By Prarthana Hazarika
In today’s fast-paced digital world, media coverage has become an inseparable part of sports. From local tournaments to global mega-events, the way sports are presented in the media shapes public perception, popularizes the sport, drives fan engagement, and even influences the careers of athletes.
The Brahmaputra Volleyball League (BVL) is taking inspiration from this trend by bringing audiences closer to the sport through live streaming of its matches. Founded by former India captain Abhijit Bhattacharya in 2020, the league aims to promote volleyball in rural areas. Today, it is considered one of the largest grassroots volleyball leagues in the world.
Media professional Amitabh Atreya, after working on several reality shows and sports productions, took on the challenging task of live streaming every match of the Brahmaputra Volleyball League. But was it easy for Atreya, especially given that BVL did not have major sponsorship backing?
The writer attempts to find out.
Q: How did the idea of live streaming matches of the Brahmaputra Volleyball League come to you?
Amitabh Atreya: When the first season started, I used to follow updates from Abhijit. During one of our conversations, I told him that sports need to be experienced live, not recorded. Watching a recorded match cannot bring fans and the sport closer in the same way. Moreover, teams were being supported by people from countries like the US, and they would want to watch matches in real time. That’s when I felt the matches had to go live.
Q: How did technology help you live stream the matches and connect with audiences?
Atreya: We were looking for a solution that could also provide live scores. Towards the end of 2020, I learned about an app called SportVot. I connected with the team on LinkedIn. We agreed on a minimal cost for storage, and eventually, they came on board to support and sponsor the subsequent seasons.
Q: What was the next challenge in executing the live streams?
Atreya: Once we had the technology, the next challenge was training local people to handle the equipment and broadcast matches. We didn’t have access to fancy gear like professional cameras or tripods. So, we trained them to use mobile phones, often supported by locally made bamboo tripods, to live stream the matches.
Q: Do you believe live broadcasting gave BVL an added advantage?
Atreya: Absolutely. Live streaming allowed people to discover us. When someone watches a match live, it creates an instant emotional connection. It also helped audiences across the globe understand what BVL is about. That’s the essence of community sports.
To date, Atreya has trained more than 500 individuals across various centers in Assam to broadcast matches using the SportVot app, empowering local communities while revolutionizing grassroots sports coverage.
