when things go wrong so our staff can confirm there is an issue.  The most common user end issues occur when flash player updates are pushed and not downloaded, operating systems are not updated regularly, or internet speeds are compromised.  I can tell you that over 10% of our current subscribers are dial-up customers (still) and they complain the loudest that video doesn’t work – and it won’t – because there is not enough bandwith to do HD over a phone dial-up.  Going forward, we are looking forward to building our video distribution off an adaptive stream technology, where your machine will select the best data rate to see the product (similar to what MLB does now).



YC:  Can you tell us anything else regarding the SunBelt negotiations?  Were we ever in serious discussions to join another conference?  Did Appalachian and Georgia Southern work together to present ourselves as a package deal or did we act independently?

DJ:  I was not heavily involved in those negotiations, but I do know that ASU had contact with multiple leagues about membership over the last several years.  We also produced a video, back in May of last year, that was directed to stakeholders at various campuses that gave an overview of Appalachian State as a program, campus, community and sought to answer as many of the questions that were out there about our intentions and situation.  Fans and supporters have to understand that a lot of the communication about these types of things must remain behind closed doors to protect the integrity of the process.  There were a good many people that worked in the trenches for years on this and I can assure you that there was plenty going on behind the scenes to get Appalachian to this point.