July 9, 2014

The clock is ticking down for the launch of the SEC Network, and South Carolina is ready to maximize its opportunities for national exposure. After investing in technology, equipment and personnel, South Carolina aims to broadcast all home events for most of its varsity sports in year one of the network.

“This is the inaugural launch of a new network,” says Mark Slice, South Carolina’s Associate Director of Live Productions and Engineering. “We want to be a driving force within that network.”

The SEC Network officially launches on August 14. The Gamecocks will host Texas A&M at 6 p.m. on Thursday, August 28 to kick-off the network’s live sports programming and the 2014 football season.

“Our goal is to have every home event in those sports produced for our fans to watch, whether it’s by ESPN or us.” Charles Bloom, Senior Associate Athletics Director

The network is a collaboration between the conference and ESPN which will provide SEC content 24/7, and will include all 21 of the league’s sports. Overall, the SEC Network will air more than 1,000 live events.

“When you talk about 1,000 events, you’re talking about 450 live events on the linear channel, which is the channel you get on your TV at home,” says Charles Bloom, Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Affairs. “A minimum of 550 events will be on the digital channel, which is the web site. All of the digital events will be produced by the institutions.”

The network guarantees a minimum of 40 events per school to be broadcast on the digital side via the SEC Network web site. South Carolina wants to do more. A lot more.

South Carolina will produce approximately 120 live broadcasts for home games of men and women’s soccer, volleyball, men and women’s basketball, baseball, softball and sand volleyball, in addition to what is produced by the SEC Network and other television networks.

This means it’s up to the university to produce and staff a network quality broadcast.

“We have made a goal here to produce as many events as possible,” Bloom says. “Our goal is to have every home event in those sports produced for our fans to watch, whether it’s by ESPN or us. We feel that this would put South Carolina on the higher end of the number of events that schools will produce for the SEC Network.”

Gone are the days of live video streaming of Gamecock home events on South Carolina’s web site through a single camera. However, fans watching the locally produced events on the SEC Network’s digital platform will enjoy a better broadcast experience.

From Left to Right: Justin Stoll, Mark Slice, David Cockfield

“The ESPN minimum standard is a four-camera operation along with their graphics package,” says David Cockfield, South Carolina’s Director of Live Productions. “It is our goal that if you’re watching a game from here on the digital tier, you should not be able to tell the difference between our game and the ESPN network live event.”

For each broadcast, Cockfield, Slice and Justin Stoll, Assistant Director of Productions and Graphics, must assemble a team of 21 people to make it happen. That includes camera operators, production staff and on-air talent. When games are being broadcast simultaneously from any of South Carolina’s athletics facilities, the number of staff needed will double.

“We think we have the number of people, including students and freelancers to do it,” Cockfield says. “There are just three of us down here full time, so we are identifying on air talent and other positions we need as well.”

While only a few of the 14 SEC institutions have already had the necessary broadcast facilities and technology in place to assure multiple broadcasts from their locations, Athletics Director Ray Tanner is determined to make sure all of South Carolina’s programs and facilities are showcased.

“The University of South Carolina has made a seven-figure investment to get the SEC Network production unit off the ground on campus,” Bloom says. “We’re definitely going to be in the top quarter of the SEC in terms of the commitment we make. Coach Tanner has made the commitment and wants us to do as many of the events as we can and have them done well.”

A big part of that investment was installing underground fiber optic cable between the various venues on campus and tying them back to the control room so everything can be sent back to the SEC Network in Charlotte.

“Coach Tanner said we’re going to get out there and get up front,” Cockfield says. “We want everyone to see what we can do. It’s a large undertaking, and you have to understand that we’re in the TV business now.”