It’s quite a production to bring broadcast quality curling into people’s homes.
And for the volunteer crew behind the Okotoks Curling Club’s livestream and live-commentary broadcast of events, it’s an important role to step into with in-person spectators at a minimum amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I did grow up watching curling on TV and learned strategy that way and I think it helps a lot, understanding the game,” said Okotoks Curling Club manager Mike Libbus, who provides the play-by-play on the broadcast. “Doubles is a little tougher to understand because it’s so new to everyone whereas when you get into the four-person curling it’s definitely a lot easier for me.
“I’ve had some great commentators helping us here, they’re the brains and I just chat. We’ve had some great guests.”
Some of the guests providing the colour commentary have included the likes of Olympic bronze medallist Shannon Kleibrink, Canadian Scotties champion Chelsea Carey and Ben Hebert – a 2010 Olympic gold medallist on the Kevin Martin rink and one of the biggest personalities in the game.
Libbus said a handful of curling clubs are getting into live-streaming, though few are fortunate enough to have the kind of set-up they do in Okotoks.
“It’s out there and you’ve got to do something,” Libbus said. “There might be a way to try and generate more revenue for our club with advertisements.
“We’ve noticed that the broadcast levels on TV, the numbers are down for a lot of things out there and I think it’s because more people are streaming things and they can just watch it easily. There’s lot of curling out there to watch and we’re just trying to grab some of the piece of the pie.”
The extensive set-up at the Okotoks Curling Club features a production crew in the neighbourhood of six, with handheld zoom cameras at each end of the ice, with the crew using OBS software that allows for the switching of angles along with microphones on the ice picking up the sounds of the game.
The broadcast also includes commercials and sponsor promotions.
“You’re always watching your angles as to who’s over the house, who’s looking at the shooter from far away?” said Kurt Grunow, the volunteer producer who heads up the technical crew for the broadcast. “Then you’re dealing with the scoreboards and anything you can to try and put it up, like on TV.”
In some rare instances, the sounds of the game can be a little bit raw for the sake of the viewers meaning the production crew has to have a keen ear for a curse word or two.
“We keep reminding them we don’t have the 10-second delay,” Libbus said with a laugh. “We’ve heard some comments.”
The live-streaming opportunities were born out of Okotoks hosting the Alberta Scotties championships in January, where Grunow, Libbus and company dipped their toes into broadcasting and from there purchased the necessary equipment.
“With COVID going on and our members not being able to watch it here in the facility, we thought it was a great opportunity for people to tune in and still watch some great curling,” Libbus said. “We’ve got some huge events coming up here, for not only our curling club, but for the town and it just helps us showcase everything.”
The Okotoks Curling Club will livestream the ATB Okotoks Classic, Nov. 5-8, and the Women’s Alberta Tour event, held Nov. 13-15, on its YouTube channel.
“It’s a volunteer outfit so (viewers) are not expecting perfect,” Grunow said. “But, when we did the Scotties, how this all came to be, we did it because we were going to fill in the gaps until (Sportsnet) showed up, there were three or four days where we would do what we could until they showed up.
“Now we’re doing it because COVID showed up and people are saying it’s so great that we can watch this stuff, because they can't.”
The athletes along with their supporters have appreciated their efforts.
“The streaming really helps so the fans can watch,” said Okotoks curler Kyler Kleibrink, who won the WFG Okotoks Mixed Doubles Classic with partner Chantele Broderson on the weekend. “It’s a great set up, the commentators, it’s almost like Sportsnet.”
Making it feel like broadcast television is the goal for all those involved.
“The good thing about it, the way we’re doing it, these teams don’t always get an opportunity to be on TV, wear microphones,” Libbus said. “We did it for our junior event here the first of October and those kids were mic’ed up, excited. Their families could watch at home, they couldn’t be in the building, but they could tune in and watch. It’s just like watching a game at home.”
For more information go to okotokscurling.com.
