ICB students to broadcast Bandits games

The Chicago Bandits, the Elgin-based professional women's fastpitch softball team, will have all 28 home games broadcast over the Internet this season with the help of college students.

Under a deal with the Illinois Center for Broadcasting in Lombard, 17 students have been chosen to crew the games. The students will write, produce and direct all 28 games and host two weekly recap shows.

The games will be carried on the Bandit's Web site at www.chicagobandits.com and also via www.mlb.com.

James Urban, owner and president of The Softball Channel, will be the executive producer of the games.

Bill Conroy, owner of the Bandits, has made a major investment in broadcast equipment and each of these games will be a 5-camera undertaking. Conroy believes that televising what he calls "small sports" over the Internet is the wave of the future for sporting events that haven't the audience draw of Major League Baseball.

This season the Bandits will play their games at Judson University in Elgin.