If you want your school to develop a reputation as one of the best high schools in your district, then you need something that sets you apart. Perhaps you are known for being excellent in sports, so you need to consider going the extra mile and live-streaming your sports events.
It might sound complicated, but if so, read on. Our professional team has plenty of experience in successful live sharing, and in this guide, we’ll offer our top five tips.
1. Use High-Quality Equipment for Your Live Streaming High School Sports
If you want to launch a successful live-streaming event, then start with the right equipment. It’s the foundation of any streaming because high quality equals reliability. Here is some of the equipment you’ll need:
High-Definition Cameras
It’s crucial you opt for a high-definition camera because, during a fast-paced game like basketball, you want a camera that will capture all the detail and action as it’s happening.
Stationary Tripod
For the most professional recording, you need a camera that remains stable throughout the game. That’s why you should always invest in a good stationary tripod. That way, your viewers won’t experience a lag when watching every pass and shot during the game.
An External Microphone
A good quality external microphone will give you the clearest sound during your live stream. It’s better than the typical built-in microphone because it helps you avoid picking up distracting background noises.
It will also help you convey the exciting court atmosphere as well as any commentary you offer viewers during the live stream.
LED Lighting
You may also need to bring in extra lighting depending on the school building and what’s already in place. Portable LED lights are best for this job to help counter any dim areas of the court.
2. Reliable and Speedy Internet
Connectivity is crucial for live streaming, and your internet needs to tick two boxes:
- It must be reliable
- It needs to be high-speed connectivity
Let’s look at both of these in more detail. For reliable connectivity, you’ll want the school setup to have hardwired Ethernet rather than WiFi.
This setup gives you the most dependable connections in a crowded sports venue with lots of spectators. That reliability will ensure your stream doesn’t go down in the middle of the game, ruining the experience for your viewers.
Limit other devices on the network to ensure no interference could damage the quality of the live stream.
Reliable connectivity also means having a backup plan should something go wrong during the game. Consider using a 5G router or portable mobile hotspot as a fallback option.
In terms of speed, you want connectivity that offers at least 10Mbps. This will ensure your viewers experience smooth, high-definition images on their screens throughout the high school sports game.
Always run a test before the big day to ensure everything is running as it should. It will allow you time to troubleshoot any technical issues.
3. Plan Tour Camera Angles Before the Big Day
If you are an amateur camera operator, you will need to spend some time getting a feel for the camera before the live stream so that your viewers can enjoy the best picture of the game.
A good placement will help bring the game to life and make it exciting for viewers watching from home.
If you are filming a basketball game, begin your setup by positioning the camera elevated and around mid-court. This spot will give your audience an advantageous viewpoint, positioned to see both offensive and defensive moves during the game.
Set up your tripod and camera and do a test recording, ideally with some students on the court, so that you can see details such as lighting. If you have the budget, set up a secondary camera for your live streaming.
Place this near the baseline as a camera to pick up close-ups of players, moves, and winning shots. Again, carry out a test run to ensure the lighting and position are what you need.
4. Display Graphics During the Game
Sports graphics can make your livestream more professional and entertaining. They also make it easier for your audience to follow the game they are watching.
Keep things simple so that the graphics don’t become unmanageable or unreliable during the game. Start with a straightforward scoreboard and clock, as that is the standard your audience will expect when watching a live sports game.
This is particularly valuable to your audience to help them track some of the more fast-paced moments in the game in case they want to refer to it later in conversations or news write-ups for the school.
If you want a more advanced layout, you could introduce a player lineup with key stats before the start of the game, which will help build excitement and buzz.
Make sure you think about the school branding to ensure it looks polished. Choose the school colors and include the school logo along the top or bottom of the screen.
5. Promote Your Live Streaming Services for Sports Before the Event
Don’t forget that the measure of success for any livestream is having plenty of viewers to enjoy the event. So don’t forget to promote your live stream, telling people where, when, and how they can watch the game.
Share the link to your email list at school and on social media pages. If you have a school newsletter, include the information in that too. Have easy-to-follow steps that explain to the audience how they will be able to access the live stream and what they can expect.
Don’t forget to send a reminder a day and an hour before the event, as sometimes people will forget to add it to their calendars.
Sports Live Streaming for the Best High Schools
Live streaming has the potential to offer a new and exciting dimension to the sports events at your school. If you want to join the ranks of the best high schools in the country, it’s a feature you should consider.
WSN Live can create the professional livestream you desire for your next sports event. Contact us today to find out more about our live streaming services and how we can help you set it up in your school.
