Saddleback College athletics’ live stream hits it out of the park

Saddleback Athletics has found success on YouTube gaining over 5,000 views in one month. Brandon Chavez/ Lariat.

Despite being a success on YouTube, Saddleback Athletics is being neglected

The numbers don’t lie. Saddleback College’s baseball and softball games on the Saddleback athletics YouTube channel are an absolute home run with some videos hitting over 500 views and counting. In one month of operation, Saddleback athletics already managed to qualify for advertisements and has 93 subscribers as of May 25, 2021. The videos uploaded include no editing and use raw camera footage but have earned the channel over 5,000 views total.

Given this success on YouTube, Saddleback would benefit from continuing to stream baseball and softball on the channel, even after the pandemic is over. If they gain an audience with just footage from two sports, imagine what could be accomplished if all of Saddleback’s athletics had game footage online. The school would be hosting in-person viewers and people from online who could choose to watch the game live or at a later date.

It’s really a win-win for both Saddleback and the audience. Saddleback receives short sums of money from video ads and builds up a following, while the people watching get to experience a game from home at their own leisure.

For a while, the Saddleback athletics YouTube channel was on a hot streak, but then newer videos cut out the audio completely, leading to a decrease in viewership. This one error is costing nearly half their audience, but nothing has been done to address this issue. Saddleback athletics is chipping away at its success with something that could be easily fixed.

Heed this advice, and don’t strike out by throwing away this opportunity. Live streaming is a proven success for Saddleback College sports, but it can only be desirable if elements like audio aren’t neglected. Sound goes hand in hand with engagement, and without it, the audience won’t feel as invested in the game.

Instead, buff up on live streaming equipment, bring in editors to enhance the footage and upload more sports to build a bigger audience. Let’s be real, there is no substitute to attending a sports game in person, but online is the next best thing, especially for growing a dedicated following.

The pandemic may be coming to an end, but Saddleback’s use of the internet and online programs are here to stay. Since virtual sports games work now, who’s to say it won’t still be as effective 5 years from now?

So get your head in the game Saddleback athletics, continue using live streaming as its effectiveness will only increase with more uploads. It might be just a small community now, but it can be extraordinary in the future with continued support. You’ve got a shot. Take it, and bring home the W.

Comments

comments