Otisville-LakeVille First SBP Using Pixellot
January 31, 2017
By John Johnson
MHSAA Communications Director
A challenge to schools wanting to stream live video of their athletic events to their communities is being able to adequately staff those productions.
“We had signed up for the School Broadcast Program over a year ago and we were really excited to get our games out to the community, and when it came to it, we just couldn’t get the manpower to run the equipment,” said Drew Johnson, the athletic director at Otisville-LakeVille High School in Genesee County. “That first day, we had everything lined up, we were ready to go, and two of our three kids missed school that day for being sick. It was just a hassle.
“So when we heard about Pixellot, it was a quick and easy decision.”
Just three weeks ago, LakeVille became the first school in Michigan and one of the first in the country to install a Pixellot unit in its gymnasium, automating the process of streaming live video on MHSAA.tv and the NFHS Network.
Pixellot is a unit equipped with four High Definition cameras that cover the length of the playing surface and then focus in on the ball and player movement to deliver the action. The unit communicates with the scoreboard to insert a time and score graphic on the screen. Ambient audio is picked up by the device, but the play-by-play of an in-person announce team can also be patched in.
All that has to be done from a school’s perspective is type in the event schedule, and promote the fact that the games are available on MHSAA.tv. Pixellot does the rest. The unit can also be set up to isolate a camera on a fixed location, which allows for activities like wrestling to also be streamed.
“We’re going to do everything that takes place in our gym,” Johnson said. “We’re also excited about being able to record our practices as well.”
Johnson added that the school will look into installing additional Pixellot units at its middle school auditorium for musical events and LakeVille’s outdoor athletic fields in the future.
In its eighth year, the School Broadcast Program gives members an opportunity to showcase excellence in their schools by creating video programming of athletic and non-athletic events, with students gaining skills in announcing, camera operation, directing/producing and graphics.
The program also gives schools the opportunity to raise money through advertising and viewing subscriptions.
All sporting events – Live or On-Demand – are available on a subscription basis only for their first 72 hours online. They become available for free, on-demand viewing approximately 72 hours following their completion.
Here’s the schedule of events School Broadcast Program members plan to stream over the next week for broadcast at MHSAA.tv.
Tuesday, Jan. 31
- JV Girls Basketball - North Branch at Otisville Lakeville, 5:25 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Goodrich at Davison, 6 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - North Branch at Otisville Lakeville, 6:45 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Williamston at East Lansing, 7 p.m. (On Demand)
- Girls Basketball - Hopkins at Plainwell, 7 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Hudsonville Unity Christian at Cedar Springs, 7 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Birmingham Seaholm at Lake Orion, 7 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Negaunee at Calumet, 7:20 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Goodrich at Davison, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 1
- Wrestling – Quad at Cedar Springs, 5:20 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Leroy Pine River at Beal City, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 2
- JV Girls Basketball - Birch Run at Otisville Lakeville, 5:25 p.m.
- JV Girls Basketball – Coopersville at Comstock Park, 5:30 p.m.
- JV Girls Basketball - Oscoda at Rogers City, 6 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Birch Run at Otisville Lakeville, 6:45 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Oscoda at Rogers City, 7 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Gaylord at Alpena, 7, p.m.
Friday, Feb. 3
- Ice Hockey - Grand Rapids Catholic Central vs. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood @ MIHL Showcase, 4 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Lowell at Cedar Springs, 5:30 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Burton Atherton vs. Montrose, 5:30 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Allegan at Plainwell, 6 p.m.
- Ice Hockey - Notre Dame De La Baie Academy vs. Detroit Catholic Central @ MIHL Showcase, 6 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Coopersville at Comstock Park, 6 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Lapeer at Davison, 6 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Allegan at Plainwell, 7 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Burton Atherton vs. Montrose, 7 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - McBain at Beal City, 7:30 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Coopersville at Comstock Park, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 4
- Ice Hockey - Notre Dame De La Baie Academy vs. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood @ MIHL Showcase, 12:40 p.m.
- Ice Hockey - Novi vs. Detroit Catholic Central @ MIHL Showcase, 6:50 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 6
- JV Girls Basketball – Hillman at Rogers City, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 7
- JV Girls Basketball - Grand Rapids West Catholic at Comstock Park, 5:30 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Midland Dow at Mt, Pleasant, 5:30 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Greenville at Cedar Springs, 7 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Grand Rapids West Catholic at Comstock Park, 7 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Midland Dow at Mt. Pleasant, 7 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Chassell at Calumet, 7:20 p.m.
Be sure to check the Upcoming Events page at MHSAA.tv for schedule additions every day.
The NFHS Network has announced new pricing for 2016-17, eliminating the Day Pass and lowering the cost of a Month Pass to $9.95. Subscribers will have access to all live video and streaming statistics across the country. All content becomes available for free, on-demand viewing 72 hours after being shown live. Some schools also will be selling Annual Passes at a discounted rate. A portion of every subscription sold by a school goes to benefit its program.
A complete list of participating schools can be found on the School Broadcast Program page of the MHSAA website.
Fans also can access scores of games in-progress on the NFHS Network website via ScoreStream. Click on the Scores button in the upper right corner.
A weekly staple on the MHSAA.tv website and the MHSAASports Channel on YouTube is back for another year with highlights of selected games last week produced by members of the Association’s School Broadcast Program.
This week’s highlights package consists of clips from last week’s Bark River-Harris at Powers North Central boys basketball game in which the Jets set a state record for consecutive boys hoops victories, an ice hockey game pitting Detroit Catholic Central at Brighton in a battle of two of the top teams in the state and a demonstration of Pixellot in action during a boys basketball game with Millington at Otisville-LakeVille.
Schools interested in becoming a part of the School Broadcast Program should contact John Johnson at the MHSAA Office.
PHOTOS: (Top) A laptop shows the variety of angles for the Pixellot and the calibration of its four cameras. (Middle) This Pixellot hangs at midcourt at Otisville-LakeVille High School.
MHSAA TV Live Broadcasts Return
September 8, 2020
By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
A new season of live high school sports coverage is underway on the NFHS Network and MHSAA.tv, with the coming week’s schedule packed with boys soccer and girls volleyball action.
More games than ever before will be available online beginning this season, with approximately 260 MHSAA member schools taking part in the School Broadcast Program with Pixellot units being installed at their athletic facilities or schools still producing games using traditional hands-on student crews.
Pixellot is the NFHS Network’s automated production solution. More than 400 Pixellot units are already installed or about to be installed in high school stadiums and gymnasiums around the state. The NFHS Network has been offering schools up to two free Pixellot units since early July – with the schools only needing to cover installation costs.
Additionally, MHSAA regulations regarding live video broadcasts and streaming have been relaxed during the pandemic to allow schools to use their choice of means to distribute games to fans who are unable to attend because of government-imposed spectator limits. Third-party broadcasters – like local television stations and cable television outlets – also are allowed to originate games live.
In the coming week, more 300 events will be available on the NFHS Network/MHSAA.tv. Monthly subscriptions are $10.99. Click for a complete list of upcoming games and for a complete list of on-demand games.
Fans can also type their school name into the search field on the MHSAA.tv page to search for events. Here is a list of varsity sports events being broadcast over the coming week:
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL (Home team listed first)
Wednesday – Sept. 9
Multi-team Event @ Pontiac Notre Dame Prep - 5 PM
Niles vs. Berrien Springs - 6 PM
Stevensville Lakeshore vs. Portage Northern - 6:30 PM
Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood vs. Royal Oak Shrine Catholic - 6:30 PM
Petoskey vs. Traverse City Central - 6:30 PM
Traverse City West vs. Gaylord - 7 PM
Cadillac vs. Alpena - 7 PM
Macomb Lutheran North vs. Allen Park Cabrini - 7 PM
Hemlock vs. St. Louis - 7:30 PM
Thursday – Sept. 10
Grand Rapids Christian vs. Grand Haven - 5 PM
Mt Morris vs. TBD - 5:30 PM
Grand Blanc vs. Linden - 5:45 PM
Grand Rapids Catholic Central vs. Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills - 6 PM
Armada vs. Richmond - 6 PM
Harbor Beach vs. Brown City - 6 PM
Kinde North Huron vs. Mayville - 6 PM
DeWitt vs. Williamston - 6 PM
Fowlerville vs. St Johns - 6 PM
Auburn Hills Oakland Christian vs. Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest - 6:30 PM
South Lyon East vs. White Lake Lakeland - 6:30 PM
Flint Powers Catholic vs. Midland - 6:30 PM
South Lyon vs. Waterford Kettering - 6:30 PM
Macomb L'Anse Creuse North vs. New Baltimore Anchor Bay - 6:30 PM
Negaunee vs. Ishpeming - 6:30 PM
Grand Rapids South Christian vs. Wayland - 7 PM
Hopkins vs. Wyoming Godwin Heights - 7 PM
Fremont vs. Big Rapids - 7 PM
Maple City Glen Lake vs. Buckley - 7 PM
Bear Lake vs. Mason County Eastern - 7 PM
Gladstone vs. Escanaba - 7 PM
Friday – Sept. 11
Marquette vs. Eben Junction Superior Central - 6:30 PM
Saturday – Sept. 12
Cadillac vs. Big Rapids - TBA
Novi vs. TBD - 8 AM
Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian vs. TBD - 8:30 AM
Corunna vs. TBD - 8:30 AM
Mt Morris vs. TBD - 8:30 AM
East Kentwood vs. Rockford - 8:30 AM
Multi-team Event @ Mason – Part 1 - 8:30 AM
Caro vs. TBD - 9 AM
Cedar Springs vs. Greenville - 9 AM
Multi-team Event @ Petoskey - 9 AM
Cadillac vs. Essexville Garber - 9 AM
Pellston vs. TBD - 9 AM
Multi-team Event @ Petoskey - 1 PM
Multi-team Event @ Mason- - Part 2 - 1:30 PM
Peck vs. TBD - 6 PM
Monday – Sept. 14
Multi-team Event @ Pontiac Notre Dame Prep - 5 PM
Fenton vs. Holly - 5:15 PM
Flint Kearsley vs. Swartz Creek - 5:15 PM
Linden vs. Flushing - 5:15 PM
Bay City John Glenn vs. Essexville Garber - 5:30 PM
Corunna vs. Goodrich - 6:15 PM
Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood vs. Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett - 6:30 PM
Calumet vs. Marquette - 6:45 PM
Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian vs. Comstock Park - 7 PM
Morley Stanwood vs. Holton - 7 PM
Harrison vs. Sanford Meridian - 7:30 PM
Tuesday – Sept. 15
East Grand Rapids vs. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern - 6 PM
Peck vs. TBD - 6 PM
Kinde North Huron vs. Kingston - 6 PM
Williamston vs. Eaton Rapids - 6 PM
Romulus Summit Academy North vs. Dearborn Henry Ford Academy - 6 PM
Harbor Beach vs. Ubly - 6 PM
Cedar Springs vs. Middleville Thornapple Kellogg - 6 PM
Wayland vs. Lansing Catholic - 6 PM
Mayville vs. Akron-Fairgrove - 6 PM
Chesaning vs. Durand - 6:15 PM
Gladstone vs. Ishpeming - 6:30 PM
Westland Huron Valley Lutheran vs. Bloomfield Hills Roeper - 6:30 PM
St. Clair Shores Lake Shore vs. Marine City - 6:30 PM
Northville vs. Canton - 6:30 PM
Painesdale Jeffers vs. Dollar Bay - 6:30 PM
Galesburg-Augusta vs. Kalamazoo Christian - 6:30 PM
Grand Blanc vs. Flint Powers Catholic - 6:30 PM
Negaunee vs. Escanaba - 6:30 PM
Novi vs. Hartland - 6:30 PM
Brighton vs. Salem - 6:30 PM
South Lyon vs. South Lyon East - 6:30 PM
Sterling Heights Parkway Christian vs. TBD - 6:30 PM
Calumet vs. Hancock - 6:45 PM
Marquette vs. Wakefield-Marenisco - 7 PM
Big Rapids vs. Newaygo - 7 PM
Plymouth Christian Academy vs. Livonia Clarenceville - 7 PM
Cass City vs. Vassar - 7:30 PM
St Charles vs. TBD - 7:30 PM
BOYS SOCCER (Home team listed first)
Tuesday – Sept. 8
Ithaca vs. Alma - 5:30 PM
St. Joseph vs. Kalamazoo Loy Norrix - 6:30 PM
Stevensville Lakeshore vs. Portage Central - 6:30 PM
Cedar Springs vs. Middleville Thornapple Kellogg - 6:45 PM
East Grand Rapids vs. TBD - 6:45 PM
Bloomfield Hills vs. TBD - 7 PM
Saline vs. DeWitt - 7 PM
Livonia Clarenceville vs. Bloomfield Hills Roeper - 7 PM
Walled Lake Western vs. South Lyon East - 7 PM
Walled Lake Central vs. Waterford Kettering - 7 PM
Freeland vs. Birch Run - 7 PM
White Lake Lakeland vs. South Lyon - 7 PM
Brighton vs. Howell - 7 PM
Wednesday – Sept. 9
Plainwell vs. TBD - 6 PM
Hemlock vs. Standish-Sterling - 7 PM
Thursday – Sept. 10
Manchester vs. Stockbridge - 5:30 PM
Warren De La Salle Collegiate vs. Detroit Catholic Central - 6 PM
Chesaning vs. Otisville LakeVille - 6 PM
Stevensville Lakeshore vs. Richland Gull Lake - 6:30 PM
Grand Rapids Catholic Central vs. Middleville Thornapple Kellogg - 6:45 PM
Clare vs. Ogemaw Heights - 7 PM
Bloomfield Hills vs. Oxford - 7 PM
South Lyon vs. Walled Lake Northern - 7 PM
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep School vs. TBD - 7 PM
Troy vs. Berkley - 7 PM
Livonia Clarenceville vs. Romulus Summit Academy North - 7 PM
South Lyon East vs. Walled Lake Central - 7 PM
Brighton vs. Novi - 7 PM
Howell vs. Salem - 7 PM
West Bloomfield vs. Utica - 7 PM
Freeland vs. Bay City John Glenn - 7 PM
Friday – Sept. 11
East Grand Rapids vs. TBD - 4 PM
White Lake Lakeland vs. Walled Lake Western - 4:45 PM
Madison Heights Lamphere vs. Warren Woods-Tower - 7 PM
Saturday – Sept. 12
Multi-team Event @ Pontiac Notre Dame Prep - 9 AM
Monday – Sept. 14
Ithaca vs. Hemlock - 5:30 PM
Manchester vs. Quincy - 5:30 PM
Vicksburg vs. Allegan - 6 PM
Grand Blanc vs. Midland - 7 PM
Madison Heights Lamphere vs. Macomb L'Anse Creuse North - 7 PM
Grand Rapids South Christian vs. East Kentwood - 7:15 PM
Tuesday – Sept. 15
Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood vs. Macomb Lutheran North - 4:30 PM
Stevensville Lakeshore vs. Battle Creek Central - 6:30 PM
Petoskey vs. Cadillac - 6:45 PM
Grand Rapids Catholic Central vs. Cedar Springs - 6:45 PM
Livonia Clarenceville vs. Plymouth Christian Academy - 7 PM
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep vs. TBD - 7:30 PM
Now in its 12th year, the School Broadcast Program gives members an opportunity to showcase excellence in their schools by creating video programming of athletic and non-athletic events with students gaining skills in announcing, camera operation, directing/producing and graphics. Pixellot – The NFHS Network’s automated streaming solution – is used by schools wishing to live stream games, but lacking the ability to staff the events. The program also gives schools the opportunity to raise money through advertising and viewing subscriptions.
NFHS Network subscriptions begin at $10.99 a month. Subscribers will have access to all live video and streaming statistics across the country. All content becomes available for free, on-demand viewing 72 hours after being shown live. A portion of every subscription sold by an SBP school goes to benefit its program.
A complete list of participating schools can be found on the School Broadcast Program page of the MHSAA Website.