CASE STUDY
How One Conference Built a Unified Video Platform Across 12 Institutions and 7 Sports
The Challenge
Like many collegiate conferences, the Southland faced fragmented video operations across its 12 member institutions. Each school managed replay and game video independently—resulting in inconsistent capabilities, varying levels of officiating support, and no centralized way to share footage or standardize quality.
With ESPN broadcast standards rising and increasing demand for professional-grade replay, the conference needed a scalable solution that didn’t require each school to build its own infrastructure.
Before this partnership, each school was managing replay differently—different systems, different capabilities, different levels of support. Now we have one unified platform across all 12 institutions and seven sports.
The Solution
The Southland became the first conference office in collegiate athletics to centralize all video operations across all sports, implementing a fully cloud-based video and replay infrastructure across all member institutions and seven sports, partnering with Spiideo.
The partnership deployed cameras and encoders at every campus, feeding into a unified platform serving multiple stakeholders:
Spiideo Replay
Cloud-based instant replay for officials with multi-angle video review and game clock integration
Spiideo Perform
Video analysis tools for coaches, enabling game review, tagging, and player development
League Exchange
Centralized video sharing platform for real-time scouting and conference-wide access
Broadcast Integration
ESPN feed ingestion for comprehensive coverage combining broadcast and Spiideo cameras
National Debut on ESPN2
The partnership launched with a nationally televised football game between Nicholls State and Incarnate Word on ESPN2—demonstrating that cloud-based replay could perform at the highest level of collegiate athletics.
The cloud-native architecture enabled rapid deployment across all venues in weeks, rather than the months typically required for traditional hardware-based replay systems.
On a nationally televised ESPN2 broadcast, our officials had access to the same replay tools the pros use—and it was deployed in weeks, not months. That's the power of a cloud-native platform.
The Impact
For Officials
Consistent, professional-grade replay access at every venue. Multi-angle review with broadcast feed integration means officials work with the same tools regardless of location.
For Coaches
Immediate access to game footage for performance analysis. Coaches can scout opponents in real-time through League Exchange—no waiting for uploads to national exchanges.
For Administrators
Centralized oversight of video operations conference-wide, with simplified vendor management through a single platform partner.
For Broadcasts
ESPN-ready replay integration that elevates production quality across all televised games.
Why Conference-Level Partnerships Matter
The Southland model demonstrates a new approach to collegiate video technology:
• Replay as entry point: Officiating needs create immediate value and establish camera infrastructure
• Cloud-first architecture: Faster deployment with lower infrastructure burden
• Platform expansion: Natural path from replay to analysis to broadcast
• Conference-level control: Centralized standards with member institution flexibility
For conferences evaluating similar investments, the Southland shows that the decision isn’t just about replay—it’s about building the foundation for a unified video platform that serves officials, coaches, and administrators from the same infrastructure.
About the Southland Conference
Founded in 1963, the Southland Conference comprises 12 member institutions across Louisiana and Texas. Known as the “Gas Tank League” for its regional accessibility, the conference has maintained remarkable stability with an average member tenure of 25 years.
About Spiideo
Spiideo is the leading AI-powered video and data platform for leagues, broadcasters, federations, and clubs. With installations in 6,000+ venues across 60 countries—including the Premier League, NHL, NBA, Serie A, MLS, and NCAA—Spiideo delivers the tools organizations need to capture, analyze, broadcast, and officiate sports at every level.