The Cranston Public School Department is out to bid for a new athletic streaming platform following the not so successful run of NFHS Network’s streaming service, which the district was in contract with for six years.

CPS Director of Athletics Mike Traficante came before the School Committee Aug. 9 to talk about going out to bid.

“For the money we were paying, I just think it wasn’t really worth it,” said Traficante.

The district spent $3,000 annually on NFHS (National Federation of State High School Associations) Network’s athletic streaming service; the money for this service came from a stand alone fund outside the district’s budget.

Traficante said the company was based out of Indiana with another office out of Georgia but had no regional representation. He said the company’s presentation was good when the district decided to sign on with them but, since then, the cameras’ performance did not match up to what the presentation showed.

Traficante said the camera at Cranston Stadium worked 50 percent of the time and at Cranston West, the camera at the field had to be shut off on a daily basis because it drew on the internet and slowed it down. Additionally, the scoreboards in the school gymnasiums always read zero-zero and didn’t keep the time; the last service showed live games but with a three minute delay.

So far, there has been one bid, with Traficante saying he has had several phone inquiries. What he likes about the individual who sent in his bid is that he can stream up to four games at once. He has four crews and the people who man the cameras and commentate have played the sports and announce things properly. With NFHS Network, there was no commentating – with Traficante saying it was like watching a silent movie.

Additionally, these cameras would be portable. The previous network’s cameras were mounted to the walls and could only show games that took place in the gymnasiums or stadium fields. Portable cameras would allow more access to other sports such as baseball, softball and tennis.

Traficante said for some of the district’s superbowl games at the stadium, companies with mobile cameras and who commentate have been brought in and it has worked well.

School Committee member Kristen Haroian, whose background is in Capitol TV, asked if the athletic streaming was something the students could do if they had the equipment to do so. The kids could videotape from different angles and get the footage to go live. Traficante, who said Haroian probably knows more about it, said that could be an option.

There is a special arrangement Traficante plans to pursue with whoever receives the bid. While other schools require individuals to buy a subscription for a game or season, Traficante wants to continue offering the athletic streaming for free to both high schools.

Chief Finance Director for Cranston Public Schools Joseph Balducci said when the district terminated its prior contract, the NFHS Network went away quietly. Traficante said he put the company’s four computers in storage. The four cameras that streamed the games are still mounted, and if the company wants the cameras, they will call Traficante and ask for access to remove them.

The bids for the athletic streaming service close prior to the September School Committee meeting. For transparency purposes, the district will keep the bids up for a minimum of two to three weeks. Because the School Committee will have to vote on what company receives the bid, athletic streaming will not be available until after the September School Committee meeting.