These are strange times we’re living in as sports fans. Monopolies have taken over the major sports networks. Some companies own multiple outlets and the look and feel of those broadcasts is the same. Music, graphics, and flow seem consistent across the platforms. Some broadcasters are the face of their network, while others like ESPN use specific voices for specific packages, like Joe Buck and Troy Aikman for Monday Night Football.
Now, many of those networks are going to the “alternate broadcasts that try to cater to specific audiences, like gamblers and folks who just don’t care that much about the game and want to be entertained.
It’s great when FOX or ESPN can provide coverage of so many different sporting events. It gives the sports fan a chance to see games and events they are truly interested in and want to view. But that creation creates issues from time to time. Like having high-priced talent, brought in to increase viewership, promoting another program, and running at the same time, on a different entity of the network.
ESPN airs its Monday Night Football package on the World Wide Leader and ABC. The broadcast features Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, two announcers poached from FOX a couple of years ago. Bringing the popular duo in, cost the network dearly, to the tune of 165 million dollars. They were brought in to restore the importance of the brand. Monday Night Football interest had been waning in recent years and Buck and Aikman bring credibility to the product.
Even with that major investment, ESPN is forcing the MNF booth to promote the “other” venture, which airs on ESPN 2, The Manningcast. The show hosted by Peyton and Eli Manning runs concurrently against several MNF games, offering an alternative to the actual game.
The Manningcast airs only on a few selected weeks of the season, and when it’s on, Buck and Aikman promote it, on air. It’s strange and I imagine not easy to handle for the broadcast crew. They are pros and handle it as such, but you can kind of tell, they resent it just a little bit.
Here’s an example from a few weeks ago, during the game between the Seahawks and Giants, Buck read the promo for the alternate broadcast. That particular week, the Manning’s had Will Ferrell on as a guest.
Buck started to read the promo as scripted, but then, even with producers urging him to send viewers elsewhere, he managed to make it less weird. Buck read the promo and slipped in a classic Will Ferrell line, saying “Stay classy, Troy.” An unforgettable line from Anchorman, minus the Troy part of course. Aikman seemed frustrated with the idea of telling people to go elsewhere. He responded, “Well, stay here folks! Stay classy and stay here!” Aikman then followed it up with, “I like Will Ferrell … but sit tight.”
Awkward to say the least.
I get the hesitancy of the broadcaster to alert viewers of another broadcast. We are always territorial when it comes to projects, broadcasts, and telecasts we work on. It’s only natural. Even though my situation as a sportscaster at WGN Radio is a little different than the one Buck and Aikman face, I understand the issue.
When I do a sports update on the air, I don’t give tip times for Bulls games. Why? Because they air on another station. Same story when it comes to baseball. I only say that the Cubs or White Sox are playing that day or night. I don’t offer a first-pitch time. Both teams are on competing stations. I feel like, why should I urge fans to leave my station and go to the other for the games?
Obviously, hardcore fans are going to know where to go to get their game, without me having to tell them. They also know when their teams are playing. I don’t feel like it’s my job to drive listenership away from WGN to listen to a game on another station. That’s for them to worry about. I promote our partners, the Blackhawks, and Northwestern football and basketball, as I should. I know it’s a little nit-picky, but I’ve always believed that you shouldn’t give a listener a reminder to leave!
On the one hand, I understand the request of the broadcasters. It’s a network thing, not a booth thing. But on the other hand, why would you ask Buck and Aikman, who you paid out the keester for, to promote a broadcast other than their own? Isn’t there another way to accomplish the plug? Maybe using a graphic or a crawl across the bottom of the screen?
There has to be something that the producers at ESPN can come up with, to alleviate Buck and Aikman from having to read the promo. I get it, it’s only one read and one promo. But, as MNF tries to restore itself to its glory days — I wish them the best in that endeavor — they need all the viewers they can get. The Manningcast started off hot, but has cooled a bit recently. It probably needs the boost it may get from the guys mentioning it on the broadcast. ESPN considers that a win-win.
I think Buck and Aikman handled it about as well as they could be expected to under the circumstances. It’s not an easy ask, I’m sure, from the producer’s point of view either. But it needs to be done. If the boss says read it, even those making the big bucks, need to promote the other product. Just like in any broadcast, there are sponsored elements that I’m sure most of us could do without. They make money for the team or station you’re working for, so there isn’t much of a debate when it comes down to it.
The Bears postgame show I’m hosting right now, has seven different elements to cover, in two hours. Factoring in, my co-host’s analysis and fan’s phone calls, it’s not easy, but we do it and have some fun along the way. Granted, we aren’t promoting events that compete with our own product, but the end game is the same. Do your job and honor your obligation to read the promo, but poke a little fun and levity as you can without being out of line.
I could tell there was some uneasiness in the process of trying to land the movie line between Buck and Aikman. Neither broadcaster seemed completely comfortable in promoting Peyton and Eli while their telecast was being presented at the same time. Being professionals, they took care of what they needed to and it was over. It’s a good lesson to learn and sometimes having to be a ‘team player’ is more important than making a stand.
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.
