NWSL - Live (88+ matches) ???

Discussion in 'NWSL' started by WPS_Movement, Jan 12, 2013.

  1. WPS_Movement

    WPS_Movement Member+

    Apr 9, 2008
    One of the best features for MLS, is its MLS-Live platform online.
    It features 230+ live matches (and video replay on-demand matches) throughout the season, for basically $35.00. And all are in high quality or HD like quality. With the ability to pause, rewind, fast forward, and instant replay button. An online DVR so to speak, when watching replays.

    Why can't the NWSL have something like this?
    Many of the franchises have already stated they will webcast all of their home matches.
    If all franchises can jump in, then this would be a brilliant growth strategy for the league.
    The salary cap was lower than we expected ($200,000 per franchise).
    Each franchise can go in an extra few grand to invest in webcasting all their home matches, and in HD (or high enough) quality. It would be an investment that is well worth it for each franchise, and for the entire league.

    Then, it can be packaged into a league-wide membership, in which fans can go in and pay $25 per season, and have all the matches available on replay. This gives fans a chance to access all matches online, and to donate $25.00 to the league at the same time. The league could have it where all matches webcast live are free (from each team's website), but then if you want to watch on-demand matches from any team in the league, it can be from the league's website for a $25.00 fee per year (for the whole league - every match). Many fans won't be able to watch all matches live (especially on weekends) because they'll be too busy. There are indeed more fans out there than those that travel to watch their team play in person regularly or occasionally even. The league needs to invest in all fans, growth in attendance, and growth in viewership across the entire country and worldwide.

    MLS live is an awesome tool for the MLS.
    NWSL needs to invest in something like this, and even allow international fans living abroad to pay $25.00 (in American dollars) to watch matches on demand, on their own time (because of time difference). Just about any NWSL fan (living in the U.S. or worldwide) would drop $25.00 to be able to have access to all 88 regular season matches. $25.00 is the price of one pizza, one order of breadsticks, and a 2-liter of soda pop these days. If only 10,000 fans (nationally and internationally) pay the $25.00, then that is $250,000 in revenue to the league and its franchises to divide up to help pay for various other expenses.

    Again, the matches can be streamed live for free, but then archived on-demand (all of them) for a one-time membership fee for around $25.00 per year.

    MLS Live:
    http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/

    More on MLS Live:
    http://www.mlssoccer.com/about/faqs

    Please note, this is not the same subscription as MLS Direct Kick (on your television).
     
  2. kernel_thai

    kernel_thai Member+

    Oct 24, 2012
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    It needs to be free. They can try to sell it when there's a demand for it. Right now they need to get the product out there.
     
  3. WPS_Movement

    WPS_Movement Member+

    Apr 9, 2008
    Right, my current proposal is that every live match, and 20 minute condensed replays (on demand) of each match would be free. However, full 90+ minute matches (on demand replay) would be archived for a fee of $2.95 per match, or $24.95 for the entire season.

    If fans miss a match, and don't want to pay, they still can watch the free 20 minute condensed version, which includes all the key action, highlights, goals, great scoring opportunities, great saves, yellow cards, etc.

    If fans don't have 90 minutes of free time to watch a full match, then the 20 minute condensed replay also comes in handy for them.

    For fans that do want to watch full matches, and miss the free live action online, they can pay $2.95 per match, or $24.95 for the entire season.

    These options would suit everyone.

    Here's just another example of how cool this would be for NWSL:
    http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/schedule?year=2012&month=7
     
  4. ceezmad

    ceezmad Member+

    Mar 4, 2010
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Red Stars
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think I would do it in reverse, the 90 minute game for free, the 15 minute review for a price.

    But what do I know.
     
  5. lukephan

    lukephan Member+

    Oct 1, 2012
  6. WPS_Movement

    WPS_Movement Member+

    Apr 9, 2008
    Just use a proxy (VPN) thing.
    You can access any restricted page in the world then.
    You can then log in with a USA, Canada, or Mexico proxy.
     
  7. geerose

    geerose New Member

    Feb 25, 2013
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    I support your proposal totally, would gladly pay in the range you suggest for such a service. I hadn't heard yet that teams will likely webcast, and that's great news to me, but would be even better as you lay it out, hope it comes soon. Go NWSL! :)
     
  8. WPS_Movement

    WPS_Movement Member+

    Apr 9, 2008
    Exactly.
    The live streams need to be free.
    Break it into three segments.

    1.) All Live matches are streamed online in HD, free (live only)
    2.) All matches are stored "on-demand" in HD, $2.95 per match, $24.95 for the entire season pass.
    3.) 20 minute highlight package (of each match) is shown "on-demand" for free.

    If you want to watch the whole match for free, watch it live.
    If you want or have to watch it on-demand, then you pay a small fee.
    However, a "short" (condensed) version of each match (20 minutes or so), is shown on-demand for free.

    The league gets exposure this way, with two opportunities to watch for free, and some money to fund the operation. The on-demand full length match could be up for free for 24 hours (maximum) after each match, and then becomes $2.95 (or $24.95 for season pass) 48 hours after each match.

    The 20 minute free (condensed match) versions are left up for the entire season.

    Why is this approach better than what WPS did?
    Because WPS only archived the Fox Soccer Channel matches on demand.
    It seemed many of the other matches that were streamed, were only streamed "Live", and were not kept on-demand, except for maybe the Red Stars matches.

    This model is also similar to MLS Live.
    Leave up all matches, so fans can refer back to any historic match from earlier in the season (or a previous season), as long as they have the season pass.
     
  9. cpthomas

    cpthomas BigSoccer Supporter

    Portland Thorns
    United States
    Jan 10, 2008
    Portland, Oregon
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think for the present, building attendance is the big thing teams should be working on. The two NCAA Division I women's soccer teams with the highest attendance (Portland and BYU) charge what to see their home games on line, live?
     
  10. WPS_Movement

    WPS_Movement Member+

    Apr 9, 2008
    I feel ya, but there have been all kinds of people in the #woccerchats on twitter, who have claimed they'd be willing to pay (or donate) money to the league, for the league to stream all matches live & on-demand. Their intent is to watch the matches, and to help the league fund them.

    So it would be smart for the league to appease both types of customers (the free ones & pay ones).
    Those that want to watch the matches for free, can do so.
    And those that want to pay to contribute to the league fund some of the costs.

    The paying customer could buy a season pass of everything live and archived.
    The free customer could watch all matches live for free, or condensed version on-demand for free.

    And if you miss a match, you still wouldn't have to pay the season pass to watch it on-demand.
    $2.95 for the full match (on-demand), or the condensed version for free on-demand.

    But all matches streamed live are free, no matter what.
    Heck, they probably won't even have any streamed matches archived on-demand.
    If not, then that's a poor decision.
     
  11. unionchris

    unionchris Member

    Jul 19, 2010
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    There would be a problem with Washington games. They play at the Maryland Soccerplex, and based on past DC United Open Cup games played there, the Internet connection is not strong enough to have games live streamed. Unless they have made upgrades at the facility recently?
     
  12. WPS_Movement

    WPS_Movement Member+

    Apr 9, 2008
    Well, then use an enhanced satellite feed over the web.
    You can stream something from anywhere these days, with the proper technology.

    If BYU can provide the greatest video quality (HD webcast) streaming over the web, from out in the mountains, then there's no excuse. BYU's streaming broadcast is the best video quality for a women's soccer match on the web in the entire world. Best video quality in the world for a women's soccer match, bar none.

    Select "High" quality in the video:
    http://www.byutv.org/watch/c9cf8519-b932-4c3f-b526-6428d65a5010/soccer-w-penn-state-byu-9812
     
  13. kernel_thai

    kernel_thai Member+

    Oct 24, 2012
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    How is it possible byutv doesnt have the BYU/UNC round of eight game on their site? It was a great game that went to extra time and decided who went to the College Cup last year. I know they broadcast it. Ugh!!!!!
     
  14. Cliveworshipper

    Cliveworshipper Member+

    Dec 3, 2006
    [quote="WPS_Movement, post: 27387526, member: 124166"

    If BYU can provide the greatest video quality (HD webcast) streaming over the web, from out in the mountains, then there's no excuse. BYU's streaming broadcast is the best video quality for a women's soccer match on the web in the entire world. Best video quality in the world for a women's soccer match, bar none.[/quote]


    Uh... You do know that BYU just built a $200,000,000 broadcast facility right next to the soccer pitch, right?
    (well, OK, a brisk 5 minute walk away)



    It's not like they are broadcasting from the Kumbu glacier in Nepal or anything.
     
  15. Cliveworshipper

    Cliveworshipper Member+

    Dec 3, 2006

    It's possible because the NCAA, not BYU, owns the broadcast and replay rights to all NCAA tournament games.

    The rest of the regular season games are at byutv.

    http://www.byutv.org/show/54ea01b1-ba85-4620-9f14-a385bcc93502/soccer-w
     
  16. kernel_thai

    kernel_thai Member+

    Oct 24, 2012
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    I was afraid it was something like that. And of course the NCAA, which sports fans pour billions of dollars into, does that so they can make them available for our entertainment on their website :)
     
  17. WPS_Movement

    WPS_Movement Member+

    Apr 9, 2008
    More details are starting to come out.
    Looks like most franchises will be streaming all matches in HD.
    Some franchises will be streaming (and archiving) their matches on YouTube's platform.
    And it doesn't seem that much or even all of it will be geoblocked to fans living outside the U.S.

    But have they dropped the ball in getting a television deal done?
    We're two weeks away from the inaugural match.
     

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