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In 2020, watching live or recorded sports is typically just a few clicks away.
“We countdown 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and then we’ll go on the air,” said Hite Media Services Founder Brandon Hite.
Just like that, the action inside JQH Arena can appear live on your computer screen.
First, it goes through the Hite Media production van.
“All of those cameras come into our trailer, that get switched here,” Hite said. “The audio gets mixed together and graphics get put on the broadcast.”
That’s how Hite and his production team broadcast more than 80 Missouri State games on ESPN streaming platforms each year.
Now, due to COVID-19, those games and the broadcast opportunities no longer exist.
“We got the call saying everything’s been cancelled and I thought ‘this will be for a little bit’ and it’s kind of somber because I just sent our last checks to everybody for March,” Hite said.
Those checks were sent out shortly before this interview which took place on April 6. They’ll be the last for a while for the many freelancers and MSU students that help broadcast the games.
Freelancer Jay Bartell has turned to working construction in the meantime. He says he’s just trying to stay optimistic.
“I’m trying to make the most of it,” Bartell said. “Everybody is in the same boat, and there are way worse off people out there right now.”
While Bartell gets by with his construction job, Hite has turned to a different, but familiar gig fixing brake modules for cars, something he started nearly 20 years ago.
“That’s actually what helped pay for my first camera and then sequentially the other two cameras, and then eventually the video trailer,” Hite said. “So if it weren’t for the ABS modules, the video production business probably wouldn’t be here.”
Although those different jobs are good for now, these guys are eager to back to what they do best.
“It’s just going to be good seeing everybody, but I just can’t wait to get back to making money the right way,” Bartell said.
They’ll also be getting back to giving us the convenience we’ve grown to love when watching our favorite sports.
