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The first sporting event broadcast on the service was the volleyball squad's 3-2 victory over Creighton University on Aug. 30. That night, four high-definition cameras were used to deliver action that was as professional-looking to those watching as it was exciting.
"This allows us to show volleyball in a slightly different way, by using a professional-style broadcast and incorporating interesting camera angles," says Brian Smoller, Director of KStateHD.TV. "We even used an overhead camera to get some shots that you wouldn't traditionally see in a match."

Along with high-definition viewing, fans appreciate that they can access the games from almost anywhere. "People all over the world are now able to watch us compete, and that's important to our players, especially if their families don't live nearby," says Head Coach Suzie Fritz. "Knowing that our players' families are watching and supporting them is a big part of the environment that we want to foster here."
The telecasts will also have a major impact on recruiting. "From an exposure perspective, the fact that we are now able to reach any recruit in the country is invaluable," Fritz says. "The ones watching our matches will be strongly interested in our program, and this provides us with another way to reach them."

Smoller says the site resulted from the larger goals Director of Athletics John Currie has established for the department. "He has a five-part vision for a model athletics program," he says. "One of those goals is providing a world-class student-athlete experience and another is giving our fans the best experience in the Big 12. This network goes a long way toward helping us reach both."

For the opening broadcast, Smoller teamed up with former Wildcat All-American volleyball player Liz Wegner for a 15-minute pre-game show that previewed the match and included pre-produced video and interviews. During the contest, audio from the existing Kansas State radio broadcast was put over the video, which was shot by students. The telecast also featured live interviews with Currie and Head Men's Basketball Coach Frank Martin.

The network's impact was immediate. KStateHD.TV is part of the "All-Access" membership to the school's Web site and the subscription base jumped dramatically. The telecast was especially popular in Afghanistan. "Our athletic teams have a great relationship with the soldiers at nearby Fort Riley," Smoller says. "Each team forms a partnership with one unit, and we had soldiers e-mailing us saying how great it was to watch the match over there."

Currently, Smoller says the plans are to keep coverage on the network limited mostly to broadcasting games in all sports, profiles of players, archived classic games, and a weekly wrap-up of the 16 varsity sports the school offers. It will carry lectures and other academic events as well.

Fritz is pleased that the network has given Olympic sports an avenue to shine while not becoming a distraction for the players. "Our administration has always been supportive of the Olympic sports teams here, and this network is another example," she says. "And as a team, we're more than happy to take the time to do additional interviews."

Patrick Bohn is an Assistant Editor at Athletic Management.