# Sports Fans: Please Read



## Flyhigh (Feb 5, 2007)

Several years ago I watched a NY Islanders NHL hockey game that changed the way I want to watch sports from that moment on. As a one time experiment, they broadcast an entire game without any commentary. It wasn't just silent with the action in the background. No, this was unique. They had the microphones set up in such a way that you heard all of the on ice sounds throughout the game. You heard the players yelling to each other, calling for passes, chatting with the refs and even with players from the other team. Naturally they had a disclaimer about the possible language that might be heard. This was by far the most interesting way I've ever viewed a sporting event. I was so engrossed by this way of watching this hockey game and have never seen anything like it since. Several times, different broadcasts will have a moment or two of "miked up athletes" in baseball for example where you get to hear what's going on on the field or in the dugout but nothing like the scope of having an entire game without announcers, just the sounds of the game. If you like these little slices of what the players are actually saying to each other, imagine the whole game like that.

If you think that the idea of this is intriguing, post your thoughts. The ultimate goal would be to petition D* or MLB or the NHL to pursue using something similar to the SAP button to toggle between the normal broadcast, and the "Sounds of the Game" broadcast without the commentary. This would be similar to switching from the normal broadcast to the spanish broadcast over SAP. If you didn't want to listen to the sounds of the game, you wouldn't have to. 

I can't even describe how into the game I felt. By hearing the players in a way that made you feel like you were actually there on the ice hearing plays develop, hearing the camaraderie, and hearing the taunting, I felt closer to the game then I ever have. Let me know what you think.


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## MikeW (May 16, 2002)

I saw a broadcast similar to this in the early 80's. It was a Giant's game. I found the first few innings interesting but became bored within an hour. If you want to rid yourself of the announcers, find a game in DD 5.1 and disconnect the center channel. I've actually done that a few times for NFL...those announcers can be very hard to listen to.


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## FavreJL04 (Feb 4, 2006)

Another idea that I have pondered many times. Have multiple audio streams for the following things. The main feed of course, the home radio announcer feed, the away radio announcer feed, a few alternate language versions, and the "sounds of the game".


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

Back in the early to mid '90s NASCAR did something similar for one season. The Cup race would be on ESPN, but ESPN 2 did a simulcast, with just about no commentary, all you heard was the sound of the cars going around the track and once in a while some team communications. An announcer (Dave Despain I think) would come in to announce a caution, lead change or a commercial break and that was it. And it was just that nothing more. ‘Dale Earnhardt has taken the lead’ then he wouldn’t say anything more. It was pretty cool. I can’t remember if it was an actual simulcast or if ESPN 2 had their own video with alternate camera angles, but both ESPN and The Duce definitely had their own audio feeds. 

I don't think it was very popular, like I said it was only for one season and I don't even think they did it for every race ESPN covered, but I sure liked it.


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## ajsvmax (Jan 22, 2007)

Great idea!


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## BJM (Dec 9, 2006)

There have been a few NFL games broadcast this way, usually the last week of the season, no playoff implications, graphics normal, just no commentary. With an interactive feature, ideally one could even choose the camera angle one is watching...


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## BillJ (May 5, 2005)

CBS accidentally did this a couple years ago on the HD broadcast of an SEC football game. The engineer apparently forgot to turn on the center channel of the 5.1 audio for the first half so you could not hear the commentary. Great thing was you still had the crowd noise from the surround speakers and you could hear the stadium announcer, who had the good sense not to talk non-stop, just give basic play information.

Unfortunately they discovered their mistake at halftime and we had commentary the whole second half.


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## Spacewolf (Feb 28, 2007)

If the audio is 5.1, you can do this yourself by turning down (muting) the center (and maybe front left and front right) channels.


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## bigshowjoe (Feb 22, 2007)

Spacewolf said:


> If the audio is 5.1, you can do this yourself by turning down (muting) the center (and maybe front left and front right) channels.


That is exactly what I have done. It works well with CBS NFL games. The announcers are not in any other channel than the center. Turn it down and it sounds like being in the stadium. You hear the PA and all crowd noise. I tried the same thing on FOX and ESPN but you can still hear the announcers through the other channels. Just not as loud.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

For those who are intimately familiar with the game and the players involved, the commentary may not add anything. The other side of the coin is that to generate long-term interest in the game, they need to bring those who are newbies or casual viewers into the game with stats and analysis.

The broadcasters and the leagues have to decide whether it is better to let the patrons figuring things out for themselves, or make sure they are all prepared with the background information necessary to enjoy the game. As a casual viewer myself, I prefer some background to help me understand the players.


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## brewer4 (Aug 19, 2006)

HDNet did this thing called "Sights and Sounds" and would shut off the announcers during an NHL game. I don't see them doing much anymore but I love it. You talk about something that D* should pursue as an Interactive option. Forget solitaire, give me audio or angle options.

I couldnt stand the Theisman crew on ESPN 2 years ago. Whenever he spoke i kept muting the game. It got so bad that I watched most games with that crew shut OFF!


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## 452166 (Apr 5, 2007)

As a Sabres fan living in the desert, NHL CI has given me the chance to once again enjoy listening to Rick Jeanerette call a game. If for some reason I have to listen to one of the national guys call the playoff games, I'll probably find a way to pull Rick's call off the internet and feed it through that center channel.


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## heavyobjects (Mar 23, 2007)

Perhaps they can get really innovative and set up a single HD camera way up in the nosebleed seats. Every once in a while someone will walk in front of it, jostle the camera a bit. Pour some soda on the floor and let it dry there before the game. It'll be just like you were there!

All kidding aside, I hope there are some additional broadcasts like this for select games. HD technology is all about the immersive experience and they can make watching the game at home REALLY much better than being there.


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## bonscott87 (Jan 21, 2003)

brewer4 said:


> HDNet did this thing called "Sights and Sounds" and would shut off the announcers during an NHL game. I don't see them doing much anymore but I love it. You talk about something that D* should pursue as an Interactive option. Forget solitaire, give me audio or angle options.


HDNet did it this season with any Wings game we watched. It was usually for about 5 minutes during the first half of the 3rd period. They would interrupt if there was a goal or something.


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## TMatt (Oct 2, 2006)

I8AZuk said:


> As a Sabres fan living in the desert, NHL CI has given me the chance to once again enjoy listening to Rick Jeanerette call a game. If for some reason I have to listen to one of the national guys call the playoff games, I'll probably find a way to pull Rick's call off the internet and feed it through that center channel.


Rick Jeanerette is absolutely the best announcer for any sport ever - he is truly unique. I have a dvd laying around with many of Rick's best calls - email me if you want a copy - I may have one "lying" around somewhere 

"Top shelf, where Momma hides the cookies"

Tony M


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## Tom Robertson (Nov 15, 2005)

I think, but am not certain, that NBC tried this once and ratings tanked. Commentary, done very well adds to the game and as Harsh points out, builds long-term interest in the game. And few teams do commentary well.

I had the pleasure of being in Phoenix as the Diamondbacks started their existence and the commentary was very very good at bringing out the interesting aspects to a "new" baseball crowd. Fantastic would be coupling that with great HD so you can see both the pitcher/batter dual and the infield shifts at the same time.

BTW, moved this thread to the sports programming forum.

Cheers,
Tom


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## DCSholtis (Aug 7, 2002)

TMatt said:


> Rick Jeanerette is absolutely the best announcer for any sport ever - he is truly unique. I have a dvd laying around with many of Rick's best calls - email me if you want a copy - I may have one "lying" around somewhere
> 
> "Top shelf, where Momma hides the cookies"
> 
> Tony M


Id put BOTH Rick Jeanerette and Mike Lange both near the top. Pens and FSN Pittsburgh made a HUGE error taking him off TV, IMO.


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## n3ntj (Dec 18, 2006)

I too remember a football game in the late 80s with no commentary. It was cool. It would be even better now with it in HD of any sport. Crowd noise, players talking, whistles, bangs, etc.


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## Mike P (Feb 10, 2007)

*FlyHigh*: +1 ......I REALLY like the idea! This will be my 2nd year with NFL Sunday Ticket & Superfan. And I would love a toggle button to have "THE SOUNDS OF THE GAME" Football & Hockey would be awesome to listen / watch. NBA too..... 

Great suggestion!


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## Flyhigh (Feb 5, 2007)

I agree that sometimes the announcers DO add to the game, not detract from it. I also concede that to attract a larger audience and serve the networks commercial needs that the announcers are necessary. For this reason, this function must be an interactive feature. The functionality is already there in the SAP feature to switch to a simulcast. 

For those of you who suggest simply turning the audio of the commentator off, while that comes close to the effect I am referring to, it does not hit the mark. What I am referring to was beyond that. I believe that the audio broadcast used those directional microphones you see on the sidelines at football games. They look like clear plastic concave bowls with the microphone boom in the center. Whatever technology was used, you could hear more then just crowd noise and the sounds of the skates on the ice. You could hear the players talking, not just shouting about where to set up on the face off, who had who when the opposing team was coming down on a breakout, and most importantly, the little inside jokes taking place between the players. I don't remember the players involved but I remember the goalie making a save and the player who shot the puck going up to him and saying "you're lucky I'm not playing right handed tonight." You can't pick that up from just turning the commentary off.

Would I want to watch every game like this? Unless Joe Morgan were to announce every game then no, I would want to hear the announcers at times. I just think it would enhance the game to have the option to get closer to the field of play. Geez, I know the NHL sure is looking for a larger audience, maybe this is a way they can do it at a minimal cost. Maybe this is a way all sports can attract new customers and hold on to more of them. The closer you feel toward the players, the more loyal you will be to the team and the sport.


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

I8AZuk said:


> As a Sabres fan living in the desert, NHL CI has given me the chance to once again enjoy listening to Rick Jeanerette call a game. If for some reason I have to listen to one of the national guys call the playoff games, I'll probably find a way to pull Rick's call off the internet and feed it through that center channel.


What I do is watch the national feed and use the XM or Sirius NHL Play By Play feed for the audio. Sirius has both home and away feeds, XM only carries the home feed, so I usually end up listening on Sirius for Jeanerette.



> Rick Jeanerette is absolutely the best announcer for any sport ever


110% Agreed!


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## LI-SVT (May 18, 2006)

For FSNY NY Islander games if you togle to the SAP you will get the rink audio and no commentary. The sound is mono so it doesn't sound too spacious but it still is more of a "you are there feeling." Try this for your teams and see waht happens.


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## marlen (Sep 2, 2006)

n3ntj said:


> I too remember a football game in the late 80s with no commentary. It was cool. It would be even better now with it in HD of any sport. Crowd noise, players talking, whistles, bangs, etc.


While we're at it....can we strip out the graphic packages as well? between the national broadcast bugs, the local station logos, the production teams insatiable need to tell you everything thru some pop up graphic or text crawl at the bottom of the screen...I'm beginning to run out of room on my screen....and I'm working with 103"!

Seriously, the NFL has gotten a bit out of control with this stuff.


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