Good morning, all! I hope you had a tremendous weekend!
Did you watch any sports on television this weekend? How we consume our sports on TV is changing in a nanosecond, thanks to technology and television networks consumed with keeping eyeballs glued to the TV.
On Sunday afternoon, MLB presented the telecast of the Yankees-Indians game in conversational tones. There was no traditional play-by-play, commentary production. Instead, CC Sabathia, John Smoltz, Carlos Pena and Stephen Nelson hung around at the MLB-TV studios in New Jersey to talk about the game, as if they were four fans in the stands. Soon, the only thing that may be “Going, going, gone” are the traditional baseball broadcasters.
Sunday night, ESPN presented the Padres-Dodgers battle on two channels. On ESPN was the so-called “traditional” broadcast, while ESPN2 offered the “Statcast” production. That offering was loaded with statistics and data in all forms.
Amazon, which won the rights to televise the NFL’s “Thursday Night Football,” starting in either 2022 or 2023, has big plans to offer different angles to the same game on Amazon Prime. The consumer bemouth is already bringing new approaches to its New York Yankees telecasts. (Amazon has won the rights to televise 21 Yankees games this season.) In fact, Amazon is already vying to become a big player in sports on television and via streaming, in the USA and internationally, acquiring the rights to soccer and cricket in various countries. Other networks in the USA are pushing their streaming services, i.e. Paramount+, ESPN+ and Peacock.
The landscape is changing, as networks search for new revenue streams and battle for eyeballs diverted by other distractions. Get ready, for this is only the beginning.
Bieber vs. Cole
This is baseball the way it used to be. On Saturday night, the Cleveland Indians sent their ace and reigning Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber to the mound against Yankees ace Gerrit Cole. The game lived up to its billing, as each starter pitched seven innings in New York’s 2-1 victory.
Baseball managers in the 21st Century are reluctant to send their best pitcher to the mound against the opposition’s best pitcher, for fear he could be “wasting” his best arm. It never used to be that way. Tom Seaver vs. Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax against Warren Spahn, Whitey Ford vs. Frank Lary were typical back in the day. It made for a good, old fashioned pitchers’ duel.
Hopefully, the Bieber-Cole matchup will inspire other managers to follow suit, but I am not holding my breath.
Gator golf
You think your golf game has problems? How would you like to be the golfers who competed at the Zurich Classic at this weekend’s PGA Tour event in New Orleans?
It seems near the 17th hole was a nest of alligator eggs. Adding to the intrigue were mama and papa alligator strolling around the course, protecting those eggs. Think about that scenario the next time you’re teeing them up at your favorite course.
Well that it is for today. Watch out for those alligators. I hope your week gets off to a great start!
SPORTSCASTER DAN