Comments on: The Beautiful Game: FC Dallas vs San Jose Earthquakes

By: Ayti

Ayti — Mon, 12 May 2008 02:18:59 +0000

A few weeks ago I watched the Arsenal – Chelsea in match on ESPN360. It came up when I tried to watch a Russian Soccer match.

The only audio was field level ambient sound in full high definition audio.

Scintillating! I started to wonder why we need commentary when we could have THAT!

By: the other alex

the other alex — Sun, 11 May 2008 17:03:33 +0000

Teddy has it right. That had to be a baseball production crew doing this game, just had to be, otherwise this game is in trouble.

By: Ze Bill

Ze Bill — Sat, 10 May 2008 16:08:53 +0000

btw – Can you imagine an NBA broadcast showing an inbounds pass where the athlete’s image is like 1/35 the height of the TV screen? But OTOH in MLS sometimes you can barely make out the corner-kicker WAY over there amongst the photogs, cables, signboards, stairs, golf carts, security guys, what have you. I say to MLS/broadcasters, “Don’t act like you are ashamed of the corner kick, like it’s a regrettable, inconvenient bit of unavoidable necessity: GLORIFY the corner kick through stadium design and camera image.” I was just now watching Schalke ‘04 x Frankfurt and the TV switcherman switched perfectly between the corner-kicker and the goal area scrum once the ball was on its way. And MLS has this season had a great CK angle on TV: Two-yard-line, low-angle camera shows only the ball and the flag – the kicker enters the frame suddenly. But that excellent angle has not caught on as SOP. [granted: I can't expect there to be a sideline cam for each corner of the field][don't get me started]

and it seems to that former Galaxy broadcast station KCAL-TV had a better idea in graphics: Their scorebug was across the bottom of the screen. I ask you, is your speedometer up at the top edge of your windshield? On my car it’s down on the dash. That was an analogy: scorebug = speedometer. So, Buzz… is that TV guy you know who I think it is?

Sham paired a hi-energy guy would be good. As it is, the match has to be HIGHLY competitive for a Sham Dir broadcast to be OK. imho

By: Buzz Carrick

Buzz Carrick — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:53:46 +0000

I know a TV guy that knows soccer…

By: texgator

texgator — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:15:21 +0000

I agree with Teddy…it’s all about game knowledge. There doesn’t appear to be a large supply of TV production guys in America that really know the game of soccer and how it should be presented. The player zoom-ins are incredibly frustrating and clearly the product of people who are used to mainstream American sports that feature regular, predicatable stoppages. Its interesting that these tactics aren’t utilized by European production crews even when they are doing basketball and hockey games. It’s because they are used to soccer.

By: Teddy

Teddy — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:45:02 +0000

The crew was probably a baseball production crew. That might help explain the numerous graphics and ill-timed cut-aways. If you ever watch baseball on tv, something I don’t advise, the broadcast is full with such time wasting shots. Pissst, that’s because, despite what the majority in America think, baseball is THE boring sport.
Don’t knock Sham; the man is a local hero. Who else can call a yellow card a piece of cheese and get away with it?

By: Ze Bill

Ze Bill — Fri, 09 May 2008 13:14:11 +0000

Soccer features theoretically uninterrupted play, but in reality there are contrasting periods of build-up when the cameras should seriously show the play, but then there’s like the “receding wave” moments, such as between the ball going out and the goalie finally taking his goal kick.

The European crews know the difference and insert their editorial comment images or their fun (fan reactions) images at appropriate moments.

In defense of the indefensible, S.J. x Dallas WAS the first MLS broadcast from the new venue, though that wouldn’t explain the ill-timed close-ups. [i'll just stop there! don't get me started!]

ESPN2 DCU x ChiFi {R}

re: non-stop banter: Harkes and dellaCammera were guilty of NOT REFERING to the match in front of them pretty much from the point when the score reached what it did. If the announcers aren’t interested in the match,… just whistle the game OVER and DONE at that very point? save on electricity for the stadium lights? ESPN2 can just switch to lawnmower races. Sham and Dir need to be caned with the urgency stick.

By: Wes

Wes — Fri, 09 May 2008 02:41:03 +0000

For those who watched any of the Dallas Cup on TV, it was amazing that the production was BETTER than it is for the FC Dallas games.

By: FC Uptown

FC Uptown — Fri, 09 May 2008 01:44:14 +0000

If you want to talk about an annoying aspect about MLS, i have to point out that there is no convenient way to watch all games on tv. You can’t pay one amount and get every game of your fav team. You have to pay for Direct Kick, your cable or dish has to also offer Telefutura (no common out of the South), and some games are HDNet only. You’re talking about 3 seperate outlets. Why can’t I pay one price and get all the games on my tv? MLStv.com is alright if you don’t mind a jumpy picture and like watching a computer. It’s a strange setup.

By: hutchtx

hutchtx — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:44:20 +0000

Totally agree about the telecast. I HATE the graphics they keep showing that take up half the screen, and then close up shots of players while the games goes on — I was yelling at the TV because of that very reason (oh, and because of the bad possession, too). I also prefer the Telefutura broadcast because the announces are so fun to listen to, if FCD manages to score. I do understand enough Spanish, also, to know that they actually call the game pretty well.

OTOH, I think that ESPN2 is much better, imho, now (especially without Wynalda). They seem to have less annoying graphics than they did last year.