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.
UP Swim/Dive Finals On MHSAA TV
February 13, 2018
By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
Swimming and diving action kicks off live streaming video coverage of MHSAA Championships on MHSAA.tv and the NFHS Network this week at the Upper Peninsula Swimming & Diving Finals at Marquette High School.
Friday’s (Feb. 16) coverage of the Diving Finals begins at 2:30 p.m., and the Swimming Finals on Saturday (Feb. 17) commence at 10 a.m.
The U.P. Swimming & Diving Finals will be joined this week by live action in Wrestling and Girls Competitive Cheer on MHSAA.tv, with those events being produced by participants in the School Broadcast Program.
School Broadcast Program participants cover tournament games which take place at their facilities as a condition of membership in the program. SBP schools also play a major role in the production of Quarterfinal games in the Boys and Girls Basketball Tournaments in March.
This week, Team Wrestling Regional coverage will take place at Freeland, Fremont and Marquette on Wednesday (Feb. 14), and Competitive Cheer Districts will be covered by Comstock Park and Novi.
The NFHS Network will provide six straight weekends of tournament coverage this winter on MHSAA.tv. Here’s the complete schedule:
- Feb. 16-17 – Upper Peninsula Swimming & Diving Finals
- Feb. 22-24 – Team Dual Wrestling Quarterfinals-Semifinals-Finals
- March 2-3 – Individual Wrestling Finals
- March 2-3 – Girls Competitive Cheer Finals
- March 8-10 – Ice Hockey Semifinals & Finals
- March 13 – Girls Basketball Quarterfinals
- March 15-16 – Girls Basketball Semifinals
- March 20 – Boys Basketball Quarterfinals
- March 22-23 – Boys Basketball Semifinals
NFHS Network subscriptions begin at $9.95 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. School Broadcast Program participants will also be selling Season and Annual Passes at a discounted rate. A portion of every subscription sold by a school goes to benefit its program.
Of the record 115 events on this week’s MHSAA.tv schedule, 72 at the varsity level will be covered, with more to be added as the week progresses. A record 67 events will be produced by schools using Pixellot, the NFHS Network’s automated coverage solution. Be sure to check “Upcoming Events” on the MHSAA.tv home page daily for last-minute additions.
Here’s this week’s MHSAA.tv schedule of video streams being produced by SBP members:
Tuesday - February 13
- JV Boys Basketball - Saginaw Arts & Sciences at Montrose - 4 p.m.
- Freshman Boys Basketball - Kalamazoo Christian at Plainwell - 4:15 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Saginaw Arts & Sciences at Montrose - 4:30 p.m.
- JV Girls Basketball - Greenville at Comstock Park - 5:30 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Fowlerville at Corunna - 5:30 p.m.
- JV Boys Basketball - Stanton Central Montcalm at Fremont - 5:30 p.m.
- JV Boys Basketball - Hartland at Novi - 5:30 p.m.
- JV Girls Basketball - Plainwell at Kalamazoo Christian - 5:30 p.m.
- JV Boys Basketball - Baraga at Dollar Bay - 5:45 p.m.
- JV Boys Basketball - Kalamazoo Christian at Plainwell - 5:45 p.m.
- JV Girls Basketball - Munising at Norway - 6:30 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Hartland at Novi - 7 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Merrill at Vestaburg - 7 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Stanton Central Montcalm at Fremont - 7 p.m.
- Boys Ice Hockey - Houghton at Calumet - 7 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Greenville at Comstock Park - 7 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Saginaw Arts & Sciences at Montrose - 7 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Fowlerville at Corunna - 7 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Rochester at Lake Orion - 7 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Plainwell at Kalamazoo Christian - 7 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Kalamazoo Christian at Plainwell - 7:15 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Baraga at Dollar Bay - 7:15 p.m.
- Boys Basketball – Wakefield-Marinesco at Lake Linden-Hubbell - 7:20 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Gladstone at Negaunee - 7:30 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Munising at Norway - 8 p.m.
Wednesday - February 14
- Wrestling – MHSAA Team Regional Semifinal at Freeland
- Semifinals – 6 p.m. – Birch Run v. Yale; Freeland v. Mt. Morris
- Finals – 7:30 p.m. (Approximate time after semifinals)
- Wrestling – MHSAA Team Regional Semifinal at Fremont
- Semifinals – 6 p.m. - Fremont v. Kent City; Comstock Park v. Grand Rapids Catholic Central
- Finals – 7:30 p.m. (Approximate time after semifinals)
- Wrestling – MHSAA Team Regional Semifinal at Marquette – Marquette v. Gaylord – 6 p.m.
- Wrestling – MHSAA Team Regional Semifinal at Marquette – St. Johns v. Flint Kearsley – 6 p.m.
- Wrestling – MHSAA Team Regional Final at Marquette – 7:30 p.m.
- Girls Competitive Cheer – OK Conference at Comstock Park - 6:30 p.m.
Thursday - February 15
- Freshman Boys Basketball - Hackett Catholic at Kalamazoo Christian - 4:15 p.m.
- Freshman Boys Basketball – Pontiac Notre Dame Prep at Macomb Lutheran North - 4:30 p.m.
- Freshman Boys Basketball - Shepherd at Freeland - 4:30 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Watersmeet at Dollar Bay - 5 p.m.
- JV Boys Basketball - Spring Lake at Comstock Park - 5:30 p.m.
- JV Boys Basketball - Hackett Catholic at Kalamazoo Christian - 5:30 p.m.
- JV Girls Basketball - West Iron County at Calumet - 5:45 p.m.
- JV Boys Basketball – Pontiac Notre Dame Prep at Macomb Lutheran North - 6 p.m.
- JV Girls Basketball - Houghton Lake at Harrison - 6 p.m.
- JV Boys Basketball - Shepherd at Freeland - 6 p.m.
- Boys Ice Hockey - Houghton at Marquette - 7 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Burton Bendle at Montrose - 7 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Clarkston at Lake Orion - 7 p.m.
- JV Girls Basketball - Hackett Catholic at Kalamazoo Christian - 7 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - West Iron County at Calumet - 7:15 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Dollar Bay at Lake Linden-Hubbell - 7:20 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Houghton Lake at Harrison - 7:30 p.m.
- JV Girls Basketball - Shepherd at Freeland - 7:30 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Watersmeet at Dollar Bay - 7:30 p.m.
- Boys Basketball – Pontiac Notre Dame Prep at Macomb Lutheran North - 7:30 p.m.
Friday - February 16
- Upper Peninsula Diving Finals at Marquette – 2:30 p.m.
- Freshman Girls Basketball – Pontiac Notre Dame Prep at Macomb Lutheran North - 4:30 p.m.
- JV Girls Basketball - TBA at Novi - 5:30 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - New Lothrop at Otisville-Lakeville - 5:30 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Burton Bendle at Montrose - 5:30 p.m.
- JV Boys Basketball - Republic-Michigamme at Dollar Bay - 5:45 p.m.
- JV Boys Basketball - Chassell at Calumet - 5:45 p.m.
- JV Boys Basketball - Hillman at Rogers City - 6 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Williamston at Fowlerville - 6 p.m.
- Girls Competitive Cheer – MHSAA Districts at Comstock Park - 6 p.m.
- JV Girls Basketball - Pontiac Notre Dame Prep at Macomb Lutheran North - 6 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Hillman at Rogers City - 7 p.m.
- Boys Basketball – Carson City-Crystal at Vestaburg - 7 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - TBA at Novi - 7 p.m.
- Boys Ice Hockey – Birmingham Brother Rice at Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood - 7:15 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Republic-Michigamme at Dollar Bay - 7:15 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Chassell at Calumet - 7:15 p.m.
- Boys Basketball – Painesdale Jeffers at Lake Linden-Hubbell - 7:20 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Notre Dame Prep at Macomb Lutheran North - 7:30 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Williamston at Fowlerville - 7:30 p.m.
- Girls Basketball – Ishpeming Westwood at Negaunee - 7:30 p.m.
Saturday - February 17
- Upper Peninsula Swimming Finals at Marquette – 10 a.m.
- Girls Competitive Cheer – MHSAA District at Novi - 11 a.m.
- Boys Ice Hockey – Flint Powers Catholic at Lake Orion - 2 p.m.
- Boys Ice Hockey – Detroit Catholic Central at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s - 7:30 p.m.
- Boys Ice Hockey – TBA v. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood - TBA
- Wrestling – MHSAA Individual Regional Fremont - TBA
Monday - February 19
- Freshman Boys Basketball - Midland Bullock Creek at Freeland - 4:30 p.m.
- JV Boys Basketball - Saginaw Arts & Sciences Nouvel at Macomb Lutheran North - 5:30 p.m.
- JV Girls Basketball - Grant at Fremont - 5:30 p.m.
- JV Girls Basketball - Baraga at Calumet - 5:45 p.m.
- JV Boys Basketball – Midland Bullock Creek at Freeland - 6 p.m.
- JV Boys Basketball – Eben Junction Superior Central at Norway - 6:30 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Breckenridge at Vestaburg - 7 p.m.
- JV Boys Basketball - Grant at Fremont - 7 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Baraga at Calumet - 7:15 p.m.
- JV Girls Basketball – Midland Bullock Creek at Freeland - 7:30 p.m.
- Boys Basketball – Eben Junction Superior Central at Norway - 8 p.m.
Tuesday - February 20
- Coed Basketball - Northville at Novi - 4 p.m.
- Freshman Boys Basketball - Delton Kellogg at Kalamazoo Christian - 4:15 p.m.
- Boys Ice Hockey - Escanaba at Calumet - 5 p.m.
- JV Boys Basketball - Allendale at Comstock Park - 5:30 p.m.
- JV Boys Basketball - Delton Kellogg at Kalamazoo Christian - 5:30 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Byron at Montrose - 5:30 p.m.
- JV Girls Basketball - Dowagiac at Plainwell - 5:45 p.m.
- JV Boys Basketball - Tawas Area at Rogers City - 6 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Allendale at Comstock Park - 7 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Delton Kellogg at Kalamazoo Christian - 7 p.m.
- Girls Basketball – St. Johns at Fowlerville - 7 p.m.
- Boys Basketball - Tawas Area at Rogers City - 7 p.m.
- Girls Basketball - Dowagiac at Plainwell - 7:15 p.m.
Wednesday - February 21