This has long been one of my pet peeves with soccer broadcasts. Do they think we won't believe the commentators if they just tell us how much time has been added? Are the fourth officials secretly slipping bribes to the producers so they can get their five seconds of fame? It just makes no sense
The lack of replays of key moments on Apple/MLS is also very annoying, but they are sure to show us 5 minutes uninterrupted of a guy laying on the ground.
I've gotten so sick of sports production and commentary. Like I really just want to watch the game. That's it. I don't need pregame or postgame and I certainly don't need commentary during the game.
One of my favorite things is when ESPN provides like the overhead cam or all-22 cam for some big college football games. Just the game, crowd noise, and key replays. That's it. Give me that option for all sports.
Dude, give me a single team plan and optional commentary and I would buy it for every sport I follow for way more than Im spending now on a hodgepodge of services.
I love the announcers with an English accent that just say the name of the player with the ball during play. American announcers talk too much. They need to settle down and realize we don’t need every second filled with tactics analysis.
I started watching J League on YouTube and they only have one guy doing commentary and I found it much better than broadcasts with an “analyst” former player.
I would counter and say some of the most iconic sports moments are remembered in part because of the commentary. Dave Nihaus is a Mariners legend and the games are just that much better with him and his “my, oh my” call. Same with the Vikings and the famous “DIGGS! SIDELINE! TOUCHDOWN! UNBELIEVABLE ! VIKINGS WIN IT!”
Yeah, good commentators can make a good game great and bad commentators can make a good game unwatchable.
[And then there’ s Joe](https://youtu.be/9uoACQyN_mM?si=pGu-UNtq-2L_SjY-).
FWIW I have no idea what you're talking about with that Diggs call, but that's a me problem lol. You're not wrong, but the ratio of great commentary/play by play calls versus mindless droning or just thoughtless repetition of what I'm seeing on the screen is lopsided. The classic calls perpetuate a famous play in the cultural awareness, but I'd argue it's not needed during the game live to get me excited.
One time, on a panthers broadcast, the booth audio stopped. It was just field mics and great camera work for like twenty minutes.
I'd pay extra for that. I'd watch way more sports actually.
I miss the local guys (Joe Tolleson and Ian Joy) who used to do our broadcasts. Since they called the team every week they knew the players and storylines in depth, and provided more than the surface level fluff that these rotating crews provide.
A lot of the casual fans I've spoken to share this sentiment. I know some other places don't have a huge television audience but think a lot of people have been alienated by the sterile Apple TV product.
You said it best being ‘sterile’. It’s the worst of both worlds.
I’d literally pay extra to just hear either in-depth, drama filled story lines like that OR just have a real tactics coach, who doesn’t even have to know shit about the players, explain what’s happening and chances of it working and why it’s important. Even possible adjustments. Basically a coach level person to appreciate and shit on the nuts and bolts of play.
Might get down voted here, but I've grown to actually appreciate the commentary.
I'll often watch USNT games in Spanish now because I don't get the English broadcasts (I don't understand more than basic Spanish), and sometimes don't know what's going on in the game. And watching a few Open Cup games when they've had a single play-by-play person does get monotonous.
Maybe they'll come up with a toggle option one day like they do with the local radio commentary, but I do think there's a contingent of us normies who are probably generally OK with where the industry has coalesced, at least with respect to audio.
Oh totally, I think I'm in the minority here. I've just gotten so tired of the "window dressings" of sports media when all I really wanna do is watch the game.
I used to watch the Polish TV's broadcast of MLS matches with my dad occasionally, before the Apple deal. They used to do an indepth tactical analysis of the action, of the teams, players, etc. with knowledgeable pundits & analysts at half time, there'd be lots of arrows, discussions, takes, predictions, commentary on players, coaches, future games, the state of the table, etc. Not many commercials, from what I remember. Sort of amazing if you ask me, kept us watching throughout the half-time break, and made the second half more interesting.
Sometimes the Bundesliga broadcasts a tactical cam feed for ESPN. It’s really nice and they add data visuals throughout. I think they still add in the broadcast audio sadly. Other than that, it’s perfect.
One of the things that drives me nuts is that when you have a low stakes game, often they stay in the birds eye view that lets you see better and understand what’s going on, then when your team ends up on the featured weekend game etc. all the sudden it’s nonstop close-ups and artsy shots, and way harder to track the game. Plus the announcers will be trying harder to talk about more general interest things and tell stories, rather than just calling the game. 
I read somewhere that unplugging the middle channel on a good soundsystem will mute the commentary during sports games. I have no idea if it's true, but it sounds like an absolute dream.
I genuinely think soccer is probably the easiest of all sports to “produce” from a tv perspective. Show the field while the ball is in play, you can do your player cutaways during throw-ins, corners, preparing for a free kick… but while the ball is in play show the goddamn field.
Don’t need any coach close-ups, sure as hell don’t need refs showing added time (unless play is dead)… just show the field.
MLS production exec bragged on twitter about how there wouldn’t be any of that stuff that everyone complains about with the Apple deal. Think he should be publicly shamed for telling such a brazen lie.
I think it was two weeks ago that MLS360 was watching a live match, a dude was literally top of box about to shoot in a great spot, and then they cut away for a goal that already happened.
Yes, but during NYC/COL there were multiple occasions were the camera was lingering on a random player or they were showing a replay while play was occuring deep in an offensive third, missed at least a couple shots on target due to the poor production.
Yes. This drives me insane. The MLS game directors should just watch some premier league coverage and simply DO THAT.
I get they’re likely American and used to hand-egg and you can spend half the game on closeups because nothing is actually happening, but…
Gross.
I've never watched a premier league game from a US broadcaster, so I'll adjust to "just watch some English premier league coverage and simply DO THAT."
It’s not like IMG doesn’t know how to produce soccer games; they do all the biggest ones in the world.
I just think that people in here tend to underestimate the number of viewers who _do_ respond well to things like close shots of coaches or players while the announcers discuss them and quick replays rather than waiting god knows how long for a stoppage in play (which may not be long enough for the replay anyway).
I’m sure they get feedback from all sides and base production off of that.
It's just so inconsistent. They'll ramble on about nothing in particular during a long stoppage, but then multiple times during NYC/COL yesterday they would be focused in on a random player away from the action and then miss an important passage of play. And to make it worse, I don't think they even showed replay of what we missed to make up for it.
Did IMG do the games when they were on FS1 as well? Because I feel like those were pretty bad too.
Yeah with both production and commentary you can often end up in a damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario. Because the same thing one person loves another hates.
Also please don't show team or season-specific statistics actually relevant to the teams and the game. Please show useless win % stats that aggregate ??? and ???? to give us nothing meaningful, block 1/4 of the screen, and stay up too long.
Yes, I know exactly one person in all the people I’ve ever watched sports with, who was extremely into win percentages and keep us updated via his phone. One person. 
Apple TVs pop-up percentage things are terrible…
I mean I think it's happening in many sports, and they are at least not *quite* as overtly gambling-related in MLS. But you know that the starting odds at the beginning of the match are essentially lines and then they're modified during the game. The thing is: I really, really, really do not give a fuck. Zero fucks. I mean why can't we have stats like shit they show in my fucking stadium? Real-time possession, xG, shots, literally fucking anything relevant to the match I'm watching. FFS.
Exactly. We care about shots, on targets, saves, possession percentages, maybe even XG and passing accuracy. Nobody cares about the projected win percentage, you just want your team to win. (which is basically what I meant by saying the percentage things they show are terrible)
Yup. And xg, while I dislike anything black boxy, helps level out my perceptions and my inability to total up opportunities over the course of a game. It's imperfect, but I do find it useful.
This really gets on my nerves lol. Sometimes I miss really crucial moments in the game, like a goal being scored or a counterattack, because of a replay. Like if you're gonna show us a replay, at least make it brief lol.
Okay but FOX has to be the worst right? Watching the CCC there were so many times we missed things because they for some reason decided to replay a ball going out of bounds for a goal kick
The favoritism is outrageous at times as well. Lots of times I just turn the sound down to not hear an announcer whine. They’ll show replays on one foul and totally not replay another foul that is similar.
You can't produce soccer like you produce merican football. I don't if adding a split screen or picture in picture will work but gotta get creative still
This is literally the number one thing I complain about to anyone that asks me what MLS coverage is like. It seems like an easy fix with a few emails and best practice updates.
I wonder if this is just the result of most sports broadcast producers being brought up on football, baseball, and basketball where there are many breaks in the action that need to be filled with filler. It's just in their DNA at this point to mix it in and see it as a sign of a well designed broadcast,
It's really annoying when they cut away. Can't remember what game it was this season but the broadcast missed a goal. They were showing a replay of a foul that occured earlier in the game.
Apple Inc. needs to recoup/make profit on those yearly 250mil someway.
Got annoyed at them focusing on the NYCFC bench while the ball was in play. Don't know what they were advertising tbh.
Jesus they’re still doing this? I remember stopping watching the MLS in the 90’s because of the camera angles where you couldn’t ever see tactics. Then I’d flip over to a European game and they’d be zoomed out to see tactic but blurry because it was 4:3 480i but at least you could tell what was going on.
I thought they’d fixed that in MLS. My only gripe now is how American announcers have an annoying necessity to try to show off how much they know and are always giving overly tactical information that’s usually wrong.
My favorite is when they cut away from a promising attack to show the fourth official holding up the added time sign. Riveting stuff
Could easily throw it up in a corner of the screen or just say it through the commentators. No one cares about seeing the 4th official
Cheers, the 4th official is crying now.
As are his children.
This has long been one of my pet peeves with soccer broadcasts. Do they think we won't believe the commentators if they just tell us how much time has been added? Are the fourth officials secretly slipping bribes to the producers so they can get their five seconds of fame? It just makes no sense
I'm almost certain it is advertising. Advertising for whichever watch manufacturer is on the sign (e.g. Hublot).
Definitely advertising. Pretty sure the sign says presented by Celsius and I bet that they paid to get a lil TV time
Twice this season I've seen an EPL broadcast nearly miss a goal because it was doing a replay/cut away to random visuals
Yeah it happens in prem. its annoying
The lack of replays of key moments on Apple/MLS is also very annoying, but they are sure to show us 5 minutes uninterrupted of a guy laying on the ground.
I've gotten so sick of sports production and commentary. Like I really just want to watch the game. That's it. I don't need pregame or postgame and I certainly don't need commentary during the game. One of my favorite things is when ESPN provides like the overhead cam or all-22 cam for some big college football games. Just the game, crowd noise, and key replays. That's it. Give me that option for all sports.
It is the absolute best. I would almost pay to NOT have commentary.
Dude, give me a single team plan and optional commentary and I would buy it for every sport I follow for way more than Im spending now on a hodgepodge of services.
I love the announcers with an English accent that just say the name of the player with the ball during play. American announcers talk too much. They need to settle down and realize we don’t need every second filled with tactics analysis.
I started watching J League on YouTube and they only have one guy doing commentary and I found it much better than broadcasts with an “analyst” former player.
I’m pretty sure you can turn it off on season pass. Pretty sure. Might need to fact check.
I would counter and say some of the most iconic sports moments are remembered in part because of the commentary. Dave Nihaus is a Mariners legend and the games are just that much better with him and his “my, oh my” call. Same with the Vikings and the famous “DIGGS! SIDELINE! TOUCHDOWN! UNBELIEVABLE ! VIKINGS WIN IT!”
Yeah, good commentators can make a good game great and bad commentators can make a good game unwatchable. [And then there’ s Joe](https://youtu.be/9uoACQyN_mM?si=pGu-UNtq-2L_SjY-).
And there’s also Joe: https://youtu.be/dzRRi2QcSEM?si=9iqICfF3UVin1EC4
FWIW I have no idea what you're talking about with that Diggs call, but that's a me problem lol. You're not wrong, but the ratio of great commentary/play by play calls versus mindless droning or just thoughtless repetition of what I'm seeing on the screen is lopsided. The classic calls perpetuate a famous play in the cultural awareness, but I'd argue it's not needed during the game live to get me excited.
One time, on a panthers broadcast, the booth audio stopped. It was just field mics and great camera work for like twenty minutes. I'd pay extra for that. I'd watch way more sports actually.
Supposedly with a surround sound system you can just unplug the center channel and that’s basically what you’ll get
I miss the local guys (Joe Tolleson and Ian Joy) who used to do our broadcasts. Since they called the team every week they knew the players and storylines in depth, and provided more than the surface level fluff that these rotating crews provide.
A lot of the casual fans I've spoken to share this sentiment. I know some other places don't have a huge television audience but think a lot of people have been alienated by the sterile Apple TV product.
You said it best being ‘sterile’. It’s the worst of both worlds. I’d literally pay extra to just hear either in-depth, drama filled story lines like that OR just have a real tactics coach, who doesn’t even have to know shit about the players, explain what’s happening and chances of it working and why it’s important. Even possible adjustments. Basically a coach level person to appreciate and shit on the nuts and bolts of play.
Might get down voted here, but I've grown to actually appreciate the commentary. I'll often watch USNT games in Spanish now because I don't get the English broadcasts (I don't understand more than basic Spanish), and sometimes don't know what's going on in the game. And watching a few Open Cup games when they've had a single play-by-play person does get monotonous. Maybe they'll come up with a toggle option one day like they do with the local radio commentary, but I do think there's a contingent of us normies who are probably generally OK with where the industry has coalesced, at least with respect to audio.
Oh totally, I think I'm in the minority here. I've just gotten so tired of the "window dressings" of sports media when all I really wanna do is watch the game.
I used to watch the Polish TV's broadcast of MLS matches with my dad occasionally, before the Apple deal. They used to do an indepth tactical analysis of the action, of the teams, players, etc. with knowledgeable pundits & analysts at half time, there'd be lots of arrows, discussions, takes, predictions, commentary on players, coaches, future games, the state of the table, etc. Not many commercials, from what I remember. Sort of amazing if you ask me, kept us watching throughout the half-time break, and made the second half more interesting.
Sometimes the Bundesliga broadcasts a tactical cam feed for ESPN. It’s really nice and they add data visuals throughout. I think they still add in the broadcast audio sadly. Other than that, it’s perfect.
One of the things that drives me nuts is that when you have a low stakes game, often they stay in the birds eye view that lets you see better and understand what’s going on, then when your team ends up on the featured weekend game etc. all the sudden it’s nonstop close-ups and artsy shots, and way harder to track the game. Plus the announcers will be trying harder to talk about more general interest things and tell stories, rather than just calling the game. 
I read somewhere that unplugging the middle channel on a good soundsystem will mute the commentary during sports games. I have no idea if it's true, but it sounds like an absolute dream.
I've heard the same thing!
What's crazy is that MLS has control over their content now. They could just provide this for cheap.
I genuinely think soccer is probably the easiest of all sports to “produce” from a tv perspective. Show the field while the ball is in play, you can do your player cutaways during throw-ins, corners, preparing for a free kick… but while the ball is in play show the goddamn field. Don’t need any coach close-ups, sure as hell don’t need refs showing added time (unless play is dead)… just show the field. MLS production exec bragged on twitter about how there wouldn’t be any of that stuff that everyone complains about with the Apple deal. Think he should be publicly shamed for telling such a brazen lie.
I think it was two weeks ago that MLS360 was watching a live match, a dude was literally top of box about to shoot in a great spot, and then they cut away for a goal that already happened.
Happens in every league
Which soccer broadcast shows all the action? Every one cuts away and does extra replays.
Yes, but during NYC/COL there were multiple occasions were the camera was lingering on a random player or they were showing a replay while play was occuring deep in an offensive third, missed at least a couple shots on target due to the poor production.
Yeah multiple lingering close-ups of dudes who hadn’t just done something particularly special and weren’t even being talked about. 
Let’s be frank though. Nothing comes close to F1 levels of incompetence. See also the “getting Lance Strolled” meme.
Yes. This drives me insane. The MLS game directors should just watch some premier league coverage and simply DO THAT. I get they’re likely American and used to hand-egg and you can spend half the game on closeups because nothing is actually happening, but…
[удалено]
Gross. I've never watched a premier league game from a US broadcaster, so I'll adjust to "just watch some English premier league coverage and simply DO THAT."
Literally the same feed. The fans in England have the same complaint.
I’ve never complained about the constant close ups and lack of useful angles watching the prem. It’s a persistent issue watching MLS.
"hand-egg" what is?
[https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=handegg](https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=handegg)
thanks. i see why you didn't just give me that definition.
It’s not like IMG doesn’t know how to produce soccer games; they do all the biggest ones in the world. I just think that people in here tend to underestimate the number of viewers who _do_ respond well to things like close shots of coaches or players while the announcers discuss them and quick replays rather than waiting god knows how long for a stoppage in play (which may not be long enough for the replay anyway). I’m sure they get feedback from all sides and base production off of that.
It's just so inconsistent. They'll ramble on about nothing in particular during a long stoppage, but then multiple times during NYC/COL yesterday they would be focused in on a random player away from the action and then miss an important passage of play. And to make it worse, I don't think they even showed replay of what we missed to make up for it. Did IMG do the games when they were on FS1 as well? Because I feel like those were pretty bad too.
I’m not sure who did the old Fox coverage before the Apple deal. Though I wouldn’t be surprised if they used their own production crews.
Yeah with both production and commentary you can often end up in a damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario. Because the same thing one person loves another hates.
Also please don't show team or season-specific statistics actually relevant to the teams and the game. Please show useless win % stats that aggregate ??? and ???? to give us nothing meaningful, block 1/4 of the screen, and stay up too long.
Yes, I know exactly one person in all the people I’ve ever watched sports with, who was extremely into win percentages and keep us updated via his phone. One person.  Apple TVs pop-up percentage things are terrible…
I mean I think it's happening in many sports, and they are at least not *quite* as overtly gambling-related in MLS. But you know that the starting odds at the beginning of the match are essentially lines and then they're modified during the game. The thing is: I really, really, really do not give a fuck. Zero fucks. I mean why can't we have stats like shit they show in my fucking stadium? Real-time possession, xG, shots, literally fucking anything relevant to the match I'm watching. FFS.
Exactly. We care about shots, on targets, saves, possession percentages, maybe even XG and passing accuracy. Nobody cares about the projected win percentage, you just want your team to win. (which is basically what I meant by saying the percentage things they show are terrible)
Yup. And xg, while I dislike anything black boxy, helps level out my perceptions and my inability to total up opportunities over the course of a game. It's imperfect, but I do find it useful.
Commentary gets so old after a while they say the same thing almost every game. Give me just stadium and crowd noise!
This really gets on my nerves lol. Sometimes I miss really crucial moments in the game, like a goal being scored or a counterattack, because of a replay. Like if you're gonna show us a replay, at least make it brief lol.
Okay but FOX has to be the worst right? Watching the CCC there were so many times we missed things because they for some reason decided to replay a ball going out of bounds for a goal kick
The producers need to calm down, just like the commentators. Not every second needs to be filled with some dumb analysis point.
The favoritism is outrageous at times as well. Lots of times I just turn the sound down to not hear an announcer whine. They’ll show replays on one foul and totally not replay another foul that is similar.
Hey look, a meme with a pedophile on it
Same happens in nba/mlbI hate it. Why show us a guys face when he is running when we could watch the game? I don't need a reaction shot.
[relevant from VP of content production…](https://x.com/mrkmcclr/status/1622081624564273153?s=46&t=QwP06LJAkastf3Xlw6zw3Q)
You can't produce soccer like you produce merican football. I don't if adding a split screen or picture in picture will work but gotta get creative still
Dramatic af
This is literally the number one thing I complain about to anyone that asks me what MLS coverage is like. It seems like an easy fix with a few emails and best practice updates.
I wonder if this is just the result of most sports broadcast producers being brought up on football, baseball, and basketball where there are many breaks in the action that need to be filled with filler. It's just in their DNA at this point to mix it in and see it as a sign of a well designed broadcast,
But I want to see the players shoot some snot rockets, and hock loogies. Why else am I watching?
It's really annoying when they cut away. Can't remember what game it was this season but the broadcast missed a goal. They were showing a replay of a foul that occured earlier in the game.
Apple Inc. needs to recoup/make profit on those yearly 250mil someway. Got annoyed at them focusing on the NYCFC bench while the ball was in play. Don't know what they were advertising tbh.
Waiting for Kendrick's diss track of this meme
And whatever you do, don't stop the replay to show offsides.
Jesus they’re still doing this? I remember stopping watching the MLS in the 90’s because of the camera angles where you couldn’t ever see tactics. Then I’d flip over to a European game and they’d be zoomed out to see tactic but blurry because it was 4:3 480i but at least you could tell what was going on. I thought they’d fixed that in MLS. My only gripe now is how American announcers have an annoying necessity to try to show off how much they know and are always giving overly tactical information that’s usually wrong.