Sports Survey

So I plan on giving this survey tonight to the sports department. I want people to be brutally honest so we can take criticism and apply it next year. With the questions asked, we can really find out what we can do to improve.

This is a survey given to all of our valued members of the Sports Department. Here we are going to ask you questions so we can better understand what we as a professional club, could do better. Please be 100% honest, and please don't be afraid to hurt our feelings. The point is to make this a better operating, and performing entity.

1. I learned about Bearcast Sports by:

2. I joined Bearcast Sports because:

3. How has your time in Bearcast Sports been? Was it what you expected?

4. When you first met the sports department, what were your first impressions? Was there anything that turned you off that was discussed during your very first meeting?

5. What do you consider the biggest weakness of the Sports Department and how do you think it can be improved?

6. What is your opinion of the scheduling process? Do you think it the most effective way to schedule games? How would you do scheduling or what can be improved of the current scheduling method?

7. What do you think of the current equipment used to call the games?

8. Is there something that you'd like to see the Sports Department get more involved with? This year, for example, we started Lexy, ice hockey PBP, and mock draft shows. What events would you like to see us do?

9. Should the Sports department promote more events for Broadcasts, special events (ie Mock Draft), and membership? How do you think we should go about doing this? What do we need to accomplish this (flyers, swag, appearances, etc...)?

10. Do you think you are getting what you want out of Bearcast Sports? Why or why not? What needs to be done to make this extra curricular advantageous to you?

Improving the Sports Department Part 1

So, I have the task of improving the Sports Department, so I've started a little bit of research.

First off, I have emailed Bobby Iddings, the Sports Director at WMUL-FM 88.1, or Marshall University's Student Internet Radio Station. Hopefully he can provide me some insight as to what equipment they use, and how they run the sports department. I looked up the past Sports Play by Play award winners and They were all Marshall University, and one Ithica College. I looked up their radio station, and I don't think they do any sports, anymore. I have never listened to a Marshall Broadcast (although I do plan on it now so I can see what makes them so good), but I just have this gut feeling that they only thing they have on us is better equipment. Sure I know there are a few guys in our sports department that probably don't have it, but at the same time, I am confident that the core of our department is better than theirs.

I started doing some research on the different types of sports equipment, but I want to ask around to see what kind of equipment is the best for what we need. I've also sent an email out to Travis Holmes and Mo Egger, as to what the professionals use when they broadcast remotely.

I also talked with Matt Hueneman about sound and he gave me some ideas. One avenue that could work for us could be using an actual computer and two SM-58 mic's and one condenser mic, and we could broadcast on UStream and have the studio guy patch the feed through, so that we sound a lot better. It's an idea, but I want to keep looking.

I'm in the process of creating the survey that I'm going to give at our sports meeting next Thursday. I want it to be anonymous so that people don't hold back. We need honest criticism.

I have some other ideas of ways to improve, but I'm looking into options right now, and more ideas come to me every day!