Paying to watch D2 football

[SRU 88]

We saw these two years ago when we had to pay to watch D2football playoffs through the NCAA website, then last year if you wanted to watch the playoffs you had to subscribe to ESPN+


Now with Flosports having affiliations with the GLIAC, GMAC, NE-10 and other conferences, you will have to pay to watch the games. If you want to watch the ROCK play Franklin Pierce you have to be a Flosports subscriber, next year when IUP plays at Ashland, IUP fans will have to pay to watch. This is just not football, it seems to be all sports within the conferences affiliated with Flosports.


Will the PSAC partner with Flosports or another provider in the future??

[EastStroud13]

Flosports kills casual interest in leagues. I really hope the PSAC doesn't go down that path but I fear it's probably inevitable.

[Ship69]

Flosports kills casual interest in leagues. I really hope the PSAC doesn't go down that path but I fear it's probably inevitable.

My cable bill is ridiculous now. There's now way I'd get involved in some subscription plan to watch D2 games that didn't involve Ship on a regular basis. One of the best things about the PSAC currently is the ability to watch games across all sports. They'd get few TV subscriptions if they tried such a plan, and it would do nothing to boost in-person attendance. If your teams weren't doing well, there would be zero incentive to pay an extra charge to watch them.

[Tdobson]

That is the only reason I watch IUP, because it is free. Grrrr

[iupgroundhog]

I usually subscribe to Flo just to watch postseason wrestling tournaments in February and March. I realized the other day I'm still paying for it because I forgot to cancel the monthly subscription. Might as well just stay on it now since they control all the sports.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Will I bite the bullet and pay? Yes.

Will the more casual fan? No chance.

I'd guess your average PSAC football broadcast probably gets 200 viewers. Maybe (probably) less. Perhaps 40 of them will pay. That may even be generous.

To me, it's the sport I like and it is a cheap entertainment option. Most won't see it that way.

[Ship69]

Will I bite the bullet and pay? Yes.

Will the more casual fan? No chance.

I'd guess your average PSAC football broadcast probably gets 200 viewers. Maybe (probably) less. Perhaps 40 of them will pay. That may even be generous.

To me, it's the sport I like and it is a cheap entertainment option. Most won't see it that way.

I'm fine with going to live games as a retirement option. If I can catch PSAC games witihout paying a premium for them, fine.

[Chuck Norris]

I didn’t know my Disney+ subscription included ESPN+ until the national semis when I just happened to stumble upon the Rock-Ferris game. I don’t know what, if anything, ESPN’s new streaming service will do to that arrangement. Hopefully I’ll be able to watch the playoffs. I will not pay to watch D2 football on a stream on principle alone, never mind the possibility that stream quality could be terrible on many different fronts (video, camera work, bad announcers).

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I didn’t know my Disney+ subscription included ESPN+ until the national semis when I just happened to stumble upon the Rock-Ferris game. I don’t know what, if anything, ESPN’s new streaming service will do to that arrangement. Hopefully I’ll be able to watch the playoffs. I will not pay to watch D2 football on a stream on principle alone, never mind the possibility that stream quality could be terrible on many different fronts (video, camera work, bad announcers).

In fairness, if you've been watching the IUP streams you are well-used to Blair Witch-style camera work and awful announcing. It can't get any worse.

Our announcers on the video feed don't even know our own players names.

Although I must say the Valley Girls became a thing a year ago.

It's such a shame to bury Jack on the radio.

[Mikefln]

A few D3 conferences switched to Flosports a few years ago. The average payout per school was found to be $25k a year. Lets say Flo is willing to pay a premium for D2 and each school gets $35k per year, is that worth alienating your fans? I realize funds are tight and every little bit helps, but in this case, i dont think the juice is worth the squeeze. That barely pays 1 scholarship, more than likely some equipment. Remember this is not a football deal or basketball deal, it's all sports.

So a school gets $35k a year for all sports, and nothing else. They do not get assistance with coverage. In fact, part of the deal is the schools agree to raise production quality. That is an investment in and of itself.

[Wallst]

https://themiaanetwork.com/ The Miaa is run through Hudl. $10 a week gets you all games plus replays if wanted. I travel a lot and dont always have access to the internet so im not sure what a season pass is. Can also sign up for yearly pass for all sports all seasons. Pros: its cheap and easy and can be watched on your schedule. Cons: each university is responsible for the broadcast. Some are done with the world's 1st flip phone camera with student commentators still hung over from the night before who have done no homework on the home team much less the opponents. Others are legit well done. Its a crap shoot. Ours is middle of the pack. When you pay it asks which university you want the proceeds to support so "some" of the purchase trickles back to the university.

[Wallst]

In fairness, if you've been watching the IUP streams you are well-used to Blair Witch-style camera work and awful announcing. It can't get any worse.

Our announcers on the video feed don't even know our own players names.

Although I must say the Valley Girls became a thing a year ago.

It's such a shame to bury Jack on the radio.

I have not heard the IUP announcers. They haven't made the playoffs the last 2 years which is when I started watching other teams feed the first 2 weeks of D2 playoffs. Honestly best $10 i spend a year. The difference in action, accents, fan bases, bands, and quality of streaming production and announcers is startling and so fun.

As bad as IUP's might be, I will put Western Colorados announcers against them. The play by play guplant see and the color guy is in a monotone coma and im fairly sure he helped Noah build the Ark

[Chuck Norris]

In fairness, if you've been watching the IUP streams you are well-used to Blair Witch-style camera work and awful announcing. It can't get any worse.

Our announcers on the video feed don't even know our own players names.

Although I must say the Valley Girls became a thing a year ago.

It's such a shame to bury Jack on the radio.

I totally get that everybody has to start somewhere. If the stream is free, I have no issue putting up with imperfections (although really bad camera work does test my patience).

It really hasn’t been an issue for me since IUP has yet to make the NCAA playoffs in football or men’s basketball since D2 pay per view became a widespread thing. If and when they do I suppose I’ll bite the bullet if I must.

[Fightingscot82]

Flo, Hudl, etc. are all money grabs. I'd honestly rather watch a free in house broadcast with the radio call as the audio or student announcers than paying $10 for some local schmo imitating Chris Berman.

[SRU 88]

Flo, Hudl, etc. are all money grabs. I'd honestly rather watch a free in house broadcast with the radio call as the audio or student announcers than paying $10 for some local schmo imitating Chris Berman.

Money grabs for who?? Seems like it is a conference affiliation, Do the individual schools get a piece of the pie??( probably just the burnt crust)