New look, same feel: KSAM Sports reveals new broadcast plans for Huntsville athletics
Aug. 4—HUNTSVILLE — With the upcoming arrival of the brand new Huntsville ISD Stadium, KSAM Sports has launched a brand new way to watch Huntsville athletics.
The games will still be broadcasted for free on YouTube, but will move from being under SHN Sports to being under their own YouTube Channel.
Now to watch the games, it will be under the 101.7 KSAM channel. The move also allows some more liberties and freedoms for KSAM's operations manager Bryan Reeder and play-by-play Carlos Zimmermann.
The broadcast is set to feature multi-camera options and a complete play-by-play, analyst and sideline reporter.
"The biggest thing is the video broadcast," Zimmermann said. "For a while, it was two cameras but now we are looking for a full multi-camera operation. My colleague, Jordan Smith, has been hard at work since December making on-screen graphics. It will be an interactive broadcast."
The only real change will be on the video side and giving viewers the feel of a bigger broadcast and a better feel for what is happening in the game.
KSAM having its own broadcast network gives them the opportunity for more off-field things with YouTube Shorts and clips.
The channel will also run the coaches' show which will move to Monday night.
"We also can do more off-air stuff," Zimmermann said. "YouTube has a 'shorts' feature that will allow us to put short clips out there. It will add a lot of elements that this town has never seen before."
With Huntsville playing four road games this season, it is expected to bring the major set up, but it can depend on the location of the event.
Not only does football get the upgrades, but the multi-cam aspect will also translate to the other sports the KSAM Sports broadcasts with the multi-camera operation.
"Usually, when we went on the road we took more of a minimalistic approach because it was other people's facilities," Zimmermann said. "It will depend on the facilities that we are going to. The new equipment we purchased allows us not to be as bound by an HDMI cord, it's going to be more wireless. This will be beneficial for us for all of the sports."
With changes coming on the video side, the only thing that will change on the actual F.M. side is the pre-game show.
Now, the pregame show will start 45 minutes early on 101.7 KSAM giving listeners the same way of listening they have had since 1938.
However, on at least two instances, the broadcast crew will be different as the Hornets game will conflict with Sam Houston forcing Zimmermann and Brian Adams to follow the Kats. The one-time Huntsville will be on 94.1 and 104.9 The Lake is on Sept. 25.
"In radio, we have to promote it a lot and it's going to be a very unusual season with Wednesday and Thursday Bearkat games," Reeder said. "There is one week with a direct issue, so on that particular night, the Hornets will move to The Lake."
Huntsville will also have the addition of the brand new baseball and softball facilities and that will also see some upgrades. KSAM will sponsor the multi-camera feature on those sports too.
"We have already started to imagine something on the baseball and softball fields to give it a more traditional feel," Reeder said.
For the upcoming football season, the broadcast fans will hear Zimmermann and Adams in their typical role of play-by-play and analyst, respectively. Kendyll Morris will join the team as the sideline reporter with Jordan Smith joining as the lead broadcast engineer for the Hornets.
But one thing is not going to change, and that is making the broadcast about the kids and promoting the work that they do on and off the field.
"For me, it's about the community and being able to promote these student-athletes. That is what is most important at the end of the day. We are providing a platform for high school students and to promote them."
Fans can get their first look at the new broadcast scheme on Aug. 18th when the Hornets travel to Lufkin for what has been an annual scrimmage against the Panthers.
