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Webcast may improve student support for athletics

The Miami University athletic department has enlisted the help of the Internet to publicize this year's National Letter of Intent Day (NLI Day). By way of a live broadcast between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m., viewers were able to meet Miami athletes of the future and interact with football Head Coach Mike Haywood on the Miami athletics Web site.

The editorial board of The Miami Student believes the webcast will improve Miami's spirit and generate more interest in sports. Believed to be the first of its kind, the webcast represents a significant improvement in contact between Miami students, fans and athletics.

By raising the profile of NLI Day, Miami athletics also potentially improved Miami's appeal to potential future athletes, who may see the webcast as indicative of a high level of support for Miami athletics.

While the webcast was an innovative means of reaching out to a broader fan base, athletics could have done a better job of publicizing it. Advance publicity was stymied partially so other universities would not mimic the event this year. As a result, fewer potential audience members were reached than could have been. This board feels that a link on Miami's main page or a simulcast on MUTV would have improved viewership. The webcast could have also been the basis for an on-campus "watch-party" event in the Shriver Center or another high-traffic area. Webcasts can be a finicky medium, hindered by slow Internet connections and compatibility issues. The format and advertising of the webcast can certainly be improved for next year.

For their part, students should show more pride in our school's athletic endeavors. Haywood has done a good job of encouraging greater interaction between athletes and the student body at large. This board believes that Haywood's positive attitude and events such as the webcast could signal an improvement in attendance at athletic events and student involvement in athletics.

Even the non-athletically inclined among us must recognize our athletic department represents a powerful recruiting tool.

To a certain extent, the prestige of our university is intertwined with the success of our athletic teams and the extent to which students are perceived to support them. Many prospective students see school spirit as a key element of student life.

This board applauds the imagination shown by Assistant Coach Bill Elias, Athletic Director Brad Bates and the entire athletic department in finding an innovative way of giving an annual happening new appeal. This board hopes the athletic department will offer similar and improved events in the future.


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