MLB PxP Home Announcers Only

[Buffalo Dave]

Read today only home TV and radio announcers will be allowed to do MLB games. Road teams PxP folks will do games from a home studio or monitor.

Thoughts?

[asdf]

I've called games from a studio off of a monitor a few times before. I'ts not bad. Even though you can't see everything you're accustomed to seeing, it's still very manageable. However, I'm sure there will be quite a few MLB broadcasters that won't like it at all. Some people will adjust to it just fine while others will not.

[Buffalo Dave]

Any college football broadcasters out there as unsettled by the thought of this possibility as I am?

To me, there is such a difference in quality being at the site and around the team and stadium that would be lost with forced studio versions...especially in D2 where camera work is nowhere near professional quality at most venues.

I really hope this doesnt happen for college football radio PxP.

[pbpisfun]

What is the reasoning on no travel for broadcasters? I would assume the broadcasters would be tested just as the players. Assuming they they test negative, what is the risk of them traveling on the team plane and staying in the same team hotel as a player, who assuredly also tested negative?

[PhilGiubileo]

What is the reasoning on no travel for broadcasters? I would assume the broadcasters would be tested just as the players. Assuming they they test negative, what is the risk of them traveling on the team plane and staying in the same team hotel as a player, who assuredly also tested negative?

Not for all broadcasters, but a number of them aren't young. Think about a John Sterling, who is over 80 years of age. Very risky population for C19. In fact, many of the MLB announcers are middle aged or older, and then you start to creep up into that older group who potentially can have a more serious problem if they contract C19, why risk it?

Is calling a game off a monitor the most ideal scenario? No. Is it still very much possible? Yes.

[pbpisfun]

What is the reasoning on no travel for broadcasters? I would assume the broadcasters would be tested just as the players. Assuming they they test negative, what is the risk of them traveling on the team plane and staying in the same team hotel as a player, who assuredly also tested negative?

Not for all broadcasters, but a number of them aren't young. Think about a John Sterling, who is over 80 years of age. Very risky population for C19. In fact, many of the MLB announcers are middle aged or older, and then you start to creep up into that older group who potentially can have a more serious problem if they contract C19, why risk it?

Is calling a game off a monitor the most ideal scenario? No. Is it still very much possible? Yes.

I would think the risk for John Sterling to contract C19 is higher by staying in NYC, going out in public to get to the studio, doing work in said studio with people who have undoubtedly not been tested, than it is traveling away from NYC, with a group of people that will almost 100% NOT include anyone who has C19, that is "bubbled," that will have some top medical and health people traveling with it offering expertise on reducing risk of exposure, and will have everyone tested regularly.

Having someone do a game in studio doesn't seem like a risk reduction given all of the factors and the data points. Seems more like a cost reduction.

[PhilGiubileo]

I would think the risk for John Sterling to contract C19 is higher by staying in NYC, going out in public to get to the studio, doing work in said studio with people who have undoubtedly not been tested, than it is traveling away from NYC, with a group of people that will almost 100% NOT include anyone who has C19, that is "bubbled," that will have some top medical and health people traveling with it offering expertise on reducing risk of exposure, and will have everyone tested regularly.

Having someone do a game in studio doesn't seem like a risk reduction given all of the factors and the data points. Seems more like a cost reduction.

You're assuming they're going to be driving into a studio. In WFAN's case, all of their talent, update announcers, etc., are all working from home and are able to deliver audio seamlessly onto the various live programs. The guys on ESPN doing KBO games were broadcasting from home.

It will not be difficult to have announcers properly setup to do these games at home, even coordinating with broadcast partners, etc. Could cost be part of it, when teams are going to be limited to how many people they can "bubble"? Perhaps, but I think the vast majority will be working from home. It's not a difficult setup.

[pbpisfun]

I would think the risk for John Sterling to contract C19 is higher by staying in NYC, going out in public to get to the studio, doing work in said studio with people who have undoubtedly not been tested, than it is traveling away from NYC, with a group of people that will almost 100% NOT include anyone who has C19, that is "bubbled," that will have some top medical and health people traveling with it offering expertise on reducing risk of exposure, and will have everyone tested regularly.

Having someone do a game in studio doesn't seem like a risk reduction given all of the factors and the data points. Seems more like a cost reduction.

You're assuming they're going to be driving into a studio. In WFAN's case, all of their talent, update announcers, etc., are all working from home and are able to deliver audio seamlessly onto the various live programs. The guys on ESPN doing KBO games were broadcasting from home.

It will not be difficult to have announcers properly setup to do these games at home, even coordinating with broadcast partners, etc. Could cost be part of it, when teams are going to be limited to how many people they can "bubble"? Perhaps, but I think the vast majority will be working from home. It's not a difficult setup.

Yeah, hadn't thought about home broadcasts. Definitely safer, but not ideal. I wish them all luck.

[bschultz]

My concern is when Covid is over...whenever that is. Will teams realize this season that calling games off a monitor can save them thousands of dollars a year, and the fans won't object to the occasional video glitch? My guess is YES!

I'm in a small market D1 (hockey) market. Being in a small market, I'm also the IT guy. It took me 30 minutes to figure out a way for us to voice track remotely with an antiquated automation system. New VT systems allow for Vt'ing remotely quite easily. Live radio is different...but not by much.

ESPN and the KBO has proved that calling a game off a monitor...over Zoom or some other platform...is possible.

Our world is changing!

[pbpisfun]

My concern is when Covid is over...whenever that is. Will teams realize this season that calling games off a monitor can save them thousands of dollars a year, and the fans won't object to the occasional video glitch? My guess is YES!

I'm in a small market D1 (hockey) market. Being in a small market, I'm also the IT guy. It took me 30 minutes to figure out a way for us to voice track remotely with an antiquated automation system. New VT systems allow for Vt'ing remotely quite easily. Live radio is different...but not by much.

ESPN and the KBO has proved that calling a game off a monitor...over Zoom or some other platform...is possible.

Our world is changing!

I agree, this is a legit fear. However, I wonder how feasible it is to do that in the name of cost savings?

At the pro and high major college level, I don't know how much actual savings you'd have. Charter flights are going regardless, so having a radio/TV guy on the flight isn't adding any expense that way. Hotel/food would add some expense. Talent would be getting paid either way. And, for those high level teams in the pros or Power Five, would saving a few thousand dollars out of a total athletic budget of over $100 million be "worth" it for all the headache it would likely cause?

At the smaller level, I wonder how readily live video would be? Would most Group of Five, D-II, D-III announcers have access to a live video feed to call a game off of from their home or studio? I would think for many at a smaller level, the only "real" ability to "see" the game to do on radio or TV is to be at the venue?

I don't know the answers to any of these questions, but wondering what others might thing.

[PhilGiubileo]

At the pro and high major college level, I don't know how much actual savings you'd have. Charter flights are going regardless, so having a radio/TV guy on the flight isn't adding any expense that way. Hotel/food would add some expense. Talent would be getting paid either way. And, for those high level teams in the pros or Power Five, would saving a few thousand dollars out of a total athletic budget of over $100 million be "worth" it for all the headache it would likely cause?

At the smaller level, I wonder how readily live video would be? Would most Group of Five, D-II, D-III announcers have access to a live video feed to call a game off of from their home or studio? I would think for many at a smaller level, the only "real" ability to "see" the game to do on radio or TV is to be at the venue?

You're correct--not a ton of team savings--spots on the charter don't cost extra. Hotel as well, depends on the rooming situation--when I've done the occasional NHL road trip back when I worked in the AHL and would fill-in (usually on color), I'd room w/the PxP guy. Per Diem isn't a huge budget buster either. Same idea for a spot on the bus and a road hotel. For college, minors, etc., the radio PxP announcer is rarely getting a solo room, they're w/an assistant coach or a trainer--and in some cases the bus driver... Again, not much extra... And if you're doing PxP and media, you're filling 2 roles...

As more programs generate better home TV feeds that can be accessed easily online, I can see programs starting to keep their announcers at home, or have them in a local studio, even post Covid. Going beyond that, there are companies that are now setting up remote camera feeds at different venues (Locallive.tv is one example), and they crowdsource their video camera operators (https://locallive.tv/technology) - there might be a time in the future where not only the talent is off-site, but all of the video operations.

[Buffalo Dave]

This...A very real concern.

"At the smaller level, I wonder how readily live video would be? Would most Group of Five, D-II, D-III announcers have access to a live video feed to call a game off of from their home or studio? I would think for many at a smaller level, the only "real" ability to "see" the game to do on radio or TV is to be at the venue?"

As a D2 radio PxP voice our conference prides itself on schools live streaming all games, but there is a vast difference in quality, some sports are simply unwatchable. At times students running the cameras are talking about their weekend and other off-color things not realizing they are on a broadcast. It makes you cringe.

My hope is that conferences or schools will mandate better quality, however getting college students who often have a huge role in the production side to care enough will be a challenge in some instances.

[Buffalo Dave]

Some good news on this topic: the new MLB agreement for this year will allow radio broadcasters to travel to broadcast games.

However, local TV broadcasters will not be allowed to travel for away game broadcasts live and must do games remotely. I get that the technology at the MLB level will be good enough to get a quality TV broadcast done remotely, but if the worry is truly health/safety regarding the travel ban it's troubling in principle that one medium is allowed and another is not. That seems discriminatory.

COVID-19 doesn't choose between TV or radio employees to impact or infect.

How many people travel with a road MLB team to produce a TV broadcast? Is it significantly more than radio?

Maybe that's the difference between radio being allowed and TV not? Why is it more dangerous for TV than radio to go to road games that it has to be something regulated as opposed to a choice for individual TV broadcasters and their employers to decide and prepare for safely?