Events

Events are the primary content unit in HometownLive. An event represents a single live or on-demand video item — a game, match, concert, meeting, or any recorded content. Events appear on the public-facing Events page for viewers.

Events List

Location: Sidebar → Events (/admin/events)

The events list displays a table with these columns:

Column	Description
Event ID	Auto-assigned unique identifier.
Title	Event name as shown to viewers.
Language	Content language for the event.
Access	Free or Paid.

Use the filter dropdowns to narrow the list by Language, Genre, Conference, or Group. Use the Search field to find a specific event by title.

To act on multiple events at once, check the boxes on the left and use the Action dropdown (Bulk Action).

Events Calendar

The Events Calendar provides a month or week view of all scheduled events.

Location: Sidebar → Events Calendar (/admin/events_calendar)

Click Today to return to the current date. Click any date on the grid to see the events scheduled for that day. Events appear as colored entries on the calendar.

Creating or Editing an Event

To create a new event, click Add Event on the Events list page. To edit an existing event, click its title or edit icon.

The event form is divided into sections. Complete each section as described below.

Basic Info

Field	Type	Description
Title	Text	Event title shown to viewers.
Description	Textarea	Full description of the event.
Upcoming	Select	No — available now. Yes — upcoming, not yet live.
Access	Select	Free or Paid $.
Status	Radio	Active (visible to viewers) or Inactive (hidden).

Pay-Per-View

This section applies only when Access is set to Paid $.

Field	Description
PPV Price	Purchase price in dollars.
PPV Access Hours	Number of hours the viewer can access the event after purchase.
PPV Description	Short description shown on the purchase prompt.

Note: Leave the Pay-Per-View section empty when the event is Free. PPV fields have no effect unless Access is set to Paid $.

Classification

Field	Description
Language	Content language (e.g., English).
Genres	Multi-select: Athletics, Fine Arts, News. Select all that apply.
Presenters	Search and assign on-air presenters for this event.
Producers	Search and assign producers for this event.
Rating	Content rating (e.g., 16+).

Schedule

Field	Description
Date	Event date in mm/dd/yyyy format.
Timezone	Select the broadcast timezone: EST, CST, MST, PST, or GMT.
Start Date/Time	Event start timestamp.
End Date/Time	Event end timestamp.

Tip: Always set the timezone to match the location of the event, not the admin's location. This ensures the schedule displays correctly for local viewers.

Distribution

Field	Description
Home Sections	Which homepage sections should feature this event (e.g., LIVE NOW).
Live TV Channel	Required. Which of the 4 channels to stream this event on.
Stream Minutes	Required. Maximum stream duration in minutes. The stream stops after this limit.
Subscription Packages	Which subscription plans include access to this event.
NeST ID	The ScoreBird NeST device ID for live scoring overlay integration.
Roku	Enable this event's listing on the Roku channel.
ScoreBird	Enable the ScoreBird scoring overlay on this event's video player.

Note: IT / Installer: The NeST ID must match the device ID configured in ScoreBird. An incorrect ID will prevent score data from appearing on the overlay. Verify the NeST ID with the ScoreBird administrator before the event.

Teams

The Teams section captures team data for scored events. Complete both Team A and Team B.

Field	Description
Team Name	Display name for the team.
Score	Current or final score.
Color	Team color — select using the color picker.
Logo	URL of the team logo image.
Conference	The conference this team belongs to (e.g., Varsity Football, Marching Band).
Group	The group this team belongs to (e.g., Baseball Boosters, DECA, HOSA).
Position	Home or Away.

Tip: Team data can be updated after the event is created. Use the edit screen to enter final scores once a game is complete.

Radio

Field	Description
Radio	Assign a radio stream to accompany this event.

SEO

Field	Description
SEO Title	Page title displayed in browser tabs and search engine results.
SEO Description	Meta description shown in search engine result previews.
SEO Keywords	Comma-separated keywords to improve search discoverability.

Media

Field	Description
Thumbnail	Primary event thumbnail image shown in listings.
Thumbnail (small)	Smaller thumbnail variant used in compact display contexts.
Trailer URL	Optional URL for a preview/trailer video.
Video Type	Local, URL, HLS/m3u8, MPEG-DASH, YouTube, Vimeo, or Embed Code.
Video URLs	Quality-specific URLs: 480p, 720p, and 1080p (or a single URL depending on Video Type).
Embed Code	HTML embed code — only used when Video Type is Embed Code.
HLS/DASH URL	A .m3u8 or .mpd URL — used when Video Type is HLS/m3u8 or MPEG-DASH.

Note: For live events streaming from a HometownLive channel, set Video Type to HLS/m3u8 and enter the channel's stream URL in the HLS/DASH URL field.

ScoreBird Integration

When ScoreBird is enabled on an event and a valid NeST ID is entered, the platform connects to the ScoreBird device and pulls live score data. Scores are overlaid directly on the video player, visible to all viewers watching the event.

The overlay updates in real time as scores change. No additional action is required from the admin once the event is live and ScoreBird is connected.

Warning: Do not enable the ScoreBird overlay on events where no NeST device is connected. An enabled overlay with no active ScoreBird device will display incorrect or empty score data on the player.

Step-by-Step: Creating a Live Event

This procedure walks through creating a complete live event from start to finish.

1. In the sidebar, click Events.
2. Click Add Event.
3. In the Basic Info section, enter the Title and Description for the event.
4. Set Upcoming to Yes if the event has not started yet, or No if it is live now.
5. Set Access to Free or Paid $ as appropriate.
6. Set Status to Active.
7. In the Classification section, select the appropriate Genres (e.g., Athletics).
8. In the Schedule section, set the Date, Timezone, Start Date/Time, and End Date/Time.
9. In the Distribution section, select the Live TV Channel this event will broadcast on.
10. Enter the Stream Minutes value — the maximum duration of the stream.
11. If this event uses ScoreBird live scoring, toggle ScoreBird to enabled and enter the NeST ID.
12. In the Teams section (if applicable), enter team names, colors, logos, conferences, and home/away positions.
13. In the Media section, set Video Type to HLS/m3u8.
14. Enter the HLS stream URL for the assigned channel in the HLS/DASH URL field.
15. (Optional) Add a Thumbnail image for the event listing.
16. Review all sections for accuracy.
17. Click Save to publish the event.

Tip: After saving, open the event's public viewer page to confirm the stream loads and the ScoreBird overlay appears if enabled. Do this a few minutes before the scheduled start time.