So What About Next Year's Webcasts?

Assuming we're pretty much screwed for this year, since Athletics already signed a contract, what options do we have for next year's webcast?

1) Is the contract binding for more than one year or can it be cancelled at the end of this year?

2) What are the real technical requirements? What mix of operating systems and audio/video players must be supported (be reasonable)? What are the bandwidth requirements? What are the tech support requirements, especially for anyone needing help during a game?

3) What are the hardware/software options for whatever gets decided above?

4) How much does each option cost? Is there a reasonable expectation that the cost can be covered by on-going donations (past the first year), the Cornell Hockey Association or some alumni dept of Cornell? (Or the Athletics budget - ha!) If not, what are the payment options that would fairly cover the expense? Is there a way to pay-per-game, with a relatively inexpensive per-game fee, so that the people who use the service the most also pay the most?

I don't care if an individual or a company runs the service, either should be compensated for the expense. I also don't care about the plans from any other school. If the schools aren't in on some package deal, what anybody else does is irrelevant.

Christine Quinn wrote:

Assuming we're pretty much screwed for this year, since Athletics already signed a contract, what options do we have for next year's webcast?

I'm not prepared to assume the contract runs through the end of the season until I hear that definitively. The experience with the ECAC pulling out of Placid shows that just because a deal is announced doesn't mean there's a binding contract. Perhaps we need someone to pull a Spaceman and get their hands on the document.

I believe I heard at some point that it was just one year, but they shouldn't expect my help if it is. Too late for that.

Age,

I completely understand your anger and hurt from the way Athletics has treated you. And based on passed behavior it seems 99% like they wouldn't even consider contacting you...

BUT, if they did by some miracle, realize you'd really be doing it for us... for JTW and Al and all the alumni and fans who aren't in Ithaca. Besides, if doing it as a purely voluntary thing is too hard for you to consider, maybe you'd be okay if you just asked they redeem your costs. Even if they had to do that by charging listeners a buck for a year's subscription, I think you know we'd all sign up for two . So don't consider it helping them, it's helping the alumni and fans.

Of course, this is all assuming that the IP pricing doesn't make the whole thing prohibitively costly... which it probably would anyway.

-Fred