If you have ever wondered what happens at a home game but aren’t able to make it to the event in person, you can watch the entire event while listening to live commentary from your laptop.
Every Muhlenberg home game is broadcast online by MuleTV. With online broadcasting comes the many challenges of dealing with technology. For the team behind MuleTV, setting up and breaking down the equipment to stream a quality product is a complex and time-consuming task. The heart of the operation is a large, yellow streamcase that weighs upwards of 50 pounds. The case contains everything needed for the broadcast to work: audio and video inputs that connect to cameras and soundboards, as well as a full computer system that has the programs used to make the broadcast look as professional as it does. Everything runs through it, and if anything goes wrong, the broadcast is in trouble. For instance, if the cameras are not properly connected, the feed to the case and what the audience will see online will just be a black screen. Or, if the audio is not set up properly, the broadcast might be silent.
For Aron Gianchandani ‘24, who has volunteered as a producer for MuleTV this past year, managing all of this before, during and after games has become a regular occurrence. “Working as a producer for MuleTV has been great. I’ve learned a lot about replays during games, communicating with multiple camera operators, and setting up the system for other members of our team to conduct interviews with players and coaches,” said Gianchandani. Ensuring that the broadcast is set up properly has been paramount for the students volunteering at MuleTV.
“The most challenging moment I’ve had is after one of the basketball games, we interviewed the winning coach, but we were unable to get the volume working,” said Gianchandani.
The process of making games watchable is tough, and for those working at MuleTV, they have to be at the top of their game to ensure a great and accessible broadcast for viewers.
