(02-10-2023 02:27 PM)TribePride91 Wrote: I used to watch at least 8-10 Hofstra and UNCW games in addition to all the Tribe games, pre-Flo Sports. Now I watch none. The local market stuff is fine for you guys and I get it, but for Tribe fans that are scattered several hours from Williamsburg or those without cable at all, it doesn't work.
The price for FLO is not worth it to me. Not willing to pay the fee. But admittedly, I have never had it. As such, I have watched more games in other conferences the last 4 years. With other streaming products, you get more total content for a lower price and even content to appeal to nonsports fans. Even though the broadcast quality was sometimes meh, I could always access it in the past via the schools individually. I don't love everything on ESPN for sure, but it is easy and convenient for sports viewing. Plus, games are available to watch later or delayed if scheduling is a problem. All at a price much lower than FLO with vastly superior content. I'd be fine with Peacock or Paramount or whatever as well, just something that broadcasts to a much wider audience than FLO. Plus, with other streaming, you can cancel and do things month to month in a more affordable way.
I'm a UNCW fan first so the only sports content I passionately care about is UNCW basketball, baseball, some soccer, softball, volleyball, etc. For what amounts to $10 per month, I can watch all things UNCW for not much more than the cost oo one meal at Chic Fil A. I can also rewatch games I miss or just for the fun of going back.
Whether i'm a big fan of Flo Sports is irrelevant, it is what it is and I want to watch the games since i'm not a local in Wilmington and can only attend a few games. The fact our contracts with CBSSN and Flo are getting better financially, there are requirements to improve broadcasts, and there are more games on the CBSSN is at least a step in the right direction. Those who are in charge of athletic departments and those who run the universities obviously are seeing a benefit to this arrangement.
This looks like a "one step at a time" process to me. CAASports provided each school the opportunity to produce their own broadcasts. At first, they were just awful with single fixed cameras for many schools. After the first year they slighly improved overall. Once FloSports came on, the production levels began to increase pretty dramatically IMO, although there are certainly differing levels of production. Now we are seeing the conference placing production level requirements to assure the CAA is putting out a quality product across the conference. If the CAA is going to expand our viewership in the future, we cannot put the cart before the horse and do so with low quality production broadcast widely. The question then becomes "what's the next step?"
Based on the fact we are enhancing our relationship with the CBS Sports Network, it seems logical expanding even further with the CBS broadcast family is the next step. It's likely we just weren't there yet and the enhanced production requirements will overcome a barrier that existed. It could also be that CBS is looking to see what the CAA can do now that we are completely out of the "Covid years". Don't forget that we never fully had an chance to see what could happen with Flo since games were cancelled and fans weren't permitted at games over two seasons.
So, i'm willing to support what we have, knowing that what we have is expanding and improving. We'll see what happens in four years.