Re: scoreboard, commentary, clock and good camera work...

I really think we are close to f**ked on that score.

Knowing what I do (which is basic) of how live streams work when not simply re-streams of TV footage, basically iFollow appears to be simply the platform for the streaming itself. Livestream or YouTube does this just as well if not better, however iFollow includes the all important billing / authentication / authorisation components which are clearly their top priority.

So while they offer platform itself, the operation appears to be the responsibility of the clubs themselves.

This is why for some games we saw multiple cameras and replays, and for others we had one camera and awful camera work and no replays at all.

Usually on live streams, scoreboard software (including the clock) is provided, but needs somebody dedicated to update it. Scoreboard software for live streams is available commercially and even public domain for many sports so I cannot imagine that it is not available for iFollow. I think this is down to the clubs not wanting to pay another body to sit there for 2 hours updating the score, scorers, start the clock, add the additional minutes etc.

Same for commentary - rather than pay for a couple of really decent commentators they minimise the overhead by having no commentary at all, getting some random bloke from the media team to do it on his own, or just re-broadcast the Radio Norfolk commentary. If they need to choose between these, I would rather they used the RN feed.

So essentially I am pretty sure that most of our gripes are probably down to the clubs failing to employ resources to do the jobs, trying to keep the overhead as small as possible. The only way this will change is if people don't renew, and inform them that this is why they won't renew.

However, the one gripe I absolutely have with iFollow is that the audio isn't ever in sync, and sometimes is way way behind. That is surely a platform issue and it is shocking that it wasn't resolved during the season.

In my opinion, they should charge half the price they do now until their service is on a level that justifies the price.

Posted By: Steve in Holland on June 22nd 2018 at 11:38:47

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