Anyone seen these ESPNU broadcasts?

[hifigator]

Last night, the Purdue game went into overtime, so when I turned on ESPN at 9pm, they didn't have the Gator game on yet. I clicked around to see if it was on another channel and found it on ESPNU. At first I didn't notice but then I realized that there was something different about the broadcast. I have seen ESPNU and 360 broadcastst that have different angles before, but this was an entirely different concept. The guys doing the play-by-play featured a lower level ESPN guy -- I forget his name -- as well as a student in the college of journalism schools from Florida and South Carolina. I thought it was pretty neat for the most part. It obviously wasn't as professional as most broadcasts, but I still think that it worked. They were not supposed to be the unbiased neutral broadcasters that most are instructed to be. There was some friendly jockeying back and forth and some clear chearing was evident at times as well. I wouldn't want to watch all games like that. Additionally, I could see how such broadcasts would get old after a while and I would probably not be very interested if the game was between a Texas A&M and Kansas St., for example. But at least in this situation it was a nice change from the same old Dicky V.

Have they done similar broadcasts around in your parts of the Country?

[theexorcist]

A Georgetown student did one a little while ago.

No offense, but there would be little that would not be a nice change from Dickie V (love what he's done for the game in terms of enthusiasm, but it's best to mute it).

[hifigator]

No offense taken. I guess my take on the idea is that as a commercial success, it won't be. But as a fan of one of the teams involved, it is likely at least an intriguing option. However, like I said, I doubt that it would be nearly as attractive to neutral viewer. I must admit though, that the overall commentating wasn't grossly or obviously inferior. There were a couple of noticeable goofs with respect to general team knowledge -- the kind that the marquee teams likely memorize the afternoon of the game on the flight to the given location. On a larger scale however, it might work as a developmental tool for aspiring sports journalists. If so, then it might help get past the "good ole' boy-like" network that we have now. It is difficult to truly move up the ranks by natural hard work and performance. The obstacles are different for the guys than the lady sports personalities, but they are still there. The bottom line is that there is quite a lot that goes into the decision making part of personnel decisions other than ability in front of the camera and with microphone in hand. I doubt much will come of this, BUT ... we can always hope.

[HoyasAreHungry]

I saw that game actually and was watching the ESPNU broadcast before I realized that they were showing the same game on ESPN (it was listed differently on my Verizon tv schedule) and the only reason I found it was cuz I was so annoyed with the broadcast that I had to switch the channel. And thank god for that because the game was a pretty good one coming down to the end...and I couldn't even bear it any longer. It was the most awful irritating blabber i have ever heard.....I am all for letting some kids have some on air time but do like they did for the other broadcasts ala the gtown game last year...let him make some color commentary that are relevant to the game. I don't really want to hear about who just texted him or the merits of facebook during a broadcast. It was as if they were just having a mindless conversation about NOTHING rather than realizing oh I'm on national TV....let's talk about something useful..

<end rant>

[hifigator]

Yeah, Hungry, it seemed like they never returned from halftime. I don't know who the one clown was that they had via cell phone. I'm not up on all the current events, so it was probably some popular singer, but he was a friend of and went to school with the ESPN announcer, but I don't think he had any connection with Florida or South Carolina so I could never figure out why he was being interviewed in the first place. And I'm with you on all the nonsense about facebook, ipods and text messaging. But when they stuck to the game, I thought the obvious bias coming from each side and the friendly ribbing added a neat angle to the same, somewhat tired old cliches that the Dickie V.'s of the world recant over and over.