HiCast Sports Network COO & Co-founder Stephanie Calabrese Interview on Business RadioX Podcast

"We got together and thought, gosh, there’s got to be a way that we can set up one camera that would record an entire game. And then each of us, as parents, could just go in and grab the moments of our own kids that we wanted to preserve. So we set out on that journey back in 2010, which was before live streaming was actually even a possibility, and just evolved a prototype into a product, and we’ve been building on it ever since."

Hear our story from COO Stephanie Calabrese on the Business RadioX® podcast episode just released today. A 19-minute listen. You’ll find the episode at the link below and the Business RadioX® podcast series on all major podcast platforms.

https://businessradiox.com/podcast/highvelocityradio/hicast-sports-network/

Catch the USA Softball 2024 High Performance Program National Selection Event at Jackie Robinson Training Complex

We are proud to team up with our venue partner, the Jackie Robinson Training Complex, to cover the USA Softball High Performance Program (HPP) National Selection Event this Friday 12/13 - Sunday 12/15 in Vero Beach, Florida.

Top softball players will showcase their skills in a series of on-field evaluations and scrimmages in front of the U.S. Junior Women’s National Team Selection Committee and HPP evaluators — including U.S. Olympians and professional softball athletes — for a chance to be selected to age-specific U.S. Junior Women’s National Team rosters based on scheduled events for the 2024 season.

Follow the action LIVE or replay anytime on-demand: https://watch.hcst.me
Great viewing opportunity to inspire youth softball players!

Event info here: https://www.usasoftball.com/hpp/2024-hpp-national-selection-event/

HiCast Sports Network Teams Up with Rawlings, Connects Brands with the Fast-Growing Youth Sports Industry

HiCast Sports Network, a leading video streaming platform for youth and amateur sports, will continue to build on its advertising success with Rawlings Sporting Goods Company Inc.® and expand new sponsorship opportunities in 2025. These offerings provide family-friendly brands substantial reach and engagement in the $37.5 billion youth sports industry, allowing national, regional and local advertisers to engage with athletes and their families through more than 250 livestreams at elite sports venues nationwide.

HiCast Sports Network’s platform has enabled brands like Rawlings to connect directly with families, athletes and coaches through targeted advertising campaigns. Since launching earlier this year, Rawlings has executed seven campaigns across the HiCast Sports Network, reaching thousands of viewers and effectively engaging youth sports audiences. HiCast’s ads have contributed to over 81 percent year-over-year growth in referral traffic and engaged users on Rawlings' site, with a 17 percent increase in revenue from connected TV activities.

“We are committed to continuing to enhance our digital fan experience while ensuring that subscription pricing remains affordable for families,” HiCast Sports Network Chief Operating Officer Stephanie Calabrese said. “Building a robust advertising engine within our platform gives us and our venue partners the opportunity to collaborate with sponsors in a new way that enhances digital ad impressions and conversions.”

Rawlings’ Perspective on Partnership Impact:

Rawlings Digital Marketing Director Mike Poepping said HiCast Sports Network enabled Rawlings to achieve core marketing goals that align with its brand mission. “Our goals are always to immerse ourselves in the athletes’ backyards to help them see where our equipment can help them succeed and grow their passion for the game of baseball or softball,” Poepping noted. “HiCast Sports Network allows us to reach those athletes and decision makers while they are enjoying their favorite pastime, so we can match them up with the correct gear for their needs as they arise.”

Poepping highlighted that video advertising performance on the HiCast Sports Network has been highly effective, describing it as “equally beneficial to other CTV (Connected TV) and live-streaming ad networks we’ve used because we’re able to target specific ages and skill levels of play with products that suit those athletes in that moment dynamically as [Rawlings] scales. More well-targeted messaging and offers lead to more interest and buy-in from consumers, which is why this relationship has been great.”

Furthermore, Poepping emphasized his appreciation for the advanced targeting capabilities that HiCast provides, stating, “I appreciate the targeting of fields/complexes, athletes/teams, and the different ad types to make sure we’re effective in marketing and sales, but more importantly so we don’t annoy or upset end users/consumers while they try to watch their athlete blossom.”

Reflecting on future plans, Poepping noted that partnering with HiCast has influenced Rawlings’ marketing strategy for 2025. “HiCast has helped us see the need to stay immersed at the local, field level to ensure we’re meeting our athletes and their families where they are at, and as their needs for equipment arise,” he shared.

Advanced Advertising Features

HiCast Sports Network’s platform offers brands customizable options for flexible, targeted advertising:

- Campaign Versatility: Brands can choose from network-wide, venue-specific or sport-specific campaigns, strategically reaching audiences by event type, user group and location.

- Interactive Video Ads: Clickable ads provide a direct link to brand landing pages, exclusive offers or promotional codes, giving audiences immediate access to products or services.

- Comprehensive Reporting: Brands receive detailed monthly reports with insights on ad impressions, click-through and view-through rates, enabling them to monitor and refine their campaigns for maximum engagement.

Supporting Venue Partners through Sponsorships:

In addition to delivering effective brand connections, HiCast Sports supports venue partners through a revenue-sharing model. This arrangement generates valuable revenue for participating venues, allowing them to reinvest in youth sports programs and enhance their offerings to athletes and communities.

Developing Future Brand Partnerships:

As the youth sports industry grows, HiCast Sports Network is committed to working with brands whose goals align with its family-friendly, community-focused mission. This expanded approach reinforces HiCast’s commitment to delivering meaningful brand engagement opportunities while supporting the ongoing growth and enrichment of the youth sports ecosystem.

“Historically, banners on fences or in gyms have been the primary way for brands and businesses to gain in-park exposure when sponsoring youth sports,” Calabrese said. “Our platform supports venue partners by offering digital sponsorship opportunities that reach a broader yet more targeted audience, allowing viewers to connect directly and immediately to products and services of interest. Working with brands like Rawlings allows us to make meaningful connections at the heart of the game, and we’re excited to keep building on that shared commitment to support our viewers and the sport they love.” For sponsorship inquiries and more information on HiCast’s advertising solutions, visit HiCastSports.com.

About HiCast Sports Network:

HiCast Sports Network is a leading live and video-on-demand streaming platform and subscription-based service for amateur and youth sports, utilizing its patented technology to put games and the Moments That Matter™ in the hands of fans everywhere. HiCast partners with top-tier sports venues including the Jackie Robinson Training Complex, Ripken Baseball, and A5 Volleyball Sportsplex to deliver a premium viewing experience to families, coaches, athletes and scouts. HiCast Sports Network users from around the world have watched thousands of youth sports events encompassing nearly eight million game minutes year-to-date across more than 250 livestreams in Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

About Rawlings Sporting Goods Company Inc.®:

Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. is an innovative manufacturer and marketer of sporting goods worldwide. Founded in 1887, Rawlings is an authentic global sports brand, trusted by generations of athletes of all skill levels. Rawlings' unparalleled quality, innovative engineering and expert craftsmanship are the fundamental reasons why more professional athletes, national governing bodies and sports leagues choose Rawlings. Rawlings is the Official Baseball, Helmet, Face Guard, Fielding Base and Glove of Major League Baseball® and the Official Baseball of Minor League Baseball™.

HiCast Sports Network Upgrades Video Streaming Capabilities for Soccer & Football Events at Sports Force Parks at Cedar Point Sports Center

HiCast Sports Network, a leader in innovative video streaming solutions for youth and amateur sporting events, will offer an enhanced viewing experience for family members and fans interested in events taking place at Sports Force Parks at Cedar Point Sports Center. Viewers will see a difference starting with the 15th Annual Kalahari Cup hosted by Bay Area Soccer League from  Oct. 25 to 27. HiCast will feature a new view of the primary soccer field (Field 1), where the viewer will receive a broadcast-quality production that auto-tracks the action on the field for family members watching from home or anywhere in the world. 

HiCast Sports is already known for its cutting-edge, patented streaming technology used at premier venues such as the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Florida, The Ripken Experience® baseball venues in South Carolina, Tennessee and Maryland, and A5 Volleyball Sportsplex in Georgia. 

"HiCast Sports Network has provided an invaluable service for our patrons this year, allowing families to stay connected while watching our baseball and softball events live or anytime on-demand," Sports Force General Manager Mike Virgin said. "We’re thrilled to continue to enhance the fan experience for soccer and football through our partnership with HiCast.”

Sports Force Parks' state-of-the-art facilities offer the perfect backdrop for HiCast Sports to showcase its streaming capabilities for a multi-sport complex.

“Our success with baseball, softball and volleyball has demonstrated the impact of making youth sporting events accessible to families, coaches and scouts everywhere,” said Stephanie Calabrese, Chief Operating Officer & Co-Founder of HiCast Sports Network. “Expanding our quality coverage for rectangular surface sports including soccer, football and lacrosse will help free up more parents at the park so they can put their phones down and stay in the moment with their kids. They can trust us to cover the moments that matter for them.”

About HiCast Sports Network
HiCast Sports Network is a leading live and video-on-demand streaming platform and subscription-based service for amateur and youth sports, utilizing its patented technology to put games and the Moments That Matter™ in the hands of fans everywhere. HiCast partners with top-tier sports venues including the Jackie Robinson Training Complex, Ripken Baseball, and A5 Volleyball Sportsplex to deliver a premium viewing experience to families, coaches, athletes and scouts. HiCast Sports Network users from around the world have watched thousands of youth sports events encompassing nearly eight million game minutes year-to-date across more than 250 livestreams in Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Viginia.

How to Find a Game On-Demand and Tag & Share Highlights

Tagging and sharing highlights from your games is simple. You can save as many tags as you like while your subscription is active. Any highlights you save will remain accessible to you on your account even after your subscriptions expires. Watch the video above. Below is the text script for quick reference:

Let’s find a game on-demand and save and share a highlight.

First, select the venue from our list of venues or search for it by typing the name in the search field.

On the venue screen, select the field where you played the game.

On the field screen, the view will default to today’s date or the most recent date of video coverage. To view a game in the past, tap on the “Watch On-Demand” tab, then tap on the date menu and choose the date of your game. All games are accessible on-demand for 90 days from date of play.

Next, choose the hour for the start time of your game. In this example, I’ll choose 9am. When I attended the game at the venue, I noted that the great play occurred at 9:22am, so I’ll scan through the hour to 9:21am. When the moment you want to save occurs just tap the TAG button.

Tools will appear below the video to name and trim the 60-second highlight. Drag the start point to the beginning of the moment, then play the video and note the end time of the moment. In this example, the moment ends at 9:22:16, so I’ll drag the end point to that time. Then tap in the name field to add a name for your highlight.

Now you are ready to save the tag. Tap ‘Save and Share’ to share the highlight with HiCast so we can potentially share it in our Featured highlights and social media. Tap ‘Save’ if you do not want to share the highlight with us at that time.

To view, edit, download and share your highlight with family and friends, tap on “My Highlights” from the primary navigation. Then tap on the highlight from your list. They will appear in chronological order with the most recent at the top.

Tap on the orange more icon (…) to reveal the menu of options.

Select ‘Copy Link’ to save and share a link to this highlight in a text message or email. Any viewer will be able to watch your highlight via this link.

Select ‘Submit to HiCast’ if you want to share the highlight with us so we can potentially share it in our Featured highlights and social media. The Player Profile dialog will appear so you can tell us more about your player and the moment.

Select ‘Download’ to download the highlight to you computer or mobile device. This generates an mp4 file you can save and upload to Instagram or TikTok. We will also send an email to you with the video highlight making it easy to save to your mobile device’s photo library.

Select ‘Go to On-Demand Hour’ to quickly return to the hour of this highight in the on-demand footage. This give you quick access to recreate the highlight or to create more highlights from this game.

Still have questions? Contact our help desk at support@hicastsports.com

Get in the Game by Joining Our Volunteer Scorekeeping Program

We’re thrilled to launch and announce our Volunteer Scorekeeping Program. This program is a great opportunity for any HiCast Sports user (age 14 & up) to score games at participating venues across our network. While some of our venues have staff assigned to run scoreboards on our livestreams, others don't have these resources. This is where YOU come in! Whether you’re seated in the stands at the venue or watching live from home, you can now run the scoreboard for your teams, earn points for each game you score, and redeem those points for rewards including HiCast Credit toward new and recurring subscriptions. You do not need an active subscription to enroll in the program and start scoring games today.

Get all the details about the program, join the team, and starting scoring points toward HiCast rewards today!

Celebrating Fathers and the Moments That Matter™

Today, we’re kicking off our Father’s Day HiCast Highlight Contest. Share your best HiCast game highlights with us now through Father's Day on Sunday, June 18th for a chance to win a FREE Annual HiCast Family Pass for your dad, grandad or father-figure (a $215.93 value) and a Rawlings drawstring bag for your featured player!

How to enter your HiCast highlight:

1. Login here: https://watch.hcst.me

2. Select "My Highlights" in top navigation.

3. Tap on the highlight(s) you want to submit to us.

4. Tap the orange (...) icon and select "Submit to HiCast"

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5. If you have not yet added your player's profile, tap "Add Player Profile" and fill in the fields, then tap the "Update" button. Be sure to add your player profile to your account so we can feature your player's name, team name and age division, and social tags in any HiCast highlights you submit to us to be featured in our product and across our social media.

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6. Select your player from the drop-down menu on the submission form, share some details about the moment, and tap the "Submit" button.

We feature highlights daily, so follow us in FB, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to see if you've been featured and we’ll announce the winner on Monday, June 19th.

Not sure how to watch a game on-demand and save and share highlights?

All recorded game footage is accessible to watch on-demand for 90 days from date of play. You can save, download and/or share highlights from our game footage. Each highlight can be up to 60 seconds in length, and you can create as many as you like while you have an active subscription. Any highlights you save remain saved and accessible to you on your account after you cancel your pass.

To find a game from the past to view on-demand:

1. Select the venue or search for it on our home page. You can search by venue name, city, state or sport.

2. The Venue screen will show a list of field/court numbers or names. Tap a field/court to view games on that field. The display will show the live or most recent date available of game video. To choose a day in the past, tap the "On-Demand" tab over the video player. The video will update.

3. Tap on the date to choose the date of the game you want to watch. Then, choose the hour closest to your game start time. The video will update. Slide the timeline on the video player to fine-tune your time selection within the game. After you watch the current hour, just select the next hour from the hour drop-down menu above the video window to continue watching the game. 

To save, download and/or share a link to a highlight:

1. Just tap the "TAG" button on the video window when you see the moment you want to save. The tag toolbar will appear below the video player displaying 60 seconds past your tag time. You can move the orange sliders to trim your highlight (set start and end time), then tap in the name field to name the highlight. After you tap the Save button, your highlight will be saved to your My Highlights screen. 

2. My Highlights is accessible in the top navigation. To download or share a Highlight, tap on the one you want to share and it will appear for you to view. Tap on the orange more icon (...) on the right and select Copy Link to share a link to your highlight, or Request Download to download it to your desktop or mobile device.

3. If you Copy Link and paste the link to the highlight into a text message, email, FB post, etc., anyone can view the shared highlight on our site. A viewer doesn't need an account to view your highlight. 

4. If you Request Download, we will prepare your highlight for download. Once the file is ready, it will download to your computer or device and we'll email it to the email associated with your account. Video file is a .mp4 format.

If you’ve got questions, give us a shout!

Score! New Scorekeeping /Scoreboard Feature is LIVE

Scorekeeping has been on your wishlist and we’re thrilled to share that HiCast Sports now provides a new scorekeeping and scoreboard feature within our product so our venue partners, tourney organizers, and/or volunteers can keep score on our coverage. Users can now follow match/game scores while watching live, in DVR mode, or anytime on-demand.

Currently, only authorized users have the ability to keep score to ensure accuracy. The decision to score a tourney or a game is up to each of our venue partners, so while we can’t guarantee a scoreboard will be present, our tool makes it easy for our partners to share the score with you to keep you in the game. Over time, we look forward to expanding scorekeeping access to all fan volunteers to increase the amount of games scored across our network.

Volleyball matches can be scored in sets of 3 or 5 and we’ve built in logic to auto advance sets based on set score.

Baseball/Softball games can be scored with basic innings and runs, or more advanced scoring to track balls, strikes, outs and top or bottom of each inning. We’ve built in logic to auto advance innings on the third out and reset counts when a batter reaches a fourth ball or a third strike.

If you are interested to be among our test group of fans to score games in the future (yes, we’ll offer perks!), contact us and we’ll be in touch when we’re ready to roll that out.

Time's Running Out to Save Your Summer Season Moments That Matter™

Did you know that your summer season games are available to watch anytime on-demand? All recorded games are accessible for three months from date of play, so now's the time to replay your games and save and share your best game highlights before they're gone! Here's how...

First, find your game – You'll need to know the venue name, field name/number, date and time of your game to find it in our archive.

1. Login here: https://watch.hcst.me and search for or select the venue name on the home page.

2. Select the field name/number and tap the "View On-Demand" tab above the video.

3. Tap on the date to reveal a calendar and select the date of your game. The video will update. Then select the hour start time of your game. Then just tap play! You can drag the play bar to move within the hour time segment. 

Then, TAG your highlights – You can save as many 1-minute highlights as you like. Any highlights you save remain accessible to you after your subscription is cancelled or expires.

1. While watching on-demand, tap the TAG button.

2. Drag the orange start and end points to define the duration of your highlight up to 60 seconds. Add a name to help identify your highlight, then tap the Save button. Your highlights will be saved to the "My Highlights" page so you can access them anytime.

3. To view, share or download a highlight, go to the "My Highlights" page and tap on a highlight to open it. Then tap the orange (...) icon and select "Copy Link" to quickly share a link to your highlight, or select "Request Download" to download your highlight to your computer or mobile device. And don't forget to "Submit to HiCast" so we can consider featuring your highlight on the "Featured Highlights" page within our product and in social media!

We Want to Feature Your Best HiCast Highlights

You might have noticed that we added a FEATURED link to the top navigation in our product today! Here, we’ll feature the best highlights shared by subscribers across our nationwide network. Our latest share will always appear at the top of the list, but you can search featured highlights by venue, date or sport and sort your results. We’ll also share our favs to our social media accounts in Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to give you even more exposure, so follow us to see if you or your teammates get featured! Just follow these steps.

First, setup your Player Profile – This gives us information about your player(s) including their name, team name, age division, sport, position(s) and social media handles so we can tag your player. You can create as many player profiles as you like and update them anytime.

1. Go to your profile menu and select Edit Profile.

2. Tap on the Player Profile tab.

3. Fill in the blank fields to tell us about your player. This information will be saved on your user profile so anytime you submit a highlight to us, you can select the player profile associated with the highlight so we can better promote your player.

Then, submit your Saved Highlight to HiCast 

1. Go to your My Highlights page and tap to select and open the highlight you want to submit.

2. Tap on the orange more icon (...) on the right and select Submit to HiCast.

3. Select your Player Profile to identify the player featured in your highlight and add any additional information in the About The Moment text field so we can get a feel for how the highlight impacted your game. Then tap Submit.

We review and share highlights daily in our Featured section so check back often. Let’s see your best plays so we can help you celebrate them!

HiCast Sports Network Expands Partnership with The Ripken Experience™ to Provide Video Coverage for Its Aberdeen Ballpark

Photo Courtesy of Ripken Baseball

HiCast Sports Network, a game-changing, subscription-based social broadcast company has expanded its partnership with Ripken Baseball to provide live and on-demand video coverage for its nine-field baseball complex in Aberdeen, Maryland.

Amanda Shank, Vice President, Business Development for Ripken Baseball, shares, “HiCast has streamed games at The Ripken Experience™ Pigeon Forge for over two years, giving our teams the opportunity to clip and relive the biggest moments of their tournament experience. We’re excited to bring their best-in-class technology to our guests in Aberdeen and Myrtle Beach.”

This year, The Ripken Experience Aberdeen will host 39 baseball tournaments attracting more than 1,700 9U-16U teams from mid March through late November, in addition to summer camps for teams ages 7U and up.  General Manager Lauren Morris shares, “Our complex is a little bit different from the other Ripken Experience parks largely because of our location, which is right off the I-95 corridor making it a convenient weekend destination for a broad region of travel baseball teams. Beyond Maryland, we attract teams from all over the East Coast throughout the year. For us, it’s not just about baseball, it’s about creating a big league experience – from providing a well-run facility, to experienced umpires, to game announcers and music, to water in the dugouts.” While the tournaments are organized and led by the complex, they also host college games including McDaniel College (MD) and Montclair State University (NJ), as well as local high school and home school games.

Photo Courtesy of Ripken Baseball

General Manager, Lauren Morris, born and raised in Harford County, Maryland, grew up playing softball, lacrosse and soccer. She went on to play soccer in college and interned with the Aberdeen IronBirds, a minor league baseball organization, before going on to work for Ripken Baseball to lead its signature Ripken World Series and other events for the next ten years. Now, she’s one of the few female general managers for a nationally-recognized youth sports complex.

Photo Courtesy of Ripken Baseball

More than 125,000 guests will visit The Ripken Experience™ Aberdeen in-person this year under Lauren’s leadership, but now so many more can share the big league experience from anywhere in the world using the HiCast Sports Network. “Being able to provide an experience for guests who are unable to travel to our complex is a huge benefit because they can still be in the action and live those moments while they are happening live. For parents to be able to clip and post highlights of their players’ big moments… that’s pretty cool! Players and families are creating these lifelong memories at our complex and we want them to be able to share them. Our older 16U players can save in-game moments to share with college recruiters who are often not able to watch all the players they’re following in-person. I wish we had that when I was playing sports.”

Photo Courtesy of Ripken Baseball

The Ripken Experience™ Aberdeen was established in 2003 by legendary former professional baseball players Cal Ripken, Jr. and brother Bill Ripken in their hometown. The complex has nine replicas of iconic professional ballfields found across the country so youth players can have the experience of what it feels like to play under the lights at Camden Yards or to hit a home run off the Green Monster at Fenway Park. Lauren shares, “We have six all-turf fields and three natural fields with a dedicated team putting down new lines, watering the field, and grooming the infield after each game just like you’d see at a big league game. Our goal is to deliver a ‘can’t wait’ experience for every athlete.” HiCast Sports Network now provides video coverage on seven of the nine fields at The Ripken Experience™ Aberdeen with plans to add video coverage on the two newest fields (Citi Field and PNC Park) this summer.

Photo Courtesy of Ripken Baseball

HiCast Sports Network users from around the world have watched more than five million game minutes featuring more than 500,000 athletes playing on more than 200 fields and courts at premier baseball/softball and indoor court venues in Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. HiCast Sports subscribers have saved and shared nearly 250,000 game highlights, the Moments That Matter™ with the people who matter most.

About Ripken Baseball 

Ripken Baseball brings teammates, coaches, and families together through its Big-League Experiences, while teaching the values of the game, and how to play it the right way – the Ripken Way. Recently expanding the best experience in youth sports to satellite locations through Ripken Select Tournaments, Ripken Baseball continues to innovate the game through tournaments, camps, clinics, and spring training at their state-of-the-art baseball and softball facilities – The Ripken Experience™ Aberdeen (Maryland), The Ripken Experience™ Myrtle Beach (South Carolina), and The Ripken Experience™ Pigeon Forge (Tennessee).

HiCast Sports Network Expands Video Coverage for All Youth & Amateur Athletes Across Spartanburg County Ballparks

Tyger River Park Photo Courtesy of Spartanburg Parks

HiCast Sports Network, a game-changing, subscription-based social broadcast company was awarded the sports video streaming contract for Spartanburg County Parks Department. HiCast Sports Network has been providing live and on-demand video coverage for all games and tournaments at Tyger River Park in Duncan, SC since 2017 and recently expanded video coverage to include two additional ballparks, North Spartanburg Park and 295 Park.

On weekends and during the summer season, all three ballparks host USSSA youth baseball, USA Softball youth fast pitch softball, NSA adult slow pitch, and few other tournament organizers. Tyger River Park, the county’s newest premier ballpark, has attracted regional college and national events including the 2022 and 2021 Conference Carolinas Championship and the 2020 USA Softball Junior Olympic Cup, offering HiCast Sports video coverage as a valuable park amenity. Aside from tournament play, Trey Glover, Park Operations Manager for Spartanburg County Parks Department, shares, “Spartanburg County is unique in that we have seven school districts, each with its local volunteer youth athletic association administering youth baseball and softball programs. Our department hosts and facilitates play for all of them throughout Spartanburg County to include North Spartanburg Park, 295 Park, and Tyger River Park.”

“From a Parks Department programming and participation perspective, we’ve seen explosive growth in the area, but particularly in the Northern region (Boiling Springs) of the county,” shares Kristen Guilfoos, Marketing Manager for Spartanburg County Parks. Reports show a 20% increase in athlete participation for Youth Athletic Associations.  “We know how to run successful tournaments. Event organizers and teams have a great experience here at our ballparks and they want to come back.”

North Spartanburg Park Photo Courtesy of Spartanburg Parks

HiCast Sports Network now provides video coverage on all four fields at 295 Park, all four fields at North Spartanburg Park, as well as 12 fields at Tyger River Park. Combined, these ballparks will host more than 60 tournaments across 35 weeks throughout the year attracting youth teams traveling from across the region, state and country. “Attracting sports tourism is a goal for our county,” shares Trey. For nearly 10 years Park Operations staff have facilitated regional and national tournaments for third-party event organizers. In more recent years, the team has put their experience and skills to work by hosting their own signature tournaments. The first of these, the Jeff Proper Diamond Dirt Classic, attracted 168 youth teams across Spartanburg County and helped raise funds to benefit the youth sports programs. Now, family members and fans unable to travel can watch youth athletes playing across all three ballparks in the county live or anytime on-demand for up to three months from date of play.

295 Park Image Courtesy of Spartanburg County Parks

On Spartanburg County’s decision to work with the HiCast Sports Network, Trey shares, “We knew this was the future five years ago when we initially partnered with HiCast Sports to cover Tyger River Park. As technology and our internet bandwidth has improved thanks to economic development and growth in this area, the potential to expand video coverage became possible. Relationships were important in the decision-making process, as well as service. On the weekends when we have tons of games being played, if something unexpected happens or if grandparents need help getting connected, we can rely on HiCast Sports to respond quickly. We’re excited to continue to build on the relationship we already have in place, and to make more games accessible to more people.”

HiCast Sports Network users from around the world have watched more than five million game minutes featuring more than 500,000 athletes playing on more than 200 fields and courts at premier baseball/softball and indoor court venues in Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. HiCast Sports subscribers have saved and shared nearly 250,000 game highlights, the Moments That Matter™ with the people who matter most.

HiCast Sports Network Extends Viewership for The Ripken Experience™ Myrtle Beach, One of the Hottest Sports Tourism Destinations in the U.S.

Photo Courtesy of Ripken Baseball

HiCast Sports Network, a game-changing, subscription-based social broadcast company has expanded its partnership with Ripken Baseball to provide live and on-demand video coverage for its nine-field baseball complex in Myrtle Beach, SC, one of the most popular sports tourism destinations in the country.

Amanda Shank, Vice President, Business Development for Ripken Baseball, shares, “HiCast has streamed games at The Ripken Experience™ Pigeon Forge for over two years, giving our teams the opportunity to clip and relive the biggest moments of their tournament experience. We’re excited to bring their best-in-class technology to our guests in Aberdeen and Myrtle Beach.”

“We pride ourselves on delivering a big league experience for our players and we’re constantly re-investing in our complex,” shares General Manager Matt Ensworth who’s worked with The Ripken Experience™ Myrtle Beach for the past 15 years. This year, The Ripken Experience™ Myrtle Beach will host approximately 27,000 players and 93,000 visitors. “Live streaming is very important for us, especially for those family members and friends who can’t make the trip. They still get to be a part of the live experience. The video on-demand feature lets our players and families capture and relive their experiences and memories, the ability to replay video is a great learning tool and will ultimately help improve the overall experience. Our staff is looking forward to saving and sharing highlights from our tournaments to spotlight players on our social media,” adds Matt.

Photo Courtesy of Ripken Baseball

One of the original privately-owned sports complexes in the country built in 2006, The Ripken Experience™ Myrtle Beach spans 50 acres just minutes from the beach. It offers nine replica all-turf fields of historic Major League ballparks, each featuring unique field dimensions and playing experiences every game. The complex hosts play year-round which spans 10 week-long experiences and a 5-week collegiate league for 24 teams each summer. “In my 15 years here, we’ve hosted teams from all 50 states,” adds Matt.

Photo Courtesy of Ripken Baseball

During the Spring and Fall seasons, the complex hosts three and four-game youth tournaments attracting teams from across the country. The complex has also become one of the most popular collegiate and high school spring training destinations from February through April, attracting teams that are looking for warm weather, rain-resistant all-turf fields, and competitive play. When traveling teams arrive at the complex, they’ve got plenty of space to warm up on Training Island which features 17 batting cages and infield training circles to help them prepare for tournament play. When teams are ready for a break, the Big League Grill offers a comfortable space to cool off in the air conditioning, where they can watch games in progress at the complex on big screen TVs thanks to coverage from the HiCast Sports Network.

Photo Courtesy of Ripken Baseball

HiCast Sports Network users from around the world have watched more than five million game minutes featuring more than 500,000 athletes playing on more than 200 fields and courts at premier baseball/softball and indoor court venues in Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. HiCast Sports subscribers have saved and shared nearly 250,000 game highlights, the Moments That Matter™ with the people who matter most.

About Ripken Baseball 

Ripken Baseball brings teammates, coaches, and families together through its Big-League Experiences, while teaching the values of the game, and how to play it the right way – the Ripken Way. Recently expanding the best experience in youth sports to satellite locations through Ripken Select Tournaments, Ripken Baseball continues to innovate the game through tournaments, camps, clinics, and spring training at their state-of-the-art baseball and softball facilities – The Ripken Experience™ Aberdeen (Maryland), The Ripken Experience™ Myrtle Beach (South Carolina), and The Ripken Experience™ Pigeon Forge (Tennessee).

Ballparks National, the Premier Fast-pitch Ballpark Destination in the Midwest, Joins the HiCast Sports Network

Photo Courtesy of Ballparks National

HiCast Sports Network, a game-changing, subscription-based social broadcast company is proud to announce Ballparks National as a new venue partner. It is the first premier fast-pitch softball venue, and the second ballpark in Missouri to join the HiCast Sports Network. HiCast Sports puts the game in the hands of youth and amateur athletes, their coaches, families and fans to view sporting events live or on-demand at top venues across the nation anywhere, anytime, on any device.

Ballparks National, a new privately-owned fast-pitch softball and baseball ballpark located minutes from Lake of the Ozarks, opened their gates in 2021. Founded by former sports broadcasters, Jeff Vernetti and Bob Ramsey, the venue has been a long-time in the making and currently selling out tournaments for the 2022 Spring and Summer season. HiCast Sports Network provides video coverage on all five all-turf fields for travel tournaments attracting fast-pitch softball teams for all age groups and baseball teams up to 13U. From the beginning of March through end of October, Ballparks National will host about 30 tournaments, 800 teams, and 40,000 patrons this year from 15 different states, as well local high school and college softball games, clinics and state-wide tournaments.

“We’re a family-friendly destination facility,” shares Keith Lucas, Assistant General Manager. “Lake of the Ozarks is hailed as the best recreational lake in the midwest. People come from all over to vacation and play here, and having the HiCast Sports Network gives extended family members the chance to share the game-day experience from home, or anywhere in the world.” Ballparks National delivers creative guest services and theme-based tourneys; fun activities including a radar-speed pitch zone, bounce houses for young siblings, and fireworks; and an expansive deck overlooking the park with a full-service bar and grill to provide a unique and enjoyable experience for the whole family.

Photo Courtesy of Ballparks National

“Even our local teams traveling from Jefferson City, Columbia and Springfield, or even farther from St. Louis and Kansas City want overnight stay options for our weekend tournaments. The Lake of the Ozarks region offers a wide range of options for different budgets from campgrounds to home vacation rentals to 5-star hotels,” adds Jeff Vernetti, General Manager. “We work with our sponsors, from boat dealers to water parks and restaurants, to offer special promotions to our families to help them plan a fun vacation for the whole family both on and off our fields.”

Understanding the importance of video coverage from a fast-pitch softball recruiting perspective, Ballparks National initially attempted to set up and manage their own video streaming solution. Keith shares, “It was challenging. We had to turn cameras off and on, keep batteries charged, and make sure cameras didn’t overheat out in the summer sun. There’s a lot of elements involved in video streaming and it was just a hassle.”

Photo Courtesy of Ballparks National

Jeff adds, “In the end we wanted to go with a really good company who knew what they were doing and could take that aspect of video streaming technology off our plate so we could focus on doing what we do best – creating a great tournament experience. HiCast Sports Network was the best choice in a partner. We can now stream games from all five fields to our concession area and to viewers anywhere in the world, and I liked HiCast Sports covers other top ballparks around the country. It makes it easier for our teams to have one login, and use one solution from an established brand. ”

HiCast Sports Network users from around the world have watched more than five million game minutes featuring more than 500,000 athletes playing on more than 200 fields and courts at premier baseball/softball and indoor court venues in Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. HiCast Sports subscribers have saved and shared nearly 250,000 game highlights, the Moments That Matter™ with the people who matter most.

Your experience is about to get waaay better!

Updated: Monday, March 21: Since 2017 we've been covering youth sports venues across the country. We've learned a lot since then, have listened to feedback from valued customers like you, and took it all to heart. On Tuesday, March 22 we'll be releasing HiCast Sports v.4. We've upgraded our platform and your user experience to be faster, more reliable, and easier to use with great new features. We're not braggin', but honestly, we think you'll love it!

If you are a current subscriber, here are five things you need to know:

1. If you have a monthly subscription through iTunes, it will automatically cancel tomorrow, March 22 and stop the recurring charge as we will no longer support iTunes subscriptions. Your current subscription will remain active through the end of your current billing cycle. You can then purchase a new subscription on your existing account through us directly.

2. If you have a monthly subscription through us directly, it will continue, but we're updating our prices for the first time in three years, so we can provide you with the best possible service. A Single User Pass will be just $19.99/month, and a Family Pass for up to four users just $29.99/month. We've even added a 40% discount on an Annual Pass, so a single user can subscribe for as low as $11.99/month, and a family of four for just $17.99/month. The new pricing will begin on your next renewal date. You can cancel a monthly subscription at any time.

3. After the release tomorrow, you will login to our website using your existing username (or email) and password. If you can't remember your password, just tap the "Forgot Password" link on the login screen.

4. If you have saved highlights, rest assured, they will remain with your account and you'll access them under the "My Highlights" link in the top navigation.

5. If you use our HiCast Sports mobile app for iOS, delete the app from your mobile device, as we will no longer support it after we release our product upgrade. HiCast Sports v.4 is 100% web responsive, meaning you'll go to our website using a computer or mobile device and enjoy the same features and functionality on all viewing methods.

If you are a not a current subscriber, but have saved highlights on your existing account, here are three things you need to know:

1. After the release, you will login to our new website using your existing username (or email) and password to access your saved highlights. You will find them under the "My Highlights" link in the top navigation.

2. You can purchase a new subscription to watch games live or on-demand if/when you are ready. After you login to your account, just tap the "Subscribe" button. We'd be happy to have you back!

3. Delete our HiCast Sports mobile app for iOS on your mobile device, as we will no longer support it, after we release our product upgrade. HiCast Sports v.4 is 100% web responsive, meaning you'll go to our website using a computer or mobile device and enjoy the same features and functionality on all viewing methods.

We'll send an email to our active subscribers and to our users who have saved highlights on their accounts today, Monday, March 21. Check the spam filter in your inbox and if you are a Gmail user, check the “Promotions” tab within your inbox, to ensure you don’t miss our communications. We're here to help 7 days/week. Just contact us with any questions.

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Five Features We Think You’ll Love

1. Live is Really Live + DVR (Rewind & Replay)

Our initial approach to covering games live back in 2017 had to be a creative one. Streaming wasn't yet a thing, and our ballparks often had lags and hiccups with internet connectivity. Things have changed! We'll now deliver a true livestream so what you see on the screen is what's happening on the field. No more delays. And when something awesome happens, our new DVR feature will let you rewind and replay the Moments That Matter™.

2. Save Live Tags & Highlights on Any Device

We know you've been waiting for this one! Our users have saved nearly 250,000 highlights from our footage, but that number is about to skyrocket. Now, you can quickly save "Live Tags" (or timestamps) while watching live and come back to those plays after the game. Then you can save and trim highlights while watching on-demand on your computer or mobile device (Android or iOS), and share a link for friends, fam and followers to view your highlights.

3. Did someone say Zoom? The outfield just got closer. 

Wile watching live or on-demand full-screen or in-line, you can use our video player to zoom in and drag to any area of the screen for a closer look. Imagine this... you're watching the game LIVE and your player does something amazing. Just rewind and zoom in to replay for a closer look. We know you've been waiting for that! As internet bandwidth at our ballparks continues to increase, we'll continue to increase resolution of our video to give you the best quality video your internet connection can handle.

4. Player Profiles to Help Us Increase Your Social Media Views

Some of our users' HiCast highlights have been seen by millions of viewers. In your profile, you can now setup player profiles to share your player's name, team name, position and age division to identify your highlight when you share it with us. This info will travel with our curated highlights in our Twitter, Instagram and Facebook features, making it faster and easier for our venue partners and us to promote your best plays.

5. Multiple Camera Views & More Sports Coming Soon

We provide our wide-angle view from the best seat in the house for baseball, softball and volleyball, but now we've got the capability to add multiple camera views and add coverage for more sports like soccer, lacrosse, football and basketball. Stay tuned as our list of venue partners continues to grow! Interested in our video coverage? Fill out this form and we’ll get back in touch with you.

HiCast Sports Network Extends Viewership for Youth Court Sports in Middle Tennessee in Partnership with Alliance Volleyball Club

Photo courtesy of Alliance Volleyball Club

HiCast Sports Network, a game-changing, subscription-based social broadcast company which allows youth and adult amateur athletes, their coaches, families and fans to view sporting events live or on-demand at top venues across the nation anywhere, anytime, on any device, is proud to announce Alliance Volleyball Club as a new venue partner. It is the first multi-sport indoor sports venue to join the HiCast Sports Network.

Alliance Volleyball Club, a non-profit organization formed 12 years ago, established its home base at the TOA Sports Performance Center, a hub for middle Tennessee youth indoor sports, in October 2020. This week, HiCast Sports Network begins video coverage on all 12 volleyball courts that convert to 6 basketball courts in partnership with Alliance Volleyball Club, the anchor tenant for hardwood courts at the Center. HiCast Sports Network will provide video coverage for all Alliance Volleyball Club practices, clinics and tournaments, which attract teams beyond the Tennessee region, across the country and into Canada; as well as coverage for Alliance partners, Stars Basketball Club and Music City Pickleball, and their events on the courts year-round. 

Caleb Norton, Alliance Tournament Director & Facility Manager, shares, “We are committed to using technology to improve youth sports. One of the biggest things for hosting events is giving everyone the ability to watch their players. Streaming is a way to keep more and more people involved and interested. It can generate revenue and also provides added security on our courts. It’s a benefit as far as recruiting too. Our kids can always have footage available so they can make a highlight reel for college recruiters. HiCast Sports Network benefits are multi-faceted and we want to provide the best experience we can for our customers.”

Photo courtesy of Alliance Volleyball Club

One look at their list of college recruits and alumni is evidence of their commitment to player development. Within the past 4 years, Alliance has sent 65 athletes to play at the collegiate level. In 2021, 14 of the Tennessean's Top 25 High School Volleyball Players to Watch play for Alliance. Thirteen Alliance athletes made the Tennessean All-Midstate Team this past season, and three earned State MVP awards. Alliance Volleyball Club offers programming to girls age 5-18 years old, the largest recreational youth volleyball fall league in the state, and 42 competitive club teams for ages 11U through 18U at its primary TOA Sports Performance Center location and three satellite clubs (Murfreesboro, Airborne and South).

Photo courtesy of Alliance Volleyball Club

“Partnering with HiCast is going to help us support our mission of transparency in training and development along with enhancing our regional and national leadership in recruiting by increasing the value of recruiting events and driving increased access to our athletes pursuing college opportunities,” shares Abbey West, Managing Director and 18s Head Coach for Alliance Volleyball Club. 

Photo courtesy of Alliance Volleyball Club

For most youth sports organizations like Alliance Volleyball Club, relying on HiCast Sports Network as a technology solution provider for live and on-demand video coverage make sense. Caleb shares, “Being a technology person, I’m comfortable with hardware and networking, but once we got into the cloud-based video management, hosting and an easy-to-use portal for distribution to our viewers, it was just beyond our area of expertise. We didn’t want to absorb that responsibility and technical complexity as it would distract us from our core business which is training and developing youth athletes. We felt it was better to find a professional partner we could trust and found that in HiCast.”

HiCast Sports Network users from around the world have watched more than five million game minutes featuring nearly 500,000 athletes playing on more than 184 fields and courts at premier youth sports venues in Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. Using the HiCast Sports mobile app for iOS, users have saved and shared nearly 250,000 game highlights, the Moments That Matter™ with the people who matter most. 

Signup here to watch TOA Sportsplex - Alliance live or on-demand.

Welcome Meijer Sports Complex in West Michigan to the HiCast Sports Network

HiCast Sports Network, a game-changing, subscription-based social broadcast company which allows youth and adult amateur athletes, their coaches, families and fans to view sporting events live or on-demand at top venues across the nation anywhere, anytime, on any device, is proud to announce Meijer Sports Complex as a new venue partner. It is the first baseball/softball venue to join the HiCast Sports Network in Michigan.

HiCast Sports Network began coverage on all nine baseball/softball fields at Meijer Sports Complex this week. Weekday play on seven of the fields and the championship stadium spans practices and games for BATL local youth league, as well as statewide, regional and national tournaments for youth and adult amateurs on weekends organized by GameDay USA, USSSA, Blue Chip Softball,  Meijer State Games of Michigan, USA Softball, and others. The ninth field, a Miracle Field, hosts Miracle League of West Michigan games for athletes who face physical and mental disabilities.

“Attracting more national tournaments really comes down to ensuring we have a premier tournament venue. Every dollar that we receive at the complex, we put right back into it so we can keep it at a top level and maintain a reputation for quality,” shares West Michigan Sports Commission President Mike Guswiler. Fans enter the championship stadium through a unique architectural element at the complex, a curved-wall concession and media center that pays tribute to private donors who contributed $8 million to create and open the complex in 2014. The championship field seats 1,000 fans in the shade beneath an expansive canopy with serene forest views surrounding the complex.. The complex is owned and operated by non-profit organization West Michigan Sports Commission to increase and promote sports tourism in partnership with Kent County. The ballpark welcomes 650-700 baseball/softball teams and approximately 20,000 patrons through its gates each year from March through October.

“We try to improve the complex each year, and having the HiCast Sports Network really extends our offerings,” continues Guswiler. For fans who can’t make it to the stands, using the HiCast Sports Network, they can secure the best seat in the house from the comfort of their own home, or anywhere in the world to watch games live or anytime on-demand. Guswiler adds, “We saw the impact of the pandemic and really reflected on the need for families to get out and play sports, but also realized that not all family members could travel, particularly grandparents. That really underscored the need for a remote viewing option. Partnering with the HiCast Sports Network gives an opportunity for people who can’t travel to feel like they’re here too – to experience the excitement of the games at our complex. We’re excited to be part of the HiCast Sports Network family of venues.”

HiCast Sports Network users from around the world have watched more than four million game minutes featuring more than 300,000 athletes playing on more than 158 fields and courts at premier baseball/softball and volleyball venues in Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. Using the HiCast Sports mobile app for iOS, users have saved and shared more than 220,000 game highlights, the Moments That Matter™ with the people who matter most. 

Photos courtesy of: Meijer Sports Complex

Expanding Video Coverage for Baseball and Softball to the Rocky Mountain Region

HiCast Sports Network, a game-changing, subscription-based social broadcast company which allows youth athletes, their coaches, families and fans to view sporting events live or on-demand at top venues across the nation anywhere, anytime, on any device, is proud to announce El Pomar Youth Sports Park in Colorado as a new venue partner. It is the first baseball/softball venue to join the HiCast Sports Network in Colorado.

HiCast Sports Network began coverage on all nine baseball/softball fields at El Pomar Youth Sports Park this month. Play on these fields (about 70% baseball and 30% softball) spans practices and games for local youth and adult amateur leagues from February through October, as well as statewide, regional and national tournaments organized by Triple Crown, Colorado Springs Baseball, Colorado Altitude Softball, Indian Peaks Girls Softball Association, National Championship Sports, and others attracting youth teams to Colorado Springs from across the country. Tournament play typically occurs during the spring and summer season and represents approximately 15% of total youth athlete play at the venue.

Photo Credit: Visit COS

Colorado Springs Youth Sports and El Pomar Youth Sports Park Executive Director Steve Czarnecki shares, “With technological advances, remote viewing has become more popular in recent years and demand has increased significantly during the pandemic. Now, parents, grandparents, other relatives, and friends can watch their family members play baseball and softball at El Pomar Youth Sports Park from across town or across the world. And, we love that players can now watch themselves on-demand, and the app makes it easy for users to save their favorite game highlights to share with friends and family, as well as college recruiters. We’re proud to be able to offer this value-added service to league and tournament operators, players, and their families.”

The El Pomar Youth Sports Park, opened in 2000, spans 57 acres and is owned and operated by non-profit organization Colorado Springs Youth Sports in partnership with the City of Colorado Springs. El Pomar Sports Park welcomes more than 100,000 youth athletes and 300,000 patrons to the venue each year.

HiCast Sports Network users from around the world have watched more than four million game minutes featuring more than 300,000 athletes playing on more than 145 fields and courts at premier baseball/softball and volleyball venues in Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

Aerial photo credits: Visit COS

Extending Volleyball Coverage to the Rocky Mountain Region

HiCast Sports Network recently partnered with NORCO Volleyball, providing our live and on-demand video coverage for practice and events at their incredible new venue in Loveland, Colorado in the Rocky Mountain Region. Why was video coverage important to the NORCO Volleyball organization? NORCO Volleyball Director, Dr Cathy Mahaffey, Ed.D shares, “For three primary reasons: first for the recruitment of kids to the next level; second for our coaching educational needs and third, of course, for our parents who want to be able to watch everything.” 

The new 60,000 square-foot NORCO Volleyball venue boasts 10 courts with high-end Taraflex™ Comfort sports flooring and 15-foot service zones to help advance training. They’ve dedicated 11,000 square feet to a spectator viewing area and added HiCast Sports Network video coverage to provide a view from the best seat in the house to families of NORCO players from a broad geographic region including Wyoming, North Denver, and Nebraska, and to fans anywhere in the world. The size and amenities of the new facility make it the perfect destination for regional and national tournaments and showcase events.

HiCast Sports Network recently kicked off coverage at NORCO Volleyball for the 2021 Colorado Crossroads National Qualifier March 19-21 for 18-year-old division teams seeking to qualify for this year’s USA Volleyball National Championships. 103 teams from across the country gathered to compete at the original and new NORCO Volleyball venues in northern Colorado. 

“This is a great event for players and college coaches as coaches have an opportunity to see so many top players in one place at one time,” shares Kay Rogness, Executive Director for Front Range Volleyball Club (FRVBC) Foundation who has been organizing the Colorado Crossroads event since in large facilities since 1996. While D2 and D3 coaches were permitted on-site, D1 coaches remain in their extended dead period due to the Covid-19 pandemic, meaning they are unable to recruit players in-person. Parents would typically be cheering their players on court-side, match after match, but current state and county restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic prevented that this year. No parents were permitted entry to the tournament to prioritize space for the expansive participant list of teams playing across 16 courts, making HiCast Sports Network video coverage even more important.

For the Colorado Crossroads event, HiCast Sports Network supported the event organizer’s temporary, manual video camera setup aimed at six courts (courts 11-16) at the original NORCO venue in Windsor, Colorado. They streamed their coverage through the HiCast Sports Network platform, while our permanent, automated camera coverage solution covered courts 1-10 at the new NORCO facility. This hybrid solution was necessary to cover play across these two venues for the event. All event footage is available to users to watch on-demand for three months from date of play, giving athletes, coaches and parents plenty of time to replay, save and share match highlights.

“Parents want to watch every minute of each match. Having the video coverage is important to them. And being able to get clips and send them to college coaches is a powerful feature. Coaches typically don’t have time watch entire matches for all of the players they are following, but they do want to see highlights,” shares Kay.

Nice kill by Middle (18) Sylvia Koenig for Mizuno Northern Lights 18 Black in the championship match they won against Woodlands Revolution VBC 18 Adidas on 3/21/21 from the Colorado Crossroads Qualifier

What inspired NORCO Volleyball to choose HiCast Sports Network for their new venue over the competition? “Besides the southern accents,” Cathy (a North Carolina native) shares with a laugh, “the services HiCast offers, especially on-demand viewing for up to three months… I think that’s huge. Technology can be intimidating. HiCast made us feel welcome and educated us along the way.”

Dr. Cathy Mahaffey has been a part of NORCO Volleyball Organization for 26 years, and she’s coached at the collegiate and high school levels. As one of the original NORCO coaches, she was the first to lead her 14s team to a Junior National Olympic Medal in 1995. In 1999 she became Director of the club and helped double the number of teams from eight to 16 within her first year of leadership. Today, NORCO Volleyball serves 320 athletes spanning 31 teams ranging from age 10 to 18. Teams consist of 19 core teams and 12 prime teams. NORCO teams are consistently ranked in the top 5 in the region in each age division, and have had 13 of the last 14 national championships winning three olympic medals. Evaluations help place athletes on teams that match players’ skills and strengths, but NORCO offers a home for all players who seek a competitive culture.

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“The coaches that we employ and the organization of the club is what contributes to the success of our club. We have a staff of 35 coaches, many of whom have been with us for 10-18 years which says a lot for our program. I’ve surrounded myself with good people. Our organization is very transparent and we’re ethical. Since day one, our kids have been our number one priority and we do everything we can to help enhance their growth both on and off the court. Our success rate with graduating seniors has been amazing. For those who want to continue playing, we easily get 90% of our players signed to college teams each year. And having a home to practice in is huge,” shares Dr. Mahaffey.

Stephanie Calabrese, co-founder and chief brand officer for HiCast Sports Network adds, “Partnering with such a well-respected volleyball organization and their incredible new venue strengthens our expansion into youth volleyball. We’ve proven the success of our solution in outdoor environments for baseball and softball, and making a move to cover indoor courts and promote the play of top volleyball athletes has been exciting for us." According to the 2020 Pre-Pandemic Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program Report, there are more than 2 million youth volleyball players across the U.S. HiCast Sports Network seeks to increase exposure for these athletes as volleyball continues to grow at a rapid pace. 

To watch volleyball live or on-demand at NORCO Volleyball, sign up here: http://www.hicastsports.com/norco

Photos Above © NORCO Volleyball

D1 College Baseball Season Opener at The Shipyard Park: Boston College Sweeps Charleston Southern

This past weekend, Saturday, Feb 20th - Sunday, Feb 21 kicked off coverage for our first college game of the season at The Shipyard Park in Mt. Pleasant, SC, just outside of Charleston. Boston College Eagles took home the wins against Charleston Southern University Buccaneers in a double-header on Saturday and again on Sunday. If you missed the games live, you can catch them on-demand (Detyens Field) and save and share your favorite game highlights. Tap links below to see game recaps.

Final Scores

Sat., Feb 20, 12pm ET - Boston College 10 – 2 Charleston Southern

Sat., Feb 20, 3:30pm ET - Boston College 12 – 1 Charleston Southern

Sun., Feb 21, 11am ET - Boston College 12 – 4 Charleston Southern

Center fielder Sal Frelick’s RBI double for Boston College contributing to their 10-2 win over Charleston Southern on 2/21/21. Shared by HiCast User: jfrelick

Joe Vetrano with an RBI double for Boston College in game 3 of their season opener on 2/21/21.