Remote broadcasting is not ideal. It’s not easy for the broadcasters and it’s not fair to the fans. With the Country coming out of the COVID pandemic, it’s time for the announcing teams to get back on the road where they belong. For a number of reasons, some not based solely on health and safety, many local broadcast teams are stuck at home. Shortchanging their viewers and listeners.
I know why we had to call games from one location last year. There was a virus infecting and killing people all over the world. So, while it wasn’t ideal, it was necessary. I always felt like the listeners weren’t getting the complete feel when the game was in one location and I was in another. We all chalked it up to “Well, at least we’re playing and working.”
Truth. No complaints. Now?
It’s time to get back on the road.
It was reported this week that the national broadcasters, like Joe Buck, will be on site for some games in the weeks to come. Fox, ESPN and Turner are all planning to have their people on-site for at least some broadcasts, per the report. But the same accommodations are not being made for many of the local television broadcasts. The decision on the local TV folks is being made by the individual RSN’s.
What makes no sense, is that only some radio broadcasts are traveling. Why radio and not TV? I’m sure some of it is money. Many of the RSN’s took it on the chin last season with a shortened schedule and uncertainty with advertising money coming in. It’s not a great look for any of these companies, especially since baseball is allowing more and more fans to attend games. Now just some of the broadcast booths will be empty.
How is this logical or allowed? Is there a plan in place? Are the players or teams holding up the process? Dodgers TV broadcaster Joe Davis spoke to the Athletic, saying he’s heard many things about why some broadcast teams aren’t traveling.
“I’ve heard, ‘Well, the players don’t want the rights holders back on the plane,’” he said. “Of course, they don’t, I wouldn’t either. But is that their decision? Or is it team by team? Or is it Major League Baseball? I don’t know the answers to those things. So honestly, it’s been so up and down and all over the place on what has to happen for us to travel, I’ve just kind of stopped thinking about it because it feels like wasted energy at this point.”
There is a lot to digest here. Can teams or radio/tv stations say no? For some the answer is yes. One radio company that has many play-by-play rights across the league has a travel ban in place. Audacy stations are preventing their radio broadcasters from traveling. It’s to the point where the company won’t reimburse announcers if they want to travel on their own. Very interesting. There’s no word on how long this “ban” will be in effect, leaving broadcasters to wonder if they’ll get to a road game this season.
As far as the teams, I wouldn’t think an individual club would say no to their broadcasters traveling if the organization meets the 85 percent vaccination threshold. More and more teams are meeting the criteria, once again eliminating another excuse for not sending the announcers along with the team to road games. Especially if the announcer himself/herself is fully vaccinated.
Now in conjunction with that point, the opposing team, the home team in this case may object to visiting broadcasters being in their park. With social distancing, some organizations reconfigured their broadcast booths to allow for the use of multiple monitors in the space. So actual room could be a problem. I say, if the opposing team fit in your press box before the pandemic, they’ll fit in there now.
Baseball broadcasting is not as easy as the folks doing it right now make it look or sound. Trust me, there is a lot that goes into it. The job done last year by these announcing crews should be commended and lauded. It’s hard enough to do the job when the game is front of you, let alone many miles away.
The RSN’s and radio stations not allowing travel are only doing a disservice to themselves, their own product and their audiences. As much as broadcasters try to call a seamless game from half a country away in some cases, it’s not the same as being there. It is just not and you can’t tell me it is. If it’s safe for ballparks to be opened to full capacity there should be no reason not to travel announcers. With most seats in ballparks being filled, empty seats in the broadcast booth are unacceptable.
Andy Masur is a columnist for BSM and works for WGN Radio as an anchor and play-by-play announcer. He also teaches broadcasting at the Illinois Media School. During his career he has called games for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox. He can be found on Twitter @Andy_Masur1 or you can reach him by email at Andy@Andy-Masur.com.
