Remote broadcasting has come under the spotlight, with a seemingly innocuous Friday night college game between Maryland and Virginia, with FS1’s coverage leading to a host of social media talking points.
Forget that Maryland moved to 3-0 with the 42-14 win, and Virginia going 0 from 3.
The debate centred on the issue of remote broadcasting versus live in-stadium coverage, with Friday’s broadcast deemed unsatisfactory.
Remote broadcasting has become the norm after covid-19, but it seems like fans have had enough, and while the idea is a bottom-line cost-cutting measure, a more personal approach is desired.
College football is the second most popular sporting pastime behind the NFL, but remote coverage makes it seem more second-rate than priority, and while the broadcasting duo of Eric Collins and Devon Gardener made it more palatable the core tenet is to respect the game, with 85 elite athletes and seven officials on the park and bench at any given moment.
Collins and Gardener had to cover two games (Virginia vs Maryland) late Friday night, then calling the early kick off on Saturday between Boise State and North Dakota.
Alex Faust and Petros Papdakis called two games on Saturday for FS1. Fox outdid itself on amateurish stunt by making the Friday night game coverage as purportedly coming live from the game.
The announcers don’t win, the fans certainly don’t win, but the network saves costs. Something must give.
