TELEVISED GAMES STRETCH TO NEW, RECORD LENGTHS

Long before there were a zillion cable TV stations and pure movie channels, three networks existed. They would occasionally run a movie which was categorized as a “made for TV movie.”

That was the beginning. That was when TV executives sensed that, to a large degree, they could manufacture and control something that was originally intended for a certain live audience and display it over the airwaves.

Obviously, that spilled into our world of sports. For the most part, the way it started off was good. It got even better throughout the years with advanced technology and more outlets to show the games. But, like lessons learned from ancient wealthy societies--over-doing it, greed, gluttony, you name it—can ruin a good thing.

How many of us can actually we enjoy watching all that goes into a modern day baseball play-off game or big-time college football game on TV? Broadcasts have gotten w-a-a-a-a-y too long, bordering on 3:30 – 4 hours. Though I don’t have even a touch of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), I do have HD (high definition). Yet, even that can’t always keep me fully engaged. In no particular order, here are some things that make me want to just fire a 90 m.p.h. fastball at the TV with my remote control.

Officials/Umpire Reviews—again, what started out as a good idea now stinks. In college football, unfortunately every play is reviewable. What it has done is take away far too much of the human element and added a whole lot of commercials to be run while “the previous play is under review.” It’s sad that the officials on the field have lost their self-confidence and are now running scared. They will often not make a call because they figure the replay official will cover for them. What are they getting paid for anyway, to be second guessed by the booth? The time factor is absurd and completely takes away from any flow of the game. Baseball has only a limited number of situations that allow for official replay/review to intervene. Let’s keep it that way. Lord knows we don’t need to slow baseball down any more than it’s already chilled-out, natural mosey-along pace.

Too Much Production—because we have such great technology in TV studios, production people have to show their stuff. That adds more time to the games. No matter what sport it is, as the sleep-inducing run of commercials end, now we have to endure some kind of rock or rap music playing over the top of highlights from earlier in the broadcast. The music & sports industries are in bed together. You notice that they are promoting these “artists” by having their name and the name of the song on the lower left of the screen, like a rock video. What happened to end of a commercial, a live shot of next play, and the announcer saying, “Welcome back. 1^st and 10 for the Bombers at their own 20 yard line” and the play begins. We don’t need to waste another minute promoting music sales. Let’s remember, it’s supposed to be about the game, what’s happening on the field, not what has been created in the production studio.

Everything is Sponsored—I always chuckle remembering the original “Rocky” movie when Sylvester Stallone’s title character entered the ring wearing his robe which proudly carried his sponsor, “Shamrock Meats”, on his back. I used to laugh at race car drivers, who despite spending hours cooped up in their cars, once out of the vehicle they are walking billboards for sponsors. Ah…everyone has their price. Well, we have all of that and more today in the so-called traditional sports on TV.

In both football and baseball there are major sponsors’ logos super-imposed on the viewers’ TV screen to make it look like it’s actually on the field. The yellow first-down line that TV produces on the football field for viewers is sponsored. The time-outs are sponsored. The net behind the goalpost that catches every field goal or extra point is sponsored. The paper cups that players drink out of on the sidelines are sponsored. There is more, but my time is not sponsored, so I won’t go any farther. You get the idea. Again, what is important is the game itself. But we have so much other stuff going on during the game that you can easily get lost and begin to question if you do, in fact, have a touch of A.D.D.

Commercials, Commercials, Commercials—we all understand that commercials are necessary to pay the bills (and make money, too). But, can we do something to NOT take away from the momentum and flow of a game, in particular a game as emotional as football? This is situation is not uncommon. A team is driving for a score and one of the two teams calls a timeout. Commercial break. A play is run, then “officials’ review of previous play.” Commercials. The offense scores and kicks the extra point. Commercial break. Ensuing kickoff and return. Commercial break. Finally, we get the start of next offensive series. Unbelievable.

Injury. Hey, a chance for MORE commercials. It used to be when a player was injured the medical training staff hustled out, administered to the fallen player, propped him up on the shoulders of two assistant trainers and the idea was to escort him to the bench as quickly as possible—game continues. Now, every player that goes down, for whatever reason, must be getting instruction to just lie there so the networks can break for commercial. I have never seen so many players flat on their backs for multiple minutes, then a commercial break, then we come back to see them walking off under their own power! Are you kidding me? Did they bring in one of those Sunday morning faith healers? As they used to say back in the day—“tape an aspirin to it and keep moving.” This is not to slight those who are legitimately hurt, but we are way too cautious and treat every injury as though these players are (cue the eerie angelic music) going toward the light. It’s football, people. Keep the broadcast on the field. This is not an automatic commercial break. Get the player off and get his sub in the game. Sheesh!

As stated earlier, once the “made for TV movie” was born it led to a whole new world of TV execs manufacturing and controlling shows. For us sports devotees, at times it seems like we have sold our souls to the devil. We will put up with whatever they want to throw at us. For the teams playing in the game, as well as the viewers, TV says, “You will all play by OUR rules.” We all pay some kind of price for free TV.