SMU games broadcast over the internet - for a fee?!

[EmeraldCityPony]

Hold on a sec... I went to the athletics website to make sure tonight's game was being picked up on an internet broadcast. Turns out it is, but now you have to pay a monthly charge to listen to any of the games??

So I went to the KAAM website thinking for sure they would have a streaming broadcast, but... no dice.

Can't think what the purpose is, you get double-whammied with radio ads anyway, why try to drive away more listeners?

Can't justify shelling out the dough for a monthly subscription because don't know how many games I'll be able to listen to, being on the left coast means most games come on during commute time.

Now I don't usually like to complain but how can you justify charging people to listen to college basketball games on the radio? I'm going to end up missing a lot of SMU basketball this year because of it and that makes me sad.

Bhop-less in Seattle.

[jtstang]

I feel your pain--when I lived in Seattle there was no such thing as internet. Seriously, though, it's only five bucks a month. Stand on principle, not 'cause you can't justify shelling out five bucks a month.

[OldPony]

The $5 per month is nothing but I agree. For SMU to do this is just idiotic. Can't we get a real staion to broadcast our games? SMU alums are spread out accross the country. Every attempt to keep them connected to the school should be made, even for the casual listerner/supporter. If it was streaming video, I would gladly pay (and have when we play Rice and Hawaii). For radio? Come on. I'm sure the extra $100 bucks that the radio station might make is not worth angering fans. The difference last night of the posts of the games progress shows how many of us refused to pay for radio. I guess that is one more attempt to drive away fans. Keep it going and the 1500 will soon be 1,000.

[Pony_Fan]

That is simply ridiculous. I agree, streaming video is one thing but a simple internet broadcast should not cost the listener $$.

Why does SMU drop the ball on so many things?

[RGV Pony]

The webmaster addressed this over on the football board under the thread titled, "what a crappy feed." According to the webmaser, according to SMU, it's KAAM & Yahoo's fault we have to pay five bucks a month.

[PonyCat]

From the Webmaster:
"Talked to an SMU official about this. Here's what I learned.

SMU went to KAAM from KSKY this season beacuse the signal strength was better and it gets better coverage. It is the policy of Crawford Broadcasting, KAAM parent, not to stream audio b/c they were fined by ASCAP & BMI for streaming (this is why some other stations still don't stream) a couple of years ago. B/C of this the only way SMU would be able to get the audio on the net was to contract Yahoo! to carry it. Yahoo charges that fee, unfortunately, but it was either that or no audio at all. SMU will be trying to add value for fans however and will be trying to post some player interviews and post-game audio to increase the bang for the customers' buck."

[Pony_Fan]

I would rather have 660 KSKY. Free internet and whomever needs to listen should go to the game anyway.

[RGV Pony]

Pony_fan: Those of us who need to listen would include those of us at the other end of Texas...or farther...who aren't otherwise able to make it to every game. That's one reason I'm grateful for the relationship w/ The Ticket in football...like 'em or not, that's how many of us keep tabs during football season.

[Pony_Fan]

I meant locally in the DFW area. Free internet bodes well for those of us in the DFW area for the away games as well. Unless they have streaming video, there was no reason to make the change IMO.

SMU - do your research.