5 Comments
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Eben Novy-Williams's avatar

This is a rare Big 4 sports critique where I feel like my automatic "the NHL actually does this better" canned response is un-usable!

James Burke's avatar

Excellent breakdown. My biggest frustration is when broadcasts cover the back of the visitors mound with a shoddy brown box. It's so distracting.

They're also playing a zero-sum game by overlaying digital ads. If they haven't already, sponsors are going to catch on that they're only ever getting half the audience.

Jacob Feldman's avatar

Ya the mound is a classic example of one of those things you never notice—and then once you do, you see it everywhere.

And agreed on the accounting front, though I fear the follow-up to any drop in pricing would be finding more placements to make up for that...

Michael Vainisi's avatar

I could better live with the ads if they weren't degrading the center-field camera framing. As you so skillfully detail, these cameras are now zoomed way out to create more empty space to fill with ads, and it's a pretty ugly viewing experience with the pitcher and catcher looking so small. Doesn't really present baseball as an exciting sport.

Jacob Feldman's avatar

Yes! I don't know exactly how much ad exposure plays into those decisions, but look at how much the Orioles players shrunk! https://mlbbackstops.netlify.app/#orioles