Slingbox lets 6,000 watch game live in stadium by aligning technology
By Dave Newhouse, STAFF WRITER
BERKELEY — Cal football fans showed up Saturday at Memorial Stadium to watch their Golden Bears play Washington State. Only something was missing. There were no teams on the field. That's because this Pacific-10 Conference game was played at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Wash. Then how did the 6,000 Cal diehards in Strawberry Canyon get to see the game? After all, it wasn't on television. Confused? Don't be. Through a novel innovation, the game was, in effect, televised. Slingbox Technology redirected the scoreboard feed from Martin Stadium through the Internet to a computer connected to the Memorial Stadium scoreboard, which relayed the video feed, including replays.
Slingbox combined the video feed with the audio play-by-play feed from KGO, Cal's flagship radio station, and that's how local fans saw a football game inside a stadium without actual players. Jason Krikorian is co-founder of Sling Box Media, Inc. It's a good thing he is a Cal graduate, and an advertiser at Cal home games with four Slingbox banners inside Memorial Stadium. Otherwise, no dual feed. Krikorian learned only a few days ago the Cal-WSU game wouldn't be televised. He sprung into action, but not without some anxiety. "There's definitely a risk," he said at the stadium Saturday, a half-hour before kickoff. "We're putting together these feeds for the first time." He needn't have worried. Everything went smoothly, though watching the smallish scoreboard screen was like observing a Cal game from Tightwad Hill. Only on Saturday, two guys were sitting on Tightwad Hill, and the game from Pullman was being shown for free.
The 6,000 in attendance paid no admission, but had to provide their own food and drink. Cal left the stadium bathrooms open. The atmosphere had everything but a halftime show. The crowd booed Washington State lustily and cheered Cal loudly, offering several standing ovations as the Bears trounced the Cougars 21-3 for Cal's first victory in the Palouse country since 1979. Bill Brown of Fall River Mills played "hooky" from an optometrists convention at the adjacent International House to see his first Cal "game" at the stadium since The Play in 1982. Other Cal alums attended for various reasons. "I went to school here in the 1960s, and I'm still waiting for my trip to Pasadena," said Ken of Lafayette, who withheld his last name.
"After 25 years of season tickets, of going through all the winless seasons, we're basking in (Cal's current football success). We deserve this," said Linda of Lafayette, Ken's wife. Cal, presently 6-1 and ranked 10th in the country, hasn't played in the Rose Bowl at Pasadena since the 1958 season.
Cal chancellor Robert J. Birgeneau and his wife, Mary Catherine, were among the 6,000. Five crimson shirts — Washington State alums — sat bravely amid the sea of blue surrounding them. "I think we're going to upset them," said Mel Carlson, WSU class of 1960. "I think California's looking past us."
Carlson then watched Cal take a 14-0 first-quarter lead, which the Bears stretched to 21-3 at halftime, when the scoring ended. "We're here to watch the Cougs win," said Jodie Loutzenhiser, Class of 1986 and wearing her WSU 1998 Rose Bowl sweatshirt. Michael Oliver, who graduated from Wazzu three years ago, had the farthest drive of the five alums Saturday. He lives in Modesto.
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