A new instant replay system will allow Wartburg College fans to see close plays a second (or third or fourth) time during live broadcasts on Knight Vision, the college’s live-streaming network.

The new system, installed this summer, was made possible through a sponsorship from First National Bank of Waverly, a grant from the R.J. McElroy Trust, memorial gifts received in honor of Wartburg alumnus Al Koeneman and proceeds from the Duane and Mary Ellen Schroeder Memorial Endowment Fund, which was established earlier this year with gifts from alumni and friends.

“We have wanted an instant replay system for quite some time. We know this system will make the quality of our broadcasts more appealing to those watching and gives us extra elements for instruction,” said Penni Pier, a journalism and communication professor and Grant L. Price Endowed Department Chair. “We are very grateful for this support for our students.”

Shellie Murphy, First National Bank marketing director, said the bank made a five-year commitment to the college for the instant replay technology.

“Wartburg College is a big part of our community, and FNB has been a part of the Waverly community for over 150 years. We want to be partners in helping the community grow and welcome students with open arms while supporting their activities in the community.” Josh Voigt, a junior in journalism and communication from eSwatini, was responsible for installing and learning the system this summer so he could help teach other students this fall.

“There aren’t a lot of opportunities that you get as a college student that allow you to truly go above and beyond. This is definitely one of those opportunities,” Voigt said. “This new replay machine is unbelievably powerful and has changed the way I think about TV altogether. I’ve only done a few broadcasts with it, but already my knowledge about how all of the compartments of a broadcast mix together has increased substantially. There’s still a lot to learn, but I am confident that by the time I am done at Wartburg, I will have a skill that not many other people will have experience with.”

Pier expects the system to get heavy usage during each of the college’s sports seasons, but also envisions ways students will be able to use it during special events, such as the annual Physics and Chemistry Demo Show.

“Knight Vision looks so different now than when it started. We were so grateful for the initial gift that came from our friend of the football program that allowed us to convert studio to HD and launch Knight Vision,” Pier said.

In the last three years, total views have increased from 140,876 in 2015-16 to 240,849 in 2017-18. Unique impressions increased from 101,671 to 153,223 during that same time. While most of those views come from the United States, the college regularly records viewers from the United Kingdom, Indonesia, Spain, Nigeria, Malaysia and Germany.

“As our program grew we covered more and more sports and then added music, chapel services and other special events,” Pier said. “We get comments all the time from grandparents or the families of our international or out-of-state students who can’t make the trip for an event. It’s hard to imagine what we would do without it. It’s much bigger than anybody had anticipated when we started.”