Bill's Blog: Streaming from Soccer

FAYETTEVILLE — As the Razorback football team has a full dress rehersal this evening, the Razorback futbol team has its home opener under the lights — and the cameras of RazorVision.

Tonight marks the first two-camera streaming video from soccer at Arkansas, the first of several enhancements planned for this year’s on-line productions. Tune in at 7 p.m. for RazorVision members to see Arkansas and Air Force.

This past Wednesday, Bobby Petrino Live steamed for RazorVision members, and that audio feed will continue the rest of the year. Don’t forget to submit your questions as well.

The main website blog will see more events this season, and plans are being finalized to bring more writers on board for other sports.

But back to the stream. We’re excited to have the cameras and the dedicated switcher — a TriCaster for the tech geeks — to allow us to utilize the originally designed camera positions at Razorback Field. Knowing the height and angle of a small stadium, the concept was to use two camera that would "hand off" as the teams traversed the pitch.

Even when broadcast comes to Razorback Field, they have stayed with the traditional midfield shot, and that always leads to a wider shot than necessary. Next time at soccer, we will add a field level camera for cutaways and close-ups.

Fans of the large library of steaming video from RazorVision will appreciate the change, as well as the multi-camera productions anticipated for volleyball. We were already three or four camera for gymnastics, and of course with the work done to support the video boards at basketball and baseball, three camera as well.

We’re pretty sure this will make us the only soccer team in the neighborhood doing multiple cameras on the web streams.

Things to look for next week — RazorRock events, including video packages and coverage of the Friday pep rally and Dave Van Horn tossing out the first pitch at the Travelers-Naturals game.

First match of the Razorback adidas Classic just finished, so time to head to the broadcast booth and reset for tonight’s Arkansas-Air Force showdown.

Til next Friday from Little Rock — GO HOGS!