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A software glitch at Cuse.com prevented Syracuse Orange football fans from viewing Scott Shafer's live National Signing Day press conference for free on Wednesday.
The press conference, which was shown locally on Time Warner Cable Sports Channel and exclusively online to those who pay for Cuse.com's Orange All-Access (supposedly, some Orange All-Access subscribers couldn't watch it live either), concluded an otherwise fantastic day for the Orange, who landed 25 commitments. The Class of 2014 could be, at least on paper, one of the best recruiting classes the program has had in years.
Those who had been following Cuse.com's coverage of NSD -- which, by the way, was fantastic -- were informed they could watch Shafer's press conference starting at 3:45 p.m. Yet, when fans clicked on the link, which went to the Orange All-Access page, it directed them to a paywall screen that said access to the presser would be granted if you paid for a 24-hour pass, which can be purchased for $6.95. (Though, I am learning even if you did pay you might not have been able to access it anyway.)
According to a spokesperson for Syracuse athletics, the live stream of the press conference was suppose to be free, however, a glitch occurred in Cuse.com's new system and prevented everyone from watching it online. The video of Shafer's press conference will be available for free at the Cuse.com website. SU athletics launched Cuse.com last Friday.
At the time of posting the video was nowhere to be found (that is now a lie it is posted below). It is still unclear if those that bought access to the presser for $6.95 will be refunded their money, if they want it back.
It can be argued the glitch ruined a very good opportunity for the football program, as many young, impressionable Orange fans, which were home tracking SU's National Signing Day coverage because of a snow day, were left out of the live epic conclusion. (We know that everything Scott Shafer does live is epic.)
However, if this is the only glitch to Syracuse 2014 National Signing Day, Orange fans should take it. Save that built up frustration about not being able to watch Scott Shafer live for something better, like getting all fired up about basketball season. Because that's what you are all doing now anyway.
