7 Common Live Streaming Mistakes to Avoid with Sports
7 Common Live Streaming Mistakes to Avoid with Sports
7 Common Live Streaming Mistakes to Avoid with Sports
Streaming your sporting events live properly requires knowing what can hinder your progress. Here are common live streaming mistakes to avoid for sports.
Keyword(s): live streaming mistakes
In the United States, 86% of all live streams involve sports content.
This can only mean one thing: live streaming sports content is a big deal. It's a business idea that can potentially bring in big bucks.
That being said, streaming live events is an endeavor not to be taken lightly. Since live streams with sports content are so popular and well-received by the public, you're going to have to take extra care when live streaming a game.
Live streaming mistakes can tank your viewership and, as a result, your profits. Because live streams show real-time events, you can't go back and edit out a mistake. If you mess up, you may have to live with the consequences.
We want you to live-stream your games successfully, so we've got a few live streaming mistakes to avoid with sports.
1. Not Considering the Weather Conditions
Weather can wreak havoc on live streaming. Anything from rain to dust and pollen in the air can interfere with your signal quality if you're outdoors.
You may have everything set up perfectly at first, but then a gust of wind knocks over one of your tripods, cameras, etc.
If you plan on live-streaming outdoors, ensure that all of your live streaming equipment is well protected from the elements. You don't want it to get damaged mid-game. Make sure to protect your gear with the Apollo Streams weather shields (use even to protect from the scorching sun). And MAKE SURE to stake down your tripods. 9 feet is a long way for a camera to fall.
You can also prepare by checking weather reports in advance. If you know it's going to rain or be very windy; you can take steps to protect your equipment.
A well-prepared broadcaster will always ensure they are equipped for the weather conditions.
2. Focusing on the Wrong Camera
When live streaming a game, it's tempting to focus all of your attention on the main camera. After all, that's what everyone will be watching, right?
Wrong.
Your viewers are going to want to see shots from different angles. If you only show footage from the main camera angle, they'll get bored quickly and move on to another stream.
Be sure to mix up your camera angles throughout the game. Show close-ups of players' faces, wide shots of the entire field or court, and any other interesting shots you can find. You'll keep your viewers engaged and glued to your stream.
3. Not Testing Your Internet Connection
It's easy to forget that live streaming is dependent on your internet connection. A good stream requires a strong, stable connection with the right amount of bandwidth.
Before you set up your live stream, test all of the equipment in advance to ensure it works properly, especially if you're using Wi-Fi to connect. You can also use an app like Speedtest by Ookla to check your upload and download speeds as well as ping (a measure of how fast data travels between devices).
If you have any problems with latency or buffering during testing, troubleshoot them before they affect your actual game-day broadcast. That way, when game time rolls around, everything will be ready for action.
4. Not Explaining the Play
The biggest live streaming mistake for sports is not explaining what's happening during the game. Don't assume your viewers know all the rules and terminology associated with whatever sport you're broadcasting.
Explain what's happening in each play, who is involved, and why it matters. If you're doing a live commentary, have a list of key terms handy that you can use to define them as they come up.
Your viewers will appreciate your efforts to make the game more understandable for them.
5. Not Being Prepared for Technical Difficulties
No one is perfect, and that includes live streamers. Stuff can go wrong at any time, especially during a live broadcast.
Make sure you run a test stream to your platform before game day. There's nothing worse than getting to the field, getting all set up only to find you don't have the proper permissions to stream to your Facebook page or YouTube channel.
Be prepared for technical difficulties by having backup equipment and plans ready to go. If something happens to your primary camera or microphone, have a secondary camera or mic ready for use.
Make sure everything is charged and that you have battery backups for those long tournament days.
If you're streaming via the internet, know your backup plan in case of an outage or system failure.
6. Not Having the Best Video Camera
We've all watched grainy, low-quality live streams of sports games that were hard to watch. It's frustrating, especially if you're a fan of the team playing.
If you want to make your viewers happy, invest in good cameras for your live streams.
The newer your iPhone, the better technology, the better the camera. If you have high-quality streaming, the more enjoyable your viewers will find your stream.
It should also allow replays, scoreboards, and other data to be displayed on the live video stream.
7. Not Promoting Your Stream in Advance
Before you start live-streaming a game, make sure everyone knows about it. Post notices on your website and social media pages to encourage people to watch your stream.
At the very least, post reminders shortly before the event, so viewers have time to tune in.
You can also add promotional graphics to your streams, like a countdown timer or live statistics. Anything to get people excited about watching your broadcast.
By promoting your stream in advance, you'll ensure that more people will tune in and enjoy the game.
The best way to get everyone on the same page every time is to send them to www.ItsGameTime.tv or have them download the Its Game Time app.
Avoid Common Live Streaming Mistakes
Broadcasting live sports takes a lot of skill, practice, and the right equipment. You don't want to make any mistakes that could drive away viewers or ruin your reputation as a reliable source for streaming sports games.
Follow these tips so you can avoid common live streaming mistakes with sports broadcasts.
If you're looking for a live streaming camera that will give you the best possible results, check out Apollo Streams. We offer the world's best video camera for sports with the most advanced multi-camera live streaming app.
Click here to download our Apollo Streams App for FREE and do live stream tests!
