While watching the home run derby Monday Night, I started thinking about how the competition looked like the video games so many baseball fans love. The way balls were flying out of Coors Field, it was the stuff of Play Station or Nintendo. In other words, not real. It was ridiculous how strong some of these players are and what a show they put on for the fans in Denver. It reminded me of playing MLB The Show in one of its incarnations. I remember firing it up on my PSP (yes I had one) and more recently on my iPad just to see how far my player could hit a ball.
I think I started playing that particular game in 2008 and it’s amazing to me now, how much a regular normal baseball telecast looks like that game did. Could it be that the success of the franchise (MLB The Show) led to some imitation in a real broadcast? There are a lot of similarities in the presentation. There are some things that started in the video game realm and made their way into the broadcasts.
With all the new numbers in the game of baseball, I get the impression that StatCast was tested during some of the editions of the MLB video game. Launch angle, distance and exit velocity are featured in MLB Home Run Derby editions. The game helped to introduce the latest way to measure how well a ball is hit. The younger generation of fans grew up playing these games and it looks like the natural progression was to include these numbers and graphics into baseball telecasts. It’s genius. Baseball for years has been called a sport for the “older” generations. Catering to a younger audience hopefully will drum up more interest in the game.
The ways those stats come to life during games now is pretty cool. The little vignettes used to show how far an outfielder ranged to make a catch are easy on the eyes. It’s one thing to be able to say that Player X traveled 100.5 feet to make a catch that had a catch probability of 12.4 percent. To show it, increases the impact of the play. The manner in which other elements are telecast make me wonder sometimes how we survived watching a game without them?
Home run distances, launch angles, exit velocities, have become a normal part of game broadcasts. The little “vapor trails” to show the height and location of the homer, along with the distance counters remind me very much of video games. Plus, with every pitch over 95 miles an hour, the MPH indicator on the screen goes to a “fire color” to indicate the zip on the fastball.
Video games have also changed the way directors and producers bring you, the viewing audience, the game. It’s a trend that’s been going on for a few years now, especially in the NFL. New innovations like the overhead “sky cam” setting the stage after a change of possession and looking over both team’s huddles – video games did that first, especially at the start of the “e” games. There are other things that have been “leaking” into network NFL broadcasts as both the video game and telecast evolve.
A 2015 article published in “The Atlantic” featured a conversation with “Madden NFL 15’s” creative director, Mike Young, and its presentation director, Brian Murray. They’ve been making game directors and producers jealous over time, because on the video game there are no real constraints.
Murray and Young “allow” their simulated camera people and directors take more risks than they would in a broadcast. Obviously because they aren’t real. In “Madden 15”, the Steadicam operator follows the quarterback from the sidelines, then on to the field, and enters a huddle. Only as he begins to take his place on the field will the cameraman finally back off. That was supposed to be something that could only appear in the game. But now several years later we see this happening on TV.
“I’m not saying there’s any confirmation they did it [because of us], but I did it with Mike and now I’m seeing it in the broadcast,” said Murray. Just watch a game and you’ll get that actual confirmation.
Both men also said live-game producers and directors are often jealous of them based on their creative freedom when it comes to the video game.
“We’ll meet with the producer and director for Monday Night Football and they’ll ask us what we do. There’s some jealousy with our freedom to put a camera anywhere and do it cheaply,” Young said to “The Atlantic”.
Another innovated idea introduced by the gentlemen was to add a player icon. That can either be the little animated circle under the player you’re controlling, or the graphic you see on the screen that’s attached to a player. The player’s name, position and jersey number are “pinned” to him/her as they move around the field. You see that a lot now on NFL broadcasts and college football games. You also see it during baseball telecasts to indicate which runners are on base, or where the infielders are located during a shift. It’s truly amazing to think about that technology and how it aids in watching a game.
Over the years, as I wrote about a few weeks ago, Score Bugs seem to have been a biproduct of video game influence. I know that the first one here in the United States debuted in 1994 with the NFL on Fox, but it was a very basic and boring version of what it is today. It seems like several networks, including ESPN, have used their video games to “test” what graphics may look like on tv. That including the score, timeouts, teams, clock and play clock.
Thinking about other innovations from a couple of other sports that are video game-ish. Let’s not forget the 1st and 10-line, showing the viewer how far a team needs to go to gain a first down. How did we EVER survive without that? How about the glowing puck in the old Fox NHL broadcasts? It made it easier for the non-hockey fan to follow the action, but of course this was before HDTV. Also thinking about golf and it’s shot tracer technology. Your favorite golfer gets on the tee and hits, you see the shape of their shot, the apex of the ball and to the right of the screen, where it will likely land on an animated view of the golf course. Amazing stuff.
In general, things on a broadcast that were probably influenced by a video game are numerous. The overall presentation. That includes multiple replays and angles on crucial plays in a game. The sound effects you hear when going to a replay or coming out of one. The enhanced sound overall on the field with the use of skillfully placed microphones were likely instituted after someone played a video game. It’s a flashy production and presentation, which can be received differently based on how big a fan you are of the game or sport you’re watching.
These innovations and technologies make it so great to watch a game at home. It’s definitely viewer friendly these days and has everything for a casual fan or a crazed fan. While the NFL, NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball love when viewership is up there could be an inherent problem. The game on your TV makes you feel like you’re at the stadium, hockey rink or ballpark, why would you even bother going to one of their games? You already have the best seat in the house and the beer is definitely cheaper.
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.
