https://theathletic.com/3631793/2022/09/27/espn-aaron-judge-clemson-wake-forest
ESPN’s baffling Aaron Judge decision, Allison Williams’ return, drones: CFB TV rewind
By David Ubben
Baseball is fine. It’s not for me, but I recognize there are millions who love it. Good for them.
ABC’s baffling decision to continuously interrupt Clemson’s dramatic 51-45 overtime win at Wake Forest is more than just about the difference between baseball, college football and the fans who love those sports. It’s a misunderstanding of the landscape of how sports are consumed, which seems like something a sports television network should be well-versed in avoiding.
Throughout the ACC showdown, ABC’s broadcast of the game featured a split screen with every Aaron Judge at bat. The Yankees star entered the game sitting on 60 home runs.
In 2002, breaking into a college football game — and commandeering the game audio, it must be noted — made at least some sense. If fans didn’t witness history live, their only other option was to wait to see it again on “SportsCenter” at 11 p.m.
This is 2022. If there’s a must-see highlight basically anywhere on Earth, it’s flooding social media in seconds. Last week, when Appalachian State beat Troy on a miracle Hail Mary-and-run, the game was only available via streaming. And yet, anyone who cares about college football had seen it multiple times 30 minutes after it happened.
Maybe, maybe if Judge actually had hit No. 61, it would make sense to show the highlight at the game’s next break in action. At the very least, that would spawn very little complaint, although I’m not sure it would enhance the broadcast in a meaningful way.
Anyone who truly cares about seeing Judge hitting home run No. 61 was watching or streaming that game somehow. The vast majority of Clemson and Wake Forest fans surely don’t care, and those who do definitely don’t care about it more than they care about their team’s result in a massive ACC game.
The Judge at-bat break-ins erased an entire Wake Forest drive at one point and meant fans had to watch a late, game-tying two-point conversion from Clemson on mute on a half screen.
Seriously?
It’s a gross miscalculation that robs college football fans. Plus, is Judge even making history? Let’s have that conversation. Hitting 61 home runs would, technically, put Judge in a tie with Roger Maris for seventh all-time. Are we going to have to deal with split screens of every Judge at-bat next Friday and Saturday if he’s climbing the list or hasn’t hit 61 yet?
Everyone above Judge set their record between 1998 and 2001, but nobody’s erasing them from the record books even though their feats came at the height of the steroids era. Even things that were erased from the record books — like USC’s 2004 title and Reggie Bush’s Heisman — still happened.
I’d still argue these same points if Judge was sitting on 73, but with 60 home runs, it feels even sillier. And most importantly, it’s a slap in the face to college football fans that makes no sense in the modern era of sports media. But an eye for an eye: I expect the ALCS to be interrupted the next time Illinois and Penn State trade failed two-point conversions for nine overtimes. I need baseball fans to experience that.
Cont'd ...
ESPN’s baffling Aaron Judge decision, Allison Williams’ return, drones: CFB TV rewind
By David Ubben
Baseball is fine. It’s not for me, but I recognize there are millions who love it. Good for them.
ABC’s baffling decision to continuously interrupt Clemson’s dramatic 51-45 overtime win at Wake Forest is more than just about the difference between baseball, college football and the fans who love those sports. It’s a misunderstanding of the landscape of how sports are consumed, which seems like something a sports television network should be well-versed in avoiding.
Throughout the ACC showdown, ABC’s broadcast of the game featured a split screen with every Aaron Judge at bat. The Yankees star entered the game sitting on 60 home runs.
In 2002, breaking into a college football game — and commandeering the game audio, it must be noted — made at least some sense. If fans didn’t witness history live, their only other option was to wait to see it again on “SportsCenter” at 11 p.m.
This is 2022. If there’s a must-see highlight basically anywhere on Earth, it’s flooding social media in seconds. Last week, when Appalachian State beat Troy on a miracle Hail Mary-and-run, the game was only available via streaming. And yet, anyone who cares about college football had seen it multiple times 30 minutes after it happened.
Maybe, maybe if Judge actually had hit No. 61, it would make sense to show the highlight at the game’s next break in action. At the very least, that would spawn very little complaint, although I’m not sure it would enhance the broadcast in a meaningful way.
Anyone who truly cares about seeing Judge hitting home run No. 61 was watching or streaming that game somehow. The vast majority of Clemson and Wake Forest fans surely don’t care, and those who do definitely don’t care about it more than they care about their team’s result in a massive ACC game.
The Judge at-bat break-ins erased an entire Wake Forest drive at one point and meant fans had to watch a late, game-tying two-point conversion from Clemson on mute on a half screen.
Seriously?
It’s a gross miscalculation that robs college football fans. Plus, is Judge even making history? Let’s have that conversation. Hitting 61 home runs would, technically, put Judge in a tie with Roger Maris for seventh all-time. Are we going to have to deal with split screens of every Judge at-bat next Friday and Saturday if he’s climbing the list or hasn’t hit 61 yet?
Everyone above Judge set their record between 1998 and 2001, but nobody’s erasing them from the record books even though their feats came at the height of the steroids era. Even things that were erased from the record books — like USC’s 2004 title and Reggie Bush’s Heisman — still happened.
I’d still argue these same points if Judge was sitting on 73, but with 60 home runs, it feels even sillier. And most importantly, it’s a slap in the face to college football fans that makes no sense in the modern era of sports media. But an eye for an eye: I expect the ALCS to be interrupted the next time Illinois and Penn State trade failed two-point conversions for nine overtimes. I need baseball fans to experience that.
Cont'd ...
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