OT: NBC Sunday Night Baseball Broadcasts

[BCS PSU]

Is there anybody else other than I who detests the NBC Sunday Night Baseball Broadcasts? First of all, there are too many people in and out of the broadcast booth. Second, the play by play guy, who is the Tigers' play by play guy, basically spends the whole game not doing play by play but conducting an irritating game long question and answer session of the other two rotating announcers, who last night were Roger Clemens and Orel Hershiser, and the on field guy, who last night was C.C. Sabathia. Therefore, this play by play guy had to spend the whole broadcast by asking continuous questions to not one but three former players, most of which had nothing to do with the game. It got so bad that I actually stopped wathcing and watched the CFL game.

I also hate when the ESPN guys have to ask annoying in game questions to players while they're in the field, like Harper last Thursday. First of all, the answers that most players give are boring, trite and worthless, and the questions usually are vapid. I would've been more impressed if one of the announcers had had the guts to ask Harper about the impending labor dispute and if he thought that he had acted like an *** last season toward the Commissioner.

 

[Bvillebaron]

Is there anybody else other than I who detests the NBC Sunday Night Baseball Broadcasts? First of all, there are too many people in and out of the broadcast booth. Second, the play by play guy, who is the Tigers' play by play guy, basically spends the whole game not doing play by play but conducting an irritating game long question and answer session of the other two rotating announcers, who last night were Roger Clemens and Orel Hershiser, and the on field guy, who last night was C.C. Sabathia. Therefore, this play by play guy had to spend the whole broadcast by asking continuous questions to not one but three former players, most of which had nothing to do with the game. It got so bad that I actually stopped wathcing and watched the CFL game.

I also hate when the ESPN guys have to ask annoying in game questions to players while they're in the field, like Harper last Thursday. First of all, the answers that most players give are boring, trite and worthless, and the questions usually are vapid. I would've been more impressed if one of the announcers had had the guts to ask Harper about the impending labor dispute and if he thought that he had acted like an *** last season toward the Commissioner.

I agree. Whenever I watch ESPN broadcast a baseball game after about 15 minutes of this nonsense, I look at my wife and say feel free to sprinkle in the GAME every once in a while.

 

[PSUForever]

Is there anybody else other than I who detests the NBC Sunday Night Baseball Broadcasts? First of all, there are too many people in and out of the broadcast booth. Second, the play by play guy, who is the Tigers' play by play guy, basically spends the whole game not doing play by play but conducting an irritating game long question and answer session of the other two rotating announcers, who last night were Roger Clemens and Orel Hershiser, and the on field guy, who last night was C.C. Sabathia. Therefore, this play by play guy had to spend the whole broadcast by asking continuous questions to not one but three former players, most of which had nothing to do with the game. It got so bad that I actually stopped wathcing and watched the CFL game.

I also hate when the ESPN guys have to ask annoying in game questions to players while they're in the field, like Harper last Thursday. First of all, the answers that most players give are boring, trite and worthless, and the questions usually are vapid. I would've been more impressed if one of the announcers had had the guts to ask Harper about the impending labor dispute and if he thought that he had acted like an *** last season toward the Commissioner.

I have not watched a lot to have an overly strong opinion but agree with you from what I have watched. I don't think NBC has any really good baseball play by play guys. They had Costas for a long time but I am not even sure the last time NBC had the MLB broadcast rights.

I thought ESPN made a huge mistake dumping their Sunday Night baseball franchise. Carl Ravitch is good and I forget the analyst they used. I think they replaced their baseball with women's soccer??

Hersheiser is good on the Dodgers broadcasts out here in LA. Obviously he is a Dodgers homer so not sure how he translates to a national audience.

 

[CDLionFL]

It was pretty disjointed with all the voices in it but it didn't take away from my consumption of the game because I can often tune out who's calling a game. I also look at it from a producer's standpoint and for the life of me, I can't believe that NBC is spending the resources that they are for all of these names and creating these 4 and 5-car pileups during a game. I would not want to be in that truck running the show and trying to steer that telecast.

 

[ClarkstonMark]

Benetti used to annoy me (I live in Michigan and watch a lot of Tigers games), but I have gotten used to him, and he is revered in the industry. He got the NBC job because people love him and his style.

I'll say that the main thing that annoyed me last year when he started doing Tigers games was how much time he and his partner would spend analyzing what the next pitch was going to be. Drove me nuts, I swear that was like 50%+ of the broadcast.

 

[TheBigUglies]

All announcers annoy me except John Kruk, Todd Blackledge, and Louis Riddick. Silence is okay, you don't need to talk all the time and give us stupid facts off a queue sheet...

 

[BCS PSU]

Benetti used to annoy me (I live in Michigan and watch a lot of Tigers games), but I have gotten used to him, and he is revered in the industry. He got the NBC job because people love him and his style.

I'll say that the main thing that annoyed me last year when he started doing Tigers games was how much time he and his partner would spend analyzing what the next pitch was going to be. Drove me nuts, I swear that was like 50%+ of the broadcast.

My problem is that he is being made to act like a talk show host rather than a play by play guy. IMO, it diminishes the actual game, but maybe the director doesn't think that the actual game is enough to hold the viewers' interest.

 

[KingLando]

My problem is that he is being made to act like a talk show host rather than a play by play guy. IMO, it diminishes the actual game, but maybe the director doesn't think that the actual game is enough to hold the viewers' interest.

To be fair...these decisions are focused on attracting young viewers. People in their 20s and younger. Most of them want conversation beyond what is happening. It's necessary so they don't stop watching...they don't have the attention span for a sport like baseball even with a pitch clock.
It takes a lot to drive away real fans from watching games so they don't worry that you may be annoyed because you'll power through.
There's a few guys that I can't stand (Matt Millen is still the worst IMO) but I never stopped watching because of them because I just care about the game.

 

[BCS PSU]

To be fair...these decisions are focused on attracting young viewers. People in their 20s and younger. Most of them want conversation beyond what is happening. It's necessary so they don't stop watching...they don't have the attention span for a sport like baseball even with a pitch clock.
It takes a lot to drive away real fans from watching games so they don't worry that you may be annoyed because you'll power through.
There's a few guys that I can't stand (Matt Millen is still the worst IMO) but I never stopped watching because of them because I just care about the game.

Baseball probably is my favorite pro sport, and I detest that production so much that I mostly have stopped watching the Sunday Night games.

 

[KingLando]

Baseball probably is my favorite pro sport, and I detest that production so much that I mostly have stopped watching the Sunday Night games.

That's fair

 

[BCS PSU]

That's fair

It was so bad to me last night that I actually turned on the CFL game.

 

[KingLando]

It was so bad to me last night that I actually turned on the CFL game.

lol yeah that's bad--I get it--a lot of people care about the broadcasting team--I really don't. I've learned to ignore them long ago when they're not good.

 

[PSUForever]

To be fair...these decisions are focused on attracting young viewers. People in their 20s and younger. Most of them want conversation beyond what is happening. It's necessary so they don't stop watching...they don't have the attention span for a sport like baseball even with a pitch clock.
It takes a lot to drive away real fans from watching games so they don't worry that you may be annoyed because you'll power through.
There's a few guys that I can't stand (Matt Millen is still the worst IMO) but I never stopped watching because of them because I just care about the game.

I have a hard time believing someone in their 20s is even watching the NBC broadcast of a MLB game no matter who the announcer is or what the format is. Maybe those avid sports fans in the cities of the two teams playing. They could have it on their phone while they text, play games and scroll Instagram and TikTok.

 

[KingLando]

I have a hard time believing someone in their 20s is even watching the NBC broadcast of a MLB game no matter who the announcer is or what the format is. Maybe those avid sports fans in the cities of the two teams playing. They could have it on their phone while they text, play games and scroll Instagram and TikTok.

I think the intent is more to attract those that may be home watching with their parents--many people in their 20s still live at home (hopefully mine won't want/need to after college but it's just a reality).
I'm not saying it's working or is the best plan--just saying that's the intent. They see these discussions as something that younger people will enjoy. See Pat McAfee--he's not on for me or you--he's there to get the "kids" to watch.