By Cassie Worth
Old Georgians have taken advantage of the hockey spectator lockout at its home games by becoming the latest club to see the value of professional live broadcasting.
The Surrey club will welcome live cameras and commentator Simon Mason in for the first time when the Men’s 1s Premier Division clash against University of Exeter on Sunday is livestreamed by Galvanised Media.
The move follows Beeston HC’s success in regular quality live broadcasts, which has seen highlights become available on the regional free-to-air Notts TV – and some impressive audience figures to go with it.
Old Georgians’ club president Chris Jansen told THP: “We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved since the club was founded in 1995 and what better way to celebrate our 25th year than to do our bit to help raise the profile of the sport we all love.
“We have long believed that the exceptional hockey talent this country produces deserves to be showcased properly on the big stage and of course this is particularly relevant in current times where spectating is understandably somewhat limited and people may be reluctant to attend games.”
Mike Hughes, OGs men’s coach, said the live platform was “huge” for the club.
He said: “It’s been made increasingly obvious that domestic hockey needs to be prioritised in this country and the commercial success of clubs will play a huge part in this.
“After the six months we’ve had, I’m just delighted that both sets of players can begin to get the recognition they deserve for all the commitment, hard work and dedication they’ve shown to their clubs.”
Jansen added that excitement is at “an all-time high” across the club as it embarks on its second season in the top flight.
“This latest initiative is just another example of how we want to keep pushing boundaries and sustain the vibrant, positive culture of our amazing club,” he said.
OGs will broadcast live across its platforms on Sunday. Follow OGs on Twitter for live links.
[box style=”2″]
SIGN UP for The Hockey Paper’s newsletter: Promotions, exclusives and our best coverage
[/box]
[two_col cats=”” num=””]