Streaming could bring you MHS sports this fall

Published July 3, 2020

By JENNIFER GENTILE

MELROSE—If you have a queasy feeling about fall sports, you’re not alone. But as long as schools are open—and they will be this fall, given Gov. Baker’s directive on June 25—that means sports are open too. The MIAA is ready to pick up where they left last March, according to the most recent communication from their COVID-19 Task Force. But with audience restrictions a likelihood this fall, there is a remedy.

Pixxelot, an MIAA-endorsed streaming program, is coming to Melrose, thanks to a generous donation from the Melrose Park & Recreation Department and the Victoria McLaughlin Foundation. Approximately $11,000 worth of camera and technology will be donated to Melrose High School by the Foundation and the Melrose Dept. of Recreation for installation at Fred Green Field, the Melrose Middle School gym and the Marcoux Gym. Additionally, a portable camera with a laptop and tripod will be donated to provide live streaming coverage in other locations throughout Melrose High campus, including but not limiting to the West Knoll, Morrelli Field and other athletic venues, which allows live steam opportunities for graduations, concerts, award nights and band competitions. The foundation has also offered to fund a “broadcasting club” that will provide the money to support the streaming of events that need an operator. 

Pixellot is operated via NFHS Network, which has cameras in over 4,000 schools across the country. More and more schools across MA are looking into streaming services due to the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. In most districts, the schools pay for the cameras, but here in Melrose they will be generously donated by the Park and Recreation Department and the Victoria McLaughlin Foundation, whose philanthropic efforts go back over a decade to benefit Melrose Public School arts (see accompanying story). 

Across Massachusetts, districts are installing Pixellot technology, including neighboring Malden, and many South Shore public schools. Additionally, the entire Cape Ann athletic conference is contemplating joining now that Newburyport is signed on.

How it works is a lesson in simplicity: a motion sensor follows the ball without anyone operating it. The system turns on and off by itself. It is pre-programmed to cover events via an inputted schedule. Parents and fans near and far can log in to a streaming channel to view for a small subscription rate in which the city gets 10% of the profit. Subscriptions are optional and range from full access to all games countrywide or more simply, $11 per month for seasonal viewers. The recreation department will provide scholarships to families who have children on teams that are part of the free and reduced lunch program. All non-athletic competitions can be screened for free.

The streaming service will not replace Melrose’s relationship with MMTV or Melrose High TV, which offers a wide array of school event coverage—but not always in real-time. Time constraints, manpower and funding limit the number of events MMTV and Melrose High TV can stream live. Many AUU programs have been offering streaming services for parents, so it was a matter of time that the opportunity was presented to the families of scholar-athletes. Melrose has the opportunity to be in the front seat of this technology and the offer may be simply too good to be passed up. In this case, live streaming would be available to include a wide range of athletics, including middle school, freshman and JV, which historically have never been recorded in any format. On a higher level, expect to see live viewings of varsity football, boys and girls soccer, field hockey, boys and girls lacrosse, volleyball, boys and girls basketball and wrestling.

The coverage goes beyond sports. Any event taking place in the fields such as MHS graduation, city-wide gatherings, pep rallies, cheering and band competitions can be viewed live. More importantly, the portable camera and laptop can stream from anywhere there is internet access, like the MHS Learning Commons, the Middle School auditorium, a science lab or classroom. That means performances by the MHS Orchestra and Chorus, drama productions, academic award nights, Hall of Fame Inductions, National Honor Society Ceremonies and dozens of other school events can now all be streamed live. A nice feature in an increasingly virtual world. Win, win.

John McLaughlin, who spearheaded the initiative, feels the timing couldn’t be more critical given the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It offered a tremendous opportunity before the pandemic, but now is really a critical component of public education. As we are seeing outside of the public education world, sports are being played without spectators, the arts are being performed without audiences. Parents are not allowed to attend their children’s graduations and award ceremonies. These activities are critical to the education experience and represent a major component of a child’s life. When the restrictions are lifted, it also allows individuals who are elderly or have health issues that would put them at a greater risk of infection in a safe place of viewing.”

This pressing need made it the perfect beneficiary of the Foundation. “Allowing parents and families to watch and enjoy their children’s activities at a time when parents most likely won’t be allowed in the buildings is of paramount importance to me personally, and our organization,” McLaughlin says. “These types of events are streamed for free, outside of the athletic event subscription.”

The effort has the backing of Mayor Paul Brodeur, the Melrose Parks Commission, Principal Jason Merrill, Athletic Director Stephen Fogarty, and outgoing Superintendent Cindy Taymore and was recently brought to the School Committee for a vote by chairman Ed O’Connell. Two vocal critics on the committee included Jennifer Razi Thomas who called the matter, “a waste of time” and Margaret Driscoll who said, “there are a thousand things more important than this.”

Mayor Paul Brodeur disagreed. “This is a useful service for folks to watch live.” He also pointed out the benefits of sporting equity. “This is actually an opportunity for sports that aren’t on the favorable end of a schedule, particularly female sports, who are often not scheduled on the marque times, or sports that generally fall by the wayside in terms of fans, to draw exposure and become more broadly watched for family, fans and alumni while also gaining publicity for their efforts.”

One thing all parents and educators can agree on is that school and activities will look a little different in the fall. But, this may be the time to give back to the students and families who have borne the brunt of the COVID educational hit and have already sacrificed enough. That’s a concept that The Victoria McLaughlin Foundation gets. 

Says McLaughlin: “We are entering a period where parents and community access to school facilities will be severely restricted or even prohibited for major stretches of time. This will allow students and their families access. If there is a need that falls within our mission, we do everything possible to meet that need. Providing live stream access to these events and activities fits perfectly within our mission statement.” 

Stay tuned.