Nick Natale

🚨🚨 BIG NEWS PERSONALLY/PROFESSIONALLY TO SHARE 🚨🚨 The world of broadcasting high school sports is about to change in a major way. Seven years ago when we started to build LocalLive, I wrote that every single school in the country would soon be live-streaming every single game and event on campus. What seemed like an impossible concept soon came to fruition. And when I started at LocalLive seven years ago, I dreamed of a day like today. Beginning this summer, LocalLive - and much of our staff - will migrate into NBC’s SportsEngine Play to build the new "next big thing in high school sports." As of this week, I assume the role of “National Sales Manager” at SportsEngine, an opportunity I could never have imagined when I look back on all the twists and turns of my career. We took LocalLive from practically nothing and sold it to NBC. Just saying that gives me chills. First and foremost, a thank you - to you. Sincerely. I am only able to live this dream because of you; the athletes, the parents, the coaches, the ADs, the communities of the past 27 years. I realized long ago that if I give my time, my energy and my passion to people, there would only be a far greater reward in return. This proves it, once again. My first day working at The Journal News in 1998, and at MSG Varsity in 2010, and at LocalLive in 2018 were seminal moments in my life. But none compare to today. SportsEngine has handed me the keys to help create the premiere high school streaming platform in this space, powered by the sharpest technology, a robust website, unbelievably supportive leadership and a team driven to innovate and enhance the broadcast experience. What this means for schools and communities: - New cameras and technology - Better tools for coaching, recruiting, sharing - NO fees to view (except Section 1 championships) - An app - Working closer with student broadcasters - Many more exciting features to share in the next few months SportsEngine wants to do this all while protecting the primary things that allowed LocalLive to evolve into what it is today: Relationships. They believe strongly in my own personal connection to the athletes and communities, and the unparalleled service our entire team has given to our partner schools. LocalLive, led by our founder Nelson Santos, built the company up literally from nothing. We were a bunch of cast-offs from other companies, huddled in a cluttered Stamford, CT office that was once the city’s courtroom. We had a vision, which thanks to support from schools and communities that entrusted in us, we turned into something special these last seven years. But we recently reached a crossroads in our business. Finances were hard to manage, technology needed innovation, and competition became David versus several Goliaths. We were short on the resources to take pivotal next steps for growth. Then came NBC SportsEngine. They had observed not just what we were doing at LocalLive, but how we were doing it, for several years. They’re eager to grow in the streaming space. And they chose us to help drive it. Everything we hold paramount at LocalLive - relationships, service, promoting athletes and an undying will to deliver a good product - will be the cornerstones at SportsEngine. GameDay One will remain at the forefront locally, and SportsEngine is extremely supportive of that promotional tool. In fact, they have designs of potentially emulating it elsewhere, as well as potentially advancing student broadcast opportunities and expanding the platform for partner schools to publish content and increase engagement. Happy to answer any calls, texts, DMs, emails on what's happening next. But I am thrilled to be a part of it. In just a short time working under the NBC SportsEngine umbrella, I'm overwhelmed by how strongly they believe in our concepts and the support they intend to give it. LocalLive will forever be one of the most influential periods of my life. We built not just a camera company - but a brand. We create a term that people use. Whenever I hear chatter about LocalLive among kids or parents, I marvel. It's surreal. But the potential for the future here is unlimited. And I cannot wait to start building this next endeavor. The new era is here. Who’s coming with us?

Our guys Nick Natale of @PVilleAthletics and Conner Gaffney of @GreeleySports allowed us to enhance the broadcasts last night by working an on-court camera. Really added so much of the production and I loved their willingness to jump in on the big stage.

County Center week complete and I enjoyed it as much as ever before. Big part of that was getting to work alongside GameDay One interns Josh Gershman of Briarcliff, Conner Gaffney of Greeley and Nick Natale of Pleasantville. They logged as many hours as I did and we had a blast

GameDay One Special: Full Section 1 Basketball Championship Weekend Preview Show. I brought in our interns - @NickNatale56, @GershmanJosh and @GaffneyConner - to break down all 10 Section 1 Finals and pick who will win the Gold Ball. Watch: youtu.be/NpI_9MtEaeI