The Train Wreck that was NBA TV last nite

[romsho]

I know some of you who like me live out of town and saw the game on NBA TV night (we discussed it in the game blog), but I am just curious: Has that "living room style" format ever been done on that channel before? For those of you who did not see it, Andre Aldridge, Fred Carter and Gail Goodrich basically sat in front of a big screen tv and discussed the game and various other pointless topics while viewers watched the game feed. I cannot stress to you enough what an absolutely horrible game watching experience this was for those who were forced to endure it. These three knobs continually chattered and spewed mindless banter over the game action, and the camera would literally pan to them-sitting in the three chairs or a solo head shot- while the game was happening, right in the middle of live play! Incredible. You had to see it to believe it. Who didn't enjoy Fred Carter shouting "game!" as Kobe was misfireing on his last second jumper? A fitting end to a classic piece of of a broadcast.
I need to know if this has been done before and I just missed it, or that was a trial run on a disastrous programming idea. Whatever it was, I have no problem in saying that was the single worst broadcast of a sporting event in the history of live television. May it never happen again. The think tank at NBA TV should seriously consider putting down the pipe.

[Brodels]

I didn't see it, but I can certainly understand the outrage. I probably would have turned it off.

People tune in to see the game. Most viewers simply don't care about what three analysts sitting in a living room have to say about the game. And they certainly would rather watch game action than these guys babbling while the game is going on.

Making these guys a focal point was huge mistake. People watch because there is a basketball game going on. Give them what they want. Make the game the central focus.

It's insane to do otherwise.

[knownalien]

romsho, I am with you!! I felt like I was watching Mystery Science Theater!! Like I really want to see the backs of 3 guys heads.

[bigbendbruisebrother]

I've had NBA league pass since the halfway point, and that's the first time I've seen them pull something like that. I'd have rather had Blanks and Land or even Laker's announcers. I even tried Telemundo, and was dissappointed to find (as AHF did) that they were in wall-to-wall Pope coverage.

When I flipped on the TV this AM, they were showing higlights of the game and actually trumpeted the format as a "unique perspective." Hopefully they were implying it was unique in a temporal sense--one time only.

[SpurYank]

Amen! I was looking forward to this game all day, being the Laker hater that I am, and then to see Carter, Goodrich, etc. talk about championship teams from the 70's, 80.s and 90.s while Parker or Ginobili are driving toward the basket was more than I could handle. But there was nowhere else to go!

Where do I address my letter of complaint?

[tsb2000]

You email the nba like I did through their web site. Worse than that, they were piping in the live sound from SBC; couldn't hear Stocton & Elliott's commentary. I've got a big tv to see things that big! The actual game was about 5" of the screen, with three unwanted melons in the way! That was abysmal!

[texbound]

I agree 100%. It got so bad for me that I started switching back and forth between "Bull Durham" and the game. I never turn off a Spurs game, but I just couldn't take it anymore. That was the worst broadcast of game I've ever seen. I've already sent a letter of complaint. I didn't pay $160 or whatever I paid to watch three guys sit around and do interviews with Byron Scott as the game was going on. I paid to watch basketball games.

[SPURS21]

that telecast was absolutely terrible

what genius came up with that idea?

[Sportcamper]

Out of respect for Goodrich....I tried to endure it... After it became intolerable, I muted the TV...That Gail Goodrich for Magic trade was the steal of the century....

[smeagol]

I felt like :vomit .

Then I did this a couple of times.

At one point I wanted to

But the end I was simply at NBA TV.

What a disgrace!

[EasilyAmused]

I felt like :vomit .

Then I did this a couple of times.

At one point I wanted to

But the end I was simply at NBA TV.

What a disgrace!

Because it can't be said enough- THAT WAS HORRIBLE!
smeagol I felt the same way, at one point I wanted to throw something at my tv, I walked away several times, because all I was getting was a big headache!

[ManuTastic]

I hope everyone who hated that nba tv nonsense last night will write in so they NEVER do it again. A flood of negative responses will get noticed.
Here's what I sent them today. If you write in, post your email here too:
-------
Wow! I just watched the LA vs. Spurs game on NBA TV last night! What an amazing new concept for a sports broadcast! Thanks for opening my eyes to all the possibilities of my expensive hdtv. Instead of wasting time viewing an action-packed NBA game featuring some of the greatest players in vivid detail, your ‘living room concept’ showed me the undreamt-of glory of the backs of three old nobodies droning on about ancient history, with the game itself relegated to muddy insignificance in the background. Fantastic! Following this breakthrough production, I hope you win the rights to televize other major sporting events. Imagine the possibilities:

World Series--”Standing in Line” concept: Your coverage focuses on the intense drama of three old non-en ies waiting in line at the concession stand, talking about their kids’ struggles at t-ball. A small b/w tv set above the pretzels shows the actual baseball game—as if anyone cared!

Super Bowl--”Shootin’ the Bull” concept: Rather than showing the football game itself, you show three fat old parking lot attendants having a smoke outside. They discuss what kinds of cars and trucks star players would probably drive. Every once in a while they pause briefly to listen to the game on a small transistor radio—but at least we won’t have to watch it!

Final Four--”Stamps” concept: Rather than sending a crew to the games themselves, you send a camera to the local post office. Three old postal workers lazily sort mail, and talk about any sports-themed stamps that come through. At the end someone walks through and tells them the scores—yeah, can we get back to the stamps please!

-Sarcasm aside, that was the most idiotic and infuriating sports broadcast I’ve ever seen. The ‘living room’ concept was literally unwatchable. What sports fans want to see is the STARS PLAYING THE GAME. Keep that front and center. You want to interview Paul Westhead about the ‘80’s? Great, knock yourself out. But run it at some time that is NOT DURING THE GAME.

Your first step is to hire a producer who knows something—anything—about sports broadcasting. After that it should get easier.

PS. Making people register just to send you email is also very stupid from a marketing standpoint. Feedback from your audience is like gold; you don’t want to throw up pointless barriers to hearing from us.

[mookie2001]

who cares
announcers are ing idiots
i usually watch the games on mute anyway

[bigbendbruisebrother]

who cares
announcers are ing idiots
i usually watch the games on mute anyway

Did you watch the game on NBA TV, Mookie2001? I'm used to idiot announcers. The problem was, we had to watch the backs of the idiot announcer's heads and strain to watch the game on the big screen TV in front of them. On top of that, they were playing goddamn elevator music backing up their banter. Surreal is the only way to describe it. And not in a, dude, your face is melting kind of way either.

[Mr. Body]

I saw it, too. Gail Goodrich is a legend and I don't mind listening to him. Aldridge is a talking head and Fred Carter is an idiot. I wouldn't mind this as a flavoring concept, showing them watching the game during timeouts or just before inbounds, but the direction was horrible and arbitrary - you had to strain to watch the action going on over their shoulders, and then suddenly they'd cut back to the game. Maybe NBATV thinks people turned in not really wanting to watch the game?

Not an awful idea, but awfully executed.

[bigbendbruisebrother]

Amen! I was looking forward to this game all day, being the Laker hater that I am, and then to see Carter, Goodrich, etc. talk about championship teams from the 70's, 80.s and 90.s while Parker or Ginobili are driving toward the basket was more than I could handle. But there was nowhere else to go!

Where do I address my letter of complaint?

I don't have a physical mailing address, although I think actual letters do more good than e-mail with these things.

Here's where sent my complaint: http://www.nba.com/webAction?actionI...&surveyId=1152

If someone has a direct e-mail or snail mail address, please post it.

[Kori Ellis]

Was this channel the only option for watching the game last night?

[Dex]

The game was locally broadcast on KRRT, and was supposed to be broadcast in Spanish on Telemundo. Apparently, Telemundo nixed the programming to air MORE Pope coverage.

The game was also broadcast upon NBATV, but apparently just to be a guinea pig

[Spurzilla]

If you send an email, but include your full name and physical (home) address, it's generally viewed like a regular snail-mail. I know that's true when writing someone in public office. Nice email, Manu-Tastic.

[romsho]

Was this channel the only option for watching the game last night?

For those of us who do not live in the greater San Antonio viewing area, yes, unfortunately.

[ManuTastic]

I don't have a physical mailing address, although I think actual letters do more good than e-mail with these things.

Here's where sent my complaint: http://www.nba.com/webAction?actionI...&surveyId=1152

If someone has a direct e-mail or snail mail address, please post it.

From the nba.com website:

You can contact us at
The National Basketball Association,
Attn: Fan Services
645 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10022.

[bigbendbruisebrother]

Was this channel the only option for watching the game last night?

It was for those of us outside the SA viewing area. Normally, games on NBA League Pass carry the straight feed from the home team's regional sports network (Fox Sports Southwest for Spurs home games). Last night however, they bumped the game over to the League Pass showcase channel, NBA TV.

[slayermin]

Thank god that I live in LA and got the local broadcast. I would have been tempted to throw my TV out the window if I had to tolerate that crap.

ABC screwed us with the regional telecasts and now NBATV getting into the action. They would never have done that if the Lakers actually had a realistic chance to make the playoffs and the the Laker fans were watching.

But since most Laker fans are off the bandwagon, they knew they only had to deal with the pissed off Spurs fans.

[bigbendbruisebrother]

[QUOTE=slayermin]Thank god that I live in LA and got the local broadcast. I would have been tempted to throw my TV out the window if I had to tolerate that crap.QUOTE]

Yeah, the silver lining in the broadcast last night is that I'll never about having to watch another team's home announcers again. Or Lance Blanks and Bill Land for that matter.

[mookie2001]

oh
sorry that is lame