Wauwatosa school district adds live-stream camera to three sports fields

With athletic teams gearing up once again for fall sports seasons, fans will notice a new feature on the Wauwatosa School District's website.

The district recently added live-streaming webcams to three area sports fields, and the cameras' functions serve dual purposes, said Superintendent Phil Ertl.

Video feeds have been added to the West High School Athletic Field and to each of the two baseball diamonds at Breitlow Field. The cameras aim to deter crime, but can also give sports fans or family members unable to make a game the ability to view the field activities online through live-streaming capabilities, Ertl said.

To date, the district hasn't had a problem with vandalism or theft and the cameras are simply proactive, said Ertl, adding the cameras have been in the works for more than a year.

"We'll have footage if something occurs," Ertl said.

The current location of the camera at West High School Athletic Field is positioned behind a goalpost is not permanent, Ertl said. Presently, renovations are taking place at the field. The camera moves back and forth between the bleacher seats and construction work. The camera will eventually be moved to the field's press box, where viewpoints "cover more of the field," Ertl said.

Each of the two cameras located at Breitlow Field, 12100 W. North Ave., are positioned near home of the field's two baseball diamonds. Both of the cameras are locked into one viewpoint.

Users have the ability to pause and play the live feed, but there are no playback options.

Ertl said each of the cameras cost $2,000.

The live streaming can be viewed on the district's website, bit.ly/1KZZtF2.