Regionals on TV?

[rachakate]

Originally Posted by Mr MOE

Do you have any details about this broadcast, such as

- start time and end time
- confirmed channel (# and name of channel)
- can satellite dishes pick this up?

Thanks! Great initiative here!

It is Time Warner - Channel 4 (Educational Access). I'm pretty sure this is only going to be shown in the Rochester area. But! I believe that it will be uploaded after the competition. If I find out differently, I'll update info here.

[lynca]

I remember watching matches from a few different regionals throughout the season in 2003 on NASA TV (#205 in Houston, TX area). I'm not sure why this has been limited just to Kickoff and Championship.

[RyanZ]

i remember seing it on spike tv one time

[dlavery]

Originally Posted by lynca

I'm not sure why this has been limited just to Kickoff and Championship.

The reason is simple - $$$$

Every year, NASA (and every other sponsor) has to make decisions about how to allocate available resources, which are finite. This year we had to decide whether to use some of those resources to provide NASA TV coverage of a regional competition, or to provide financial support for three additional teams via the regional challenge grants. Was that the right choice? It can be argued either way. The three teams that received the grants obviously would think so. But all the teams and communities around the country that might be exposed to FIRST if we were able to broadcast the regional competitions might see it differently. It can be argued that the potential long-term benefit that could come to the entire FIRST program outweighs the potential short-term benefit of three additional teams in the 2008 competition.

We will face the same decision regarding allocation of (limited) resources next year. Should we make the same prioritization that we did this year? We would be interested in hearing any (constructive) comments and input.

-dave




.

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by dlavery

We will face the same decision regarding allocation of (limited) resources next year. Should we make the same prioritization that we did this year? We would be interested in hearing any (constructive) comments and input.

This suggestion sounds like a poll would be helpful, Dave.
People could contribute their thoughts as well but it would give you some numbers to look at. For example, I might vote in a poll but not express an opinion regarding NASA supporting teams vs. supporting televised viewing of regionals.

[Steve W]

Originally Posted by dlavery

The reason is simple - $$$$

Every year, NASA (and every other sponsor) has to make decisions about how to allocate available resources, which are finite. This year we had to decide whether to use some of those resources to provide NASA TV coverage of a regional competition, or to provide financial support for three additional teams via the regional challenge grants. Was that the right choice? It can be argued either way. The three teams that received the grants obviously would think so. But all the teams and communities around the country that might be exposed to FIRST if we were able to broadcast the regional competitions might see it differently. It can be argued that the potential long-term benefit that could come to the entire FIRST program outweighs the potential short-term benefit of three additional teams in the 2008 competition.

We will face the same decision regarding allocation of (limited) resources next year. Should we make the same prioritization that we did this year? We would be interested in hearing any (constructive) comments and input.

-dave




.

Dave, I believe with NASA being so supportive with the web casting that your support of individual teams is #1. There is an opportunity for people to see FIRST on the web or Discovery Channel (in Canada anyway) that the impact you make on team members is priceless. It would be good if more businesses followed NASA's example because the impact that could be made and spread through individuals can make huge changes in or society.

Discovery Channel in Canada is an official sponsor. They play clips from FRC all year. It is amazing that when I talk about FIRST now that many people speak up and remember the ads. It makes it a lot easier to make connections since Discovery Channel came on board.

[Ryan Dognaux]

Originally Posted by Steve W

Discovery Channel in Canada is an official sponsor. They play clips from FRC all year. It is amazing that when I talk about FIRST now that many people speak up and remember the ads. It makes it a lot easier to make connections since Discovery Channel came on board.

I wonder how hard it would be to get the U.S. Discover Channel on board? Don't get me wrong, I love watching re-runs of Mythbusters and It Takes a Thief, but it seems to me they could actually use something like this to liven up their rerun ridden programming. I think the world can live a few days without seeing hours of How It's Made. And maybe since there's already an 'in' with Discover Channel Canada, perhaps someone could contact the U.S. channel and show them how successful this has been.

[Steve W]

Discovery Channel is an official sponsor of the GTR. They do a complete beginning to end WEBCAST of our event. Unfortunately it has not made public TV. Small steps I say. Discovery Channel does put many spots for advertising FIRST on the TV which really makes an impact. I can't tell you how many people say that they saw the ads when I mention FIRST. It is a slow process but it is making inroads.

[notaPINKtruck]

Originally Posted by dlavery

The reason is simple - $$$$

Every year, NASA (and every other sponsor) has to make decisions about how to allocate available resources, which are finite. This year we had to decide whether to use some of those resources to provide NASA TV coverage of a regional competition, or to provide financial support for three additional teams via the regional challenge grants. Was that the right choice? It can be argued either way. The three teams that received the grants obviously would think so. But all the teams and communities around the country that might be exposed to FIRST if we were able to broadcast the regional competitions might see it differently. It can be argued that the potential long-term benefit that could come to the entire FIRST program outweighs the potential short-term benefit of three additional teams in the 2008 competition.

We will face the same decision regarding allocation of (limited) resources next year. Should we make the same prioritization that we did this year? We would be interested in hearing any (constructive) comments and input.

-dave

.

I know this is sort of a non-answer to the question allocating a finite resource, but I think the solution is that NASA needs to give more money to FIRST...and Congress needs to give NASA more money in general.

Not that I'm biased or anything...

That being said, since broadcast time is so expensive relative to bits, I think more focus should be put on improving the scope and quality of the already existing webcast system. If we could get every competition webcast in high resolution, we would provide a mechanism through which FIRST teams around the country could participate in the action throughout the season, rather than just at their competition. Imagine a FIRSTtv internet broadcast system that ran during competition season each year.

What's more, if local teams could convince local public TV or cable access to air the competitions, a high quality webcast would be sufficient for porting to broadcast (the current artifacted 320x240 just wouldn't cut it, but smooth 640x480 would be fine for OTA or cable).

Just my $0.02.

[FRANK(WGH)]

I've been thinking about regionals on TV for a couple of days and I think I've come up with a model for TV stations to grab a hold of. Being that I'm a telecommunications student at Youngstown State University, I know a little about the subject and I know what we would have to do to get FIRST on TV Live. Problem is, you're probably not going to get all of what you want.

FIRST regionals are too long and not interesting enough to devote full coverage. I say that because this is 6 about hours of programming each day of competition. A producer would have to come up with content for between matches, and the station would have to devote a whole production crew for these two days to get the job done. That is why most stations wouldn't show the entire competition.

I do believe that we could get partial coverage of a regional. I'm thinking that a production crew could shoot the full event, then edit together the best matches for a production on Saturday. The broadcast would start around 10 or 11 on Saturday morning and then go live once eliminations start.

I think that many more stations would grab a hold of that idea.

Discovery Canada did a great job with GTR last year and I think it was great that they did the entire weekend. I would love to see more stations do that, but perhaps we should start them off with a simple alternative to get them interested.

Unfortunately, I'm a little to late for this to happen this year, but I'm hoping to get Fox Sports Ohio or SportsTime Ohio to shoot buckeye next year.

Webcasts are a really great thing and I think that more teams could take over this responsibility in the future. CIA team 291 did in Pittsburgh and it turned out great from what I know. It wasn't cheap, but with a few sponsors on a wrapper page, this is definitely possible.

[Pavan Dave]

Originally Posted by FRANK(WGH)

FIRST regionals are too long and not interesting enough to devote full coverage. I say that because this is 6 about hours of programming each day of competition. A producer would have to come up with content for between matches, and the station would have to devote a whole production crew for these two days to get the job done. That is why most stations wouldn't show the entire competition..

Sorry for the profanity but how about mentioning the "C" word? Commercials? With a FORD or GM commercial between the matches and livelier emcees maybe we could swing some votes over?

[ZakuAce]

The Wisconsin Regional was covered locally by Channels 6 and 12 that I know of. Apparently, I was in both of the short stories they did (One was the Friday morning driver meeting and one was our robot in action!). It certainly is a start, and I bet it was 1714's letter to the mayor that helped get us up there.

[jacob07]

Originally Posted by Pavan Dave

Sorry for the profanity but how about mentioning the "C" word? Commercials? With a FORD or GM commercial between the matches and livelier emcees maybe we could swing some votes over?

Don't know if you have been to any Michigan regionals but Dave is a pretty "lively" EMCee

[George A.]

Originally Posted by Pavan Dave

Sorry for the profanity but how about mentioning the "C" word? Commercials? With a FORD or GM commercial between the matches and livelier emcees maybe we could swing some votes over?

Yeah I don't know how much more lively you can get than Dave standing on his head, Mark Leon flipping through the air, or Blair riding around on Rollerblades.

But some sponsors might take on to getting air time. GM and Ford probably would like to get their name out there more (though they don't need it.)

[Steve W]

I have been talking with Discovery Channel for the GTR. I believe that they may try and do a high def feed. I have gotten them a second DSL so we shall see.