This was fascinating! I LOVED what MLB did for this year's all star game--mic'ing up players ON the FIELD. For instance, the commentators talking to Alek Manoah AS HE WAS PITCHING was fantastic and innovative. Last night there were a couple of moments in the White Sox-Mariners game that gave a full-field view of the ball in play that mimicked being there sitting in the outfield, and I loved that, too.
And by the way, I really wish they'd have a regular guy out in a Subaru in F1. Even just like off to the side at the start. It would be hilarious and helpful. I've actually had that thought for lots of sports: what does this look like compared to a normal person--even a normal fairly athletic person?
One thing you didn't mention explicitly was the MLB pitch tracker with the live, on-screen strike zone. I personally really like it, and I would like automated strike/ball calling (though I'd want the umpire to vocalize those calls). With sports like tennis and MLB that can now so accurately track the ball, introducing that one random outside human element makes it clunky. To me, it's better that umpires and line judges are a factor in play. Leaves more room for focusing on the skills of the players.
Adding: though I didn't love the post-Michael Scott seasons of The Office the way I did the earlier seasons, there's one line from temporary manager Nellie, who is explaining how she gets jobs by seeing a vacancy and simply stepping in, and she says "that's how I was briefly an F1 racecar driver. Slowest three laps on record." lol
I'm a fan of baseball. I go to Little League, HS games, SEC games and minor league games. MLB is a 150 mile RT and expensive so I watch MLB on TV. At all the games I attend there are people (w/o kids in the games) who attend because they like live BB. AND IT IS OUTSIDE! Have you considered the inside (BB,Hockey)/outside aspects? Live NASCAR is outside and it's a giant party. What sports are parties?
Except for MLB I don't watch sports on TV.
I realize this isn't the point of your post but it is my first response.
This is a pretty interesting distinction. Here in Minnesota, there's a reason that the Twins and Vikings moved out of the Metrodome, even though now running backs are getting tackled by some monstrous linemen in subzero weather.
I'm so glad you'll continue writing about the dead hand of history! This "middle class trap" is so widely applicable and a really useful lens to think through some of our more pressing social problems.
I'm thinking about it in relation to my profession in higher ed. I teach at a community college so we're not the "middle class" of your analogy, but at the same time, we're not innovating as much as we should because we still have so much to lose and the history of higher ed still exerts a powerful force on the public imagination of what a college education should be.
This interesting article roped even me--a non-fan*--in. The only innovation in sports coverage in my lifetime reinforces your point: the broadcasters make it much easier to follow what’s happening. I’m old enough to remember football before they marked the line of scrimmage and first down line, for example. And NBA broadcasts always include a closeup of the player after he makes a basket so we know who it was. I’m pretty sure they didn’t do that in the 70s. But those changes just make the essentially conservative way of showing the games more legible, without any innovations in how the game is presented.
*The exception is that I watch the Timberwolves and my beloved Vikings whenever I am visiting family.
Very interesting post. A very minor note about footnote 1: it is not true, " four out of the five major European soccer/football leagues have only just kicked off but the champion is all but certain". Your examples about France and Germany are correct. Regarding the other leagues, I don't know which two you are counting, but the favorite in England is around 70% likelihood of winning at the moment (started lower), in Spain below 50%, and Italy around 25%.
I must say I am not a sport person. I watch the final of the world soccer cup and tennis highlight, that’s about it. Regardless, your piece was enlightening, thank you for that!
Fantastic read. Good points. Another sport that you might want to look at is cricket and the innovation in the last decade in the format of the game and how it’s broadcast.
This was fascinating! I LOVED what MLB did for this year's all star game--mic'ing up players ON the FIELD. For instance, the commentators talking to Alek Manoah AS HE WAS PITCHING was fantastic and innovative. Last night there were a couple of moments in the White Sox-Mariners game that gave a full-field view of the ball in play that mimicked being there sitting in the outfield, and I loved that, too.
And by the way, I really wish they'd have a regular guy out in a Subaru in F1. Even just like off to the side at the start. It would be hilarious and helpful. I've actually had that thought for lots of sports: what does this look like compared to a normal person--even a normal fairly athletic person?
One thing you didn't mention explicitly was the MLB pitch tracker with the live, on-screen strike zone. I personally really like it, and I would like automated strike/ball calling (though I'd want the umpire to vocalize those calls). With sports like tennis and MLB that can now so accurately track the ball, introducing that one random outside human element makes it clunky. To me, it's better that umpires and line judges are a factor in play. Leaves more room for focusing on the skills of the players.
Adding: though I didn't love the post-Michael Scott seasons of The Office the way I did the earlier seasons, there's one line from temporary manager Nellie, who is explaining how she gets jobs by seeing a vacancy and simply stepping in, and she says "that's how I was briefly an F1 racecar driver. Slowest three laps on record." lol
The gmail preview for this said "Adding: though I didn't love the post" and I had a mild heart attack.
Lol omg that’s violence on gmail’s part.
If you get rid of umpires, just take my dumb eyes too.
I'd rather be blind than see baseball called by robots!
They’d still be there! Just not responsible for deciding what’s a ball and what’s a strike.
Doom. I see only doom this way.
I'm a fan of baseball. I go to Little League, HS games, SEC games and minor league games. MLB is a 150 mile RT and expensive so I watch MLB on TV. At all the games I attend there are people (w/o kids in the games) who attend because they like live BB. AND IT IS OUTSIDE! Have you considered the inside (BB,Hockey)/outside aspects? Live NASCAR is outside and it's a giant party. What sports are parties?
Except for MLB I don't watch sports on TV.
I realize this isn't the point of your post but it is my first response.
This is a pretty interesting distinction. Here in Minnesota, there's a reason that the Twins and Vikings moved out of the Metrodome, even though now running backs are getting tackled by some monstrous linemen in subzero weather.
I'm so glad you'll continue writing about the dead hand of history! This "middle class trap" is so widely applicable and a really useful lens to think through some of our more pressing social problems.
I'm thinking about it in relation to my profession in higher ed. I teach at a community college so we're not the "middle class" of your analogy, but at the same time, we're not innovating as much as we should because we still have so much to lose and the history of higher ed still exerts a powerful force on the public imagination of what a college education should be.
This interesting article roped even me--a non-fan*--in. The only innovation in sports coverage in my lifetime reinforces your point: the broadcasters make it much easier to follow what’s happening. I’m old enough to remember football before they marked the line of scrimmage and first down line, for example. And NBA broadcasts always include a closeup of the player after he makes a basket so we know who it was. I’m pretty sure they didn’t do that in the 70s. But those changes just make the essentially conservative way of showing the games more legible, without any innovations in how the game is presented.
*The exception is that I watch the Timberwolves and my beloved Vikings whenever I am visiting family.
Very interesting post. A very minor note about footnote 1: it is not true, " four out of the five major European soccer/football leagues have only just kicked off but the champion is all but certain". Your examples about France and Germany are correct. Regarding the other leagues, I don't know which two you are counting, but the favorite in England is around 70% likelihood of winning at the moment (started lower), in Spain below 50%, and Italy around 25%.
I must say I am not a sport person. I watch the final of the world soccer cup and tennis highlight, that’s about it. Regardless, your piece was enlightening, thank you for that!
Fantastic read. Good points. Another sport that you might want to look at is cricket and the innovation in the last decade in the format of the game and how it’s broadcast.