- Kevin D. Robinson was looking for a solution to improve the quality of his client's sports coverage.
- The Roland P-20HD Video Instant Replayer allowed him to run replay footage, taking regional high school sports broadcasts to the next level.
Instant replays are standard for most televised collegiate and professional sports broadcasts. They keep viewers engaged, settle disputes, and make the coverage more dynamic. Plus, coaches and players love analyzing the big plays for future training sessions. Kevin D. Robinson of Izaiah’s Wings Video Production understands instant replays’ importance to edge-of-seat audience experiences. He has made a 47-year career of it, cueing up decisive moments on camera for national sports broadcasts on heavyweight networks like NBC. Learn how the Roland P-20HD Video Instant Replayer helped his client, the McGuffey Sports Network, enhance its broadcasts.
Side Gig from the Sidelines
Robinson is a master multi-tasker—juggling producing, recording, and broadcasting footage captured from multiple cameras and an arsenal of gear. “I had to be trained and certified to run this caliber of equipment, and the process is highly complex,” he relates.
Recently, he took a detour from his contract production schedule for high-profile sports networks, adding high school sports broadcasting to his repertoire. It was the perfect time to switch gears. “My son was about to move into high school level football, and I wanted to record his games for my enjoyment,” he explains. “Since most high school football happens on Friday nights, it doesn’t interfere with my college and pro work.”
A Changing Playing Field
At the same time, Jason Kern sought to integrate video into the audio broadcasts he had been doing for McGuffey Sports Network. Formed by Kern in 2014 to broadcast audio from sporting events at McGuffey High School, the network needed an update. “I felt it was time to add video to the mix,” he says. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated his action plan, as fans were prohibited from attending events.
“Parents and students still wanted to watch the games, and our network sponsors were completely on board with having us livestream the football games, so I focused my energy on finding the right technology to carry it off,” Kern shares. “I had heard about Kevin’s expertise. He was already doing his own recordings and was local. So I contacted him to see if he would be interested in spearheading McGuffey’s video endeavor.”
I can run it singlehandedly, which saves money on extra labor to pay an additional contractor to join me in the press box.
P-20HD: In a League of Its Own
Robinson had the chops and enjoyed the energy of filming high school sports, so he jumped at the opportunity. “Since day one of filming my son, I got hooked on the enthusiasm from the fans and the fun, relaxed atmosphere of a high school stadium,” he says. One of his first orders of business was finding a good replay deck. After exploring the internet for an affordable option, he landed on Roland’s P-20HD Video Instant Replayer.
“Jason and I figured that having the ability to run replays would take our regional high school sports broadcasts to the next level, entice fans and sponsors, and differentiate McGuffey Sports Network from other high school networks,” Robinson explains. Plus, it fell well within the network’s budget and provided the correct degree of control and customization for a high school level of play.
Robust Replay
As Robinson and Kern discovered, there was much to like about the P-20HD beyond its price tag and simplicity. “The Roland replay deck may not have all the bells and whistles of a high-end alternative, but it’s robust and gets the job done,” Robinson says. “And here’s the real clincher. I can run it singlehandedly, which saves money on extra labor to pay an additional contractor to join me in the press box.”
The P-20HD is so easy to use that Robinson can execute replays instantly. He does so by keeping one hand on the controls and another on the camera controls. “It’s made a huge difference in the professionalism of our beloved community network and makes the games even more entertaining and enjoyable to watch,” Kern adds.
Seamless Production Curbs Costs
Additionally, it helps that Robinson is a seasoned sports broadcasting pro. He can sense when a big play is about to occur and quickly cue a replay on the fly during a livestream. Then he stores replays in a library for viewing later. All it takes is one affordable, easy-to-use device from Roland and a knowledgeable person running the controls in the stadium press box. The combination adds a thrilling professional-grade video element to audio commentary.
“Our sponsors, community, school district, players, and fans couldn’t be more thrilled to relive some of their favorite moments.” As a bonus, the McGuffey High School football coaches use the footage for review and athletes for a highlight reel for college recruitment.
Now that we’ve got the operation under our belts and full sponsor support, who knows what’s next? Wrestling matches, volleyball, basketball, you name it. The sky is the limit.
Despite its enormous impact on McGuffey Sports Network, incorporating the P-20HD into their workflow was seamless and transparent. There was no need to buy new cameras, AV switchers, microphones, or other gear. The P-20HD integrates with all of the network’s existing equipment. “Getting it on board was largely plug-and-play,” Robinson enthuses. “A few HDMI cables connected to the appropriate inputs, and you’re up and running without a hitch.”
Simple Solution—Stupendous Results
With the Roland P-20HD, McGuffey Sports Networks’ high school sports broadcasts are so impressive Kern expects to expand coverage into matchups beyond football games. “Now that we’ve got the operation under our belts and full sponsor support, who knows what’s next? Wrestling matches, volleyball, basketball, you name it. The sky is the limit,” he proposes.
Regardless of how McGuffey Sports Network broadens its coverage, the P-20HD will play an integral role in broadcast quality. Portable, plug-and-play, and perfect for a single operator, the P-20HD will prepare the McGuffey Sports Network for whatever its broadcasting future holds.
