The American Digital Network will offer basketball fans more than 80 hours of live online championship programming that will be produced and transmitted by LiveU Sports, LiveU's end-to-end sports production, transmission, and distribution group, for TheAmerican.org, the conference’s official website.
The schedule for The American’s Women’s and Men’s Basketball Championships live shows from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT, March 7-10, and from Memphis, TN, March 12-15 will include 45-minute live pre-game shows ahead of each one of the 18 championship-round games, post-game press conferences, half-time shows, locker room interviews and more, hosted by correspondent Tara Petrolino Sullivan.
The American will also use LiveU technology to stream its Annual Awards Ceremony for Player of the Year and other honors, as well as the bracket announcements ahead of the games.
During the live games at the men’s championship, which will air on ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU, The American will the carry the game radiocasts from IMG College.
The American will utilize a number of LiveU’s cellular uplink solutions, including its new flagship product, the lightweight LU500 transmission backpack. The LU500 offers reliable HD-quality live video transmission by bonding together up to eight cellular connections in a small device that weighs only 2.2 Lbs. In addition, The American will utilize LiveU’s Xtender external antenna for enhanced signal in congested venues, and the LU-Smart app for streaming directly from smartphones.
The footage will be transmitted via LiveU from Connecticut and Memphis to the American production facility in Providence, R.I., where the live shows will be edited and produced. All the solutions will be managed and controlled via the LiveU Central browser-based management system on the cloud.
The Championships coverage follows the launch of The American Digital Network during the 2013-2014 season, for which LiveU successfully provided the production, transmission, and asset delivery of over 40 games and events, including regular season full-length live basketball games, as well as Soccer, Swimming and Diving, and Track and Field Championships.
During a recent half-time show, host John Rooke in The American production facility in Rhode Island was able to have a remote live interview with analysts Debbie Antonelli and LaChina Robinson that were transmitted from iPhones running LiveU’s LU-Smart app, without the need for satellite or a remote crew.
"We are very excited and proud of the successful first season of The American Digital Network," said Tim Prukop, Head of Sports and New Media, LiveU Sports. "The American is trailblazing in regards to the breadth and types of content it offers digitally, and we look forward to some great basketball Championships coverage".
“The American's digital team and LiveU Sports will be offering unprecedented access to events and activities at our men's and women's basketball championships that will supplement ESPN's game telecasts," said Commissioner Michael Aresco. "We are committed to using the latest in media technology to offer fans an inside look at our championships and to provide them with ancillary coverage of their favorite schools and student-athletes."