Web firm opens local branch, streams West Coast, WAC games

BOULDER – Penn Atlantic, a South Carolina-based Web-streaming company, has recently opened an office in the Boulder area.

It is a hub for some of the company’s technical work such as software development and network operations. It also is used for customer support.

The Boulder office on Walnut Street also facilitates the streaming of West Coast games due to the difference in time zone. At times, employees at the South Carolina office would have to work until 2 a.m. to broadcast a West Coast game.

The Web-streaming provider focuses on athletics and currently has contracts with several collegiate athletic conferences, including the Western Athletic Conference, a Division I athletic conference.

Since entering the area, Penn Atlantic has yet to speak with any of the local college teams about online streaming, but plans on doing so in the near future.

“We haven’t spoken to any of the local schools, yet, but we will be eventually,´ said George Kakatsakis, Penn Atlantic chief programming officer.

Currently, Penn Atlantic provides its service on a game-by-game basis, but is looking to move toward subscriptions with advertising, ” … embedded in the stream.”

The company has been contracted by both CBS and the NCAA to provide certain Division II and Division III athletic events online. One of Penn Atlantic’s most successful broadcasts was during the Division III basketball semifinals and consolation game, when 49,000 streams were delivered.

Kakatsakis mentioned that they have received a great deal of positive feedback thus far, ranging from grandparents watching their grandkids, to alumni far away from their alma mater.

on Facebook on LinkedIn