A reader emailed me today and asked that I watch a portion of the FOX Sports coverage of the MLB game between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees.
When I turned on the game, it was quickly apparent why the reader emailed. Never during the thirty minutes that I watched was there an establishing shot of the entire field. Never once was there a camera view of the outfield, so fans could see the "shifts" teams put on for select hitters.
Instead, the production was an endless parade of faces. The camera shots were so tight you could not even see the player's belts. Just chest-high tight shots of batters, pitchers, managers and players in the field.
In a word, it was horrible. The director reluctantly pulled out wide just before each pitch. It was just wide enough to show the pitcher and the batter, nothing more. After every pitch that made it to the catcher's mitt, the parade of endless close-ups began again.
I honestly don't know how baseball fans watched that game on TV. Just like our complaints about NASCAR on FOX, there was no perspective for the TV viewers. It was nothing more than a deliberate attempt to build drama that was not there.
Tonight at 7PM, Chris Myers will again take to the outdoor pre-race stage and go into his act as the bumbling fool. Darrell Waltrip will be alongside and continue preaching his own version of the truth about the sport and everything else that goes along with it. Jeff Hammond will roll his eyes and try to get a word in edgewise.
What began in such a promising manner at Daytona is now falling apart at the seams. Instead of innovating from this new location surrounded by fans, FOX has simply given Waltrip a new pulpit from which to preach. His "Revved-up" segments provide Waltrip the ultimate last word before sprinting to the TV booth for three more hours of telling fans what to think.
Update: Being told FOX is moving the entire pre-race into the Hollywood Hotel due to the high winds at the race track. (6:15PM ET)
FOX is coming off another flat performance at Martinsville that reflected in the ratings. Instead of showing the race as fans in the stands would see it, director Artie Kempner continued to be fascinated by the decades-old technology of the in-car camera.
Texas has the potential for long green flag runs and Kempner may well continue this apparent FOX approach of "hyper-tight" coverage. Last week, Kempner fell apart on the final lap and had to actually replay the cars on the lead lap crossing the finish line. That is the ultimate humiliation.
Kempner's attempt at drama at the finish consisted of showing the winning crew chief take off his headset and climb down from the pit box. Meanwhile, the entire field was racing to the checkered flag with only the first few cars that happened to get in the camera frame shown live.
The disconnect between FOX and the fan base is complete. Mike Joy and Larry McReynolds have been muted. FOX has re-signed Waltrip through 2014 and designated him as "the show." Even the best pit reporters in the business get only moments to spit out a sentence or two before Waltrip passes judgement.
Steve Byrnes, Matt Yocum, Krista Voda and Dick Berggren may need to bring a chair if the race consists of long green flag runs and pit stops where every team takes four tires. Pit stop times might be critical, but without a key mechanical failure or big caution flag period the news from pit road might consist of slim pickings.
Under the lights, this race may take on a new dynamic. That is certainly the hope of NASCAR. There was a big crowd for SPEED's RaceDay show and that is a good sign. There is a strong fan base in the area and the TMS promotions team is very effective in that market.
While David Ragan might be on the pole, viewers know that Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch are two big FOX favorites. With Carl Edwards tied to ESPN, it should be interesting to see how FOX treats Edwards should he dominate.
Ford is also on the verge of a strong race as a brand. It's no secret that Waltrip and Toyota are well acquainted on many levels. Waltrip may have recently added Subaru to his car dealership interests, but Toyota has a soft spot in his heart.
This post will serve to host your comments on the NASCAR on FOX coverage of the Sprint Cup Series race from the Texas Motor Speedway. To add your TV-related comment, just click on the comments button below. This is a family-friendly website, please keep that in mind when posting. Thank you for stopping by.
368 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 368 of 368Halfway, booth out of gas. Joy in a monotone.
@Charlie - LOL Too good
geez, fox thinks they should just mention that there is side by side racing but not show it to us.
Again, I get that picture with radio coverage.
JD and this fan is now firmly in remote switching mode
Ah, yes - one camera on the leader running all by himself, and the other one a rear nose cam...
LOL, a rear nose camera -- sounds like an interesting position.
just jumped over to the race during commercial on star wars to see:
video recap of truex wreck from last week during green flag racing.
not unimportant information followed from larry mac but my question is: why wasn't this covered during pre-race instead of during green flag? when the booth pulls away from the current race like this, they validate the perception that the race is boring, nothing is happening, so it's OK to talk about something from last week under green flag.
again, not bad information, just at the wrong time. they had to perform a very awkward move to go from what they were discussing (and it didn't seem to be the actual race) to get to "martin truex jr has shrugged off the soreness from that hard hit last week . . "
For almost 50 years, I was a real FAN of nascar. I never missed a race, attended many in person and knew the points system so well I could just know changes in driver standings throughout the race...no complicated computations.
Now... I just don't care because of rule changes and tv coverage. Top-35 rule froze out some of my favorite drivers who were trying to start new teams.
I hate what nascar ane the tv coverage have done to my favorite sport. Of course, I'm the wrong demographic and they don't care...I do have the discretionary spending they would like, though.
Oh well.
Was than an aerial shot? Holy smokes!
Larry Mac just mispoke. As they were beating to death the Truex Martinsville accident, Larry said that MWR was using the "Rousch Interrupter". He said when you have high brake pressure and high engine vacuum which would signal WOT (wide open throttke) that the engine would shut down. Just the opposite is true. At WOT, you're engine vacuum is LOW,not high. High manifold vacuum occurs at idle. There are tons of extraordinary crew chiefs active and retired who have never built a race engine.....and occaisonally, it shows!
Larry, welcome to the club. Every race we have a meeting for recovering NASCAR addicts!
Thanks, wondered why that made no sense to me.
That was sad, Durrl. Just sad.
We need a shift change. Byrnes, Hammond and Petty to the TV booth please!
As a Matt Kenseth fan I have to say I'm pleased with a single-camera focus on my driver for a change. This makes up for a few of the many races where he was only given a token mention. I think the races are much too long. Can we end this one right now?
Now you all know why he really could not get backing for his own team and went to TV. He can't weld either!
Kenseth is likely not gonna win the race. It seems like whoever that dominates a race falls short late on the race.
See, they used Mark Martin's rear nose camera and never mentioned his name.
and a new director, too, please. Artie is a waste
I've had enough of this totally stereotypical sexist Sprint commercial.
The booth has just totally lost control. I have no idea what is happening in the race
There have been some weird lead-outs to commercials tonight. It's like everything else, everything just seems disjointed. I think night racing has lost it's luster and it's showing with this broadcast.
Mr Editor -
Agreed on the booth changes ...and while you're at it ...swap out the production team for TNT (Turner Media Group)? ...that way we would get a broadcast we could watch while listening to the commentary
Walter
Heh... Newman! sure is hard to pass.
Ole DW has been to the Tim Brewer School of NASCAR Television. Say 'susceptible' three times real fast, DW.
Agreed. Love TNT's booth monkeys, but their production could be a tad bit more... polished.
wow, pit reporters!
Don, there are NO Sunoco stations in Houston that I have noticed.
GRRRR this broadcast sucks thats all im going to say
Eureka, I found the "Live Points" link to those who were looking for it on the trainwreck of a website Nascar.com. Click on the Lap-by-Lap and the link for live points is at the top of that page. Since I don't know what's going on at the track I had plenty of time to poke around Nascar.com
Is this race boring, or just the broadcast?
Jeff Gluck is complaining about the racing at TMS - at least he gets to seemore than 1 or 2 cars at a time!
Why does the first stall work better? Tactical advantage, magic or are you just running your mouth again?
The FOX booth ran out of gas at halfway and has just caved.
The director is mailing it in and they are looking for the end of the race.
You can tell when the passion is gone from a sports telecast.
NorCalFan, I can't figure out how you can find anything on nascar.com.
Please show the debris.
A 13 second lead will cause debris every time.
I just tweeted back to gluck the racing was just as boring on TV.
the only good thing, i can go to bed when I get tired.
Tight shots gives this a feeling it is practice.
Reporters looking for "mystery debris" with binoculars.
TV apparently cannot find it either.
Gluck, he thinks watching on tv is boring, now live is boring? The boy needs to change sports!
No! Twelve seconds between first and second and we get a debris caution!! And where's the debris? On the BACKSTRETCH where there are just a few campers! Did they show the debris? No! Some things never change. Sorry for being such a cynic!
Mystery debris to get Smoke back on the lead lap.
Don't you just love those caution lights at Texas track? Even in person they are terrific!
They had intended to throw the yellow earlier, but the Other Gordon wasn't the first to pit, so BZF waved it off.
... and he even said "objective" without even a hint of irony. Amazing.
400 mile race here might be the way to go
Gee another whole race to run ...did Mike Joy just say 211 laps to go?
Did Joy just say "211 laps to go"?????????...aren't we ON lap 211 at this time?????...OMG!!!!!
400 mile races is the way to go at all of these cookie cutter tracks.
Too much money at Texas to go to 400.
NASCAR's debris caution led to this wreck.
The "BIG ONE"
Looks like they've got REAL debris now!
There you go Charlie. They mentioned Mark martin for ya.
hmmmm, did Mark run into someone again?
did they miss the mystery debris? is this a gotcha?
Why would you EVER take an in-car camera live on a high-speed accident?
ouch, sorry, my bad. Obviously not mark's fault
Just started watching 10 minutes ago. Are all 3 men in the booth blind? Harvick clearly tapped Truex.
@VickyD, Just call me lucky because there is nothing straightforward about navigating Nascar.com's website. Each year it goes from bad to worse.
Did they just switch to an in-car camera mid-wreck?
no safer barrier there. Eddie Gossage needs to spend some money.
JD, yeah, I thought that was a major no no.
Commercial break better be over before pit road opens.
You can do in-car in real time because you have replay.
No sweat. It is easy.
Pitting during caution...
er..."commercial"
Wide 1 1/2 mile tracks lend themselves to the same sort of race...cars strung out all over the track. I don't car how many times drivers/crewchiefs tell me they all drive differently...they have the SAME racing here we will see at KC, Chicago, etc. Pick a cookie cutter and you see the same race.
Imagine that - we missed the pit stops.
Let's show the wreck some more instead of talking about the pit stops.
Could you have predicted that it was time to give the "The COT is safer" speech? I know it's better, but they act as if every crash before it was life threatening, and no one ever walked away safely.
Really Hammond? I didn't know any of that. Thanks!
Can you imagine the NFL announcers explaining a field goal is worth 3 points during the 3rd quarter?
I think I've had enough.
This coverage is bullshit. We missed pit stops and they didn't bother telling us what happens. I've had enough of this crap. This is such basic stuff they are screwing up. I give up.
@Sally:
Drinking game?
they may all drive differently, but they all appear the same on TV.
Boring.
Hammond and the cutaway car. What a waste of time. Love to hear what Truex says. Looked like harvick turned him,but the booth is always non-comittal.
I've found the Fox guys have their favorites. Especially ones they've given nicknames to (The Closer=Harvick, WildThing=Kyle, 5-time+Johnson)...and those drivers can do no wrong in their eyes.
tonights aerial coverage is just another excuse for a commercial.
they don't actually plan to use it to show us any racing.
With the cameras regularly focused on single-car tight shots, all the tracks look the same on TV...
Dick Berggren's cowboy hat. That poor guy just gets abused for fun.
@ slander....too late to start now. The damage is done.
Nice to hear from Truex - it was so obvious from the first replay the 2 started the whole thing - but nobody ever said anything. The 2 is in so far over his head but the networks protect him because of his owner and sponsor. NASCAR is sickening.
Going at it on Twitter about FOX cutting to an in-car camera live in a high speed accident.
Might have a New World Order at FOX folks. They loved it.
They don't care about Ragan and Menard. They're keeping the camera there in hope that Junior will do something.
back to the Empire strikes back -- let me know if anything exciting happens.
Anyone watching the NCAA hockey title game on ESPN? 2-2 between Michigan and Minnesota-Duluth in OT, and quite frankly, I'm sticking with pucks until they finish.
ginav24: i am right there with you!
Miller, sponsor of the #2 car has got to be disappointed. The #2 hasn't had a good Sprint Cup race this year. Kurt and Harvick have new sponsors and have both done well.
not sure if there is anything better than sudden death overtime in playoff hockey
Protecting Bradski? Please. Once he started having run-ins with their "favorite ones" Fox and ESPN have constantly taken underhanded jabs at him.
Anon @ 10:11 - It's baffling. The #2 was out of shape & #29 git the #56. DW says Truex got loose and wrecked without contact. DW calls things the way he wants to.
GIT = HIT
Sounds like Fox is subscribing to the "dirty laundry" broadcasting methods. If they do that and someone has been seriously injured, they may not think it's so "cool".
The TV booth can see the finish now! Perking up a bit!
So...did they come back from that break too quickly before the end of the boys in the booth yukking it up, or what? :p
I'd like to see Marcus Ambrose win but the I'd prefer that the 43 score first. Just for old time sake.
@Tom -
No Blue ...how 'bout them "Golden" gopher hairdos
Red -- I've seen it a hundred times, but it is far better watching an old movie, than the same old broadcast that sprint cup racing has become.
Shows you where DW's brain is at. After this most recent restart he says, "Ambrose has suddenly showed up in the top 3"......ummmm DW, Ambrose had the lead just previous to the caution.
Golden hairdos...genius!
Wide shots show more of the track, which shows more of the cars, which show more of the race.
the booth may see the finish, but I doubt that I will. almost 10:30 and I'm ready to go to bed.
My guy is languishing back in the field and it's just not that interesting a race. I can find out tomorrow morning who won.
See ya later Gina! I feel your pain.
@GinaV24:
And miss out on watching the leader cross the finish line, quick-cut to the crew chief smiling, then panning to the pit crew celebrating, all while the rest of the field are still racing hard for position?
Mike Joy made be good at trivia facts,figures and data, but knows squat about what goes on in and under a race car. I wish the booth would just shut up and let us concentrate on the last laps. I know...what am I thinking? I'm so misguided. P.S. Looks like another miserable night for the #11.
thanks for the company, JD.
slander - yes, I can hardly bear the thought of missing ALL that, but i must. LOL
Anything is better than the coverage of the checkered flag last night - just car after car crossing the finish line. B O R I N G.
This is really another race that needs to lose 100 laps. In fact, ALL the CC tracks should be shorter. Or gone. Preferably gone. More Short Tracks!!!!!!
Takes 4 laps for the scoring ticker to go from 1st to last.
@ Charlie...they don't call it a crawler for nothing!
I still think the COT is the problem at these tracks racing wise. The racing wasn't that bad with the old car on the cookie cutter tracks.
My FOX viewing experience:
9:50 - Me & two family members watching the race
10:05 - One family members leaves
10:20 - Second family member turns on laptop
10:30 - Channel changed to TBS
Bad coverage, boring racing.
I think the length is fine. It's having to listen to these clownshoes for 500 laps...
er, miles, rather...
What do you think of the pit road speed? First time they ever showed it, COOL!
I really cant believe they are showing the speeding penalty.
I really cant believe they are showing the speeding penalty.
First time they gave us something new
zoom out - please
Like the idea of showing it (though I'd rather they make that sort of telemetry available to the fans... wishful thinking, I know) - I always thought it rather redonkulous that they have a speed limit, then give the drivers a 5-mph fudge factor...
Charlie....good luck with that.
Wow, Myers sent it to the commercial break! Where are the booth guys?
Explaining to Big Mike why they showed the speeding!
Any excuse to break into his booze cabinet...
Top stories -
Carl doesn't feel good.
Kenseth has paper on grill.
ESPN shot the the Speeding Penalties last night and it aired on NASCAR NOW this morning.
@Charlie - we been asking for zoom out for years. We get closer & in car cam. Maybe we should ask for closer shots.... We have tried everything else.
Hardest thing to do so far -
Keeping the car in the center of the shot.
Heh... both a single-car side shot and a rear nose-cam of the 22...
I'm with Red for reasons she mentioned. TOTALLY NOT watching NASCAR.
Am enjoying the Reds on tv. Would be listening to Radio but my fave radio announcer is doing tv this weekend (Jeff Brantley aka the Cowboy) I fell in love with baseball last summer & am sticking with it. I enjoy the broadcast, can EASILY listen on radio without paying extra.
NASCAR has KILLED the sport with constant in car mania/hyper kinetic camera changes. Got tired of complaining and apparently nobody cares about the putrid coverage except the few of us here at this site.
So I gave up the 'abusive' relationship NASCAR has on the tv coverage. I will stick with baseball, F1 and the Indycar races.
Shame to just see highlights on Sunday night but I love not COMPLAINING constantly.
Hope NASCAR is happy with @#$%%&@* Fox and ESPN coverage. :-(
Last anon was me Sophiaz but blogger kept hanging on me so had to post as Anon. I agreed w Reds comments and am Watching Reds on tv (diff Red :) )
What a mess and who is where and why.
The only thing that's keeping me going right now is the thought that in a few hours I'll be watching the BBC coverage of the F1 race. Now that's an enjoyable b'cast...
They ran out of gas at halfway and are now just a mess.
DW has no clue who is doing what. Thank God for Mike Joy!
DW's dialog of how much time Kenseth was gaining on KuBusch made absolutely no sense to fans at home watching just KuBusch running around the track. Ridiculous!
15 Laps to go.
Mr Editor -
You mean DW actually gave Mike Joy some quiet time to be heard ...thankfully, I've learned how to DVR, so will breakfast w/F1 and enjoy lunch w/IndyCar ...just an ongoing case of indigestion w/FOX
Walter
@Aon 10:54 How are my Reds doing????
Love the Cowboy.
I was watching this with my dad its his birthday he usually gets into it and hes not much of a fun but he feel asleep 40%of the race through! I feel bad cause I told a friend at work whos black to make sure you watch this race hes been wanting to but hes busy on Sundays, bet he thinks im strange for being such a die hard! This broadcast is such a mess its unreal! 9 laps to go yippie
and this coming from a guy who loves Fox but im having 2nd, 3rd, 4th thoughts lol
They show us the battles and then go to tight shot of leader.
Jonathan that last post is from me sorry
Did Fox not expect any cautions this race? Wonder why the TV window was so small.
What sort of idiot thinks that showing the leader all by himself on screen with a huge lead is interesting?
Behind him we are going to have some good battles to the flag says Joy.
That would be message delivered to director!!
think joy is trying to tell the director to keep the camera on the line..."we'll have good racing to the flag behind kenseth
But is he listening?
Obviously not. Thank God this is over.
Well, I reckon he was...
WOW fox you knocked it out of the ballpark tonight great job wooohooo
oh wait its not April 1st sorry everyone was playing a late April fools joke a haaaa
Dang --Stewart out of gas! 12th...
Congrats to Matts fans & crew
Good night all & Thanks to You JD for this bit of sanity on the web.
hellfire...Joy said the white flag was out for EDWARDS
We got to see seven or eight cars cross the line before a pit crew shot then back to the finish line.
I did. The only reason my fantasy team scored any points this week is because of Father-of-the-Year...
Saw more cars cross the finish than usual but couldn't recognize them from the overhead view.
Well, we got to see more than one, anyway. Could that be considered an improvement?
Tony Stewart must be beside himself-awful season. Ditto Hamlin and Brad. Mike Joy fellapart at the end. Kurt became Kyle Busch and Kenseth became Carl Edwards. Lets see how many interviews they do.
Never got the scoring ticker changed for the finish. Jumping around again.
I think that on-air team and the producer/director need to have a meeting.
Pretty clear Mike Joy was giving them clues about what to show on the way home.
Kudos to NASCAR for letting the end of the race play itself out, and not throwing a yellow to set up an "exciting" finish.
Mr Editor -
OMG! ...there was more than 1 car shown crossing the finish line ...no pit crew, too ...way to go FOX ...and a race for position behind the leader ...that was a treat ...going in the right direction ...and a quick high shot, too ...thanks FOX
Walter
Before you guys leave, take a moment to go back to the front page and leave a comment on the TV Police post please!
Got TONS of folks reading that each racing week.
Thanks as always, the post-race interviews should be interesting.
whats up w the green outfit the Sprint girl is sporting???
I believe that FOX did better than usual this time. Far from perfect but an improvement.
Still spending too much time on the leader, tight shots and pointless in-car/bumper cams. But better.
This was a bad telecast.
Now, why is there no Victory Lane tonight? SPEED drops the ball on Saturday races.
17 cars on the lead lap!
Stewart would have been beside himself even more if he had not gotten the speeding penalty and had been in the lead when he ran out of gas.
SPEED said no shows after midnight eastern. They will wait until Sunday and air them in primetime.
@Don:
True, but then again, if he hadn't had that speeding penalty he might have approached the last run a little differently.
TV Police post is open!
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