Rockinghorse
250+ Posts
March Madness is possibly the best TV sports viewing experience year after year. Still, I believe the two biggest insults to viewers of sports on TV occur during the NCAA Tournament. I add nos. 3-5 (just my opinion) for comparison. For me, there is a huge gap between 2-3.
1) Going to commerical in the final seconds of close games. I think CBS reduces this awful practice as the tournament goes on, but it is incredibly frustrating in the first two rounds. It can be overtime, a one-point game, less than 10 seconds, whatever - if someone calls a timeout, we have to watch an ad. This also insults the commentators, whose entire careers are built analyzing end-game situations. But instead they quietly sip their Dasani while we watch the commercial(s).
2) Too much commercial time in general. I've noticed this year CBS has started taking a long break when the first :30 timeout is called in the FIRST half (this is common in the 2nd half during the season). Since TOs are inevitably called each half, that means we have five 2:40 breaks each half, plus whatever :30s or :60s are called. It also means we have a guaranteed 12 minutes of commercials (usually 13+) for every 20 minutes of game clock movement. It kills the atmosphere for the viewer and also the fans in the arena.
3) Monday Night Football on ESPN. This is often discussed on FB boards, so I'll just mention that while I like Vince Vaughn, I don't need to hear him interviewed for half the 3rd quarter. MNF is also guilty of the all-day pre-game overkill and putting Kornheiser in the booth.
4) MLB playoff start times. The games run way too late, and it doesn't help that they'll announce a 7 pm start and first pitch will be 7:28 or something.
5) Length of BCS bowls. See #4, and add a halftime show that is boring and too long. Also add Fox announcers who don't cover college football until these games.
1) Going to commerical in the final seconds of close games. I think CBS reduces this awful practice as the tournament goes on, but it is incredibly frustrating in the first two rounds. It can be overtime, a one-point game, less than 10 seconds, whatever - if someone calls a timeout, we have to watch an ad. This also insults the commentators, whose entire careers are built analyzing end-game situations. But instead they quietly sip their Dasani while we watch the commercial(s).
2) Too much commercial time in general. I've noticed this year CBS has started taking a long break when the first :30 timeout is called in the FIRST half (this is common in the 2nd half during the season). Since TOs are inevitably called each half, that means we have five 2:40 breaks each half, plus whatever :30s or :60s are called. It also means we have a guaranteed 12 minutes of commercials (usually 13+) for every 20 minutes of game clock movement. It kills the atmosphere for the viewer and also the fans in the arena.
3) Monday Night Football on ESPN. This is often discussed on FB boards, so I'll just mention that while I like Vince Vaughn, I don't need to hear him interviewed for half the 3rd quarter. MNF is also guilty of the all-day pre-game overkill and putting Kornheiser in the booth.
4) MLB playoff start times. The games run way too late, and it doesn't help that they'll announce a 7 pm start and first pitch will be 7:28 or something.
5) Length of BCS bowls. See #4, and add a halftime show that is boring and too long. Also add Fox announcers who don't cover college football until these games.
