I read this great article today online at the New York Times website about baseball announcers and how fans perceive them to all be biased against their teams.
Obviously this hits home with me because of the job I do, but you'd be amazed at how many people hate announcers because they feel the announcers have something against their team. In an attempt at full disclosure, I will admit that I'm guilty of this at times as well.
The article makes an excellent reference to a series between Boston and New York years ago where NBC got 1,800 calls complaining about the announcers. There were 1,000 calls from New York complaining that the announcers were biased against their team, and there were 800 calls from Boston saying that the announcers hated the Red Sox. Oh, and if you are wondering about the 200 call difference...it was a toll call from Boston.
On a personal note, I was accused by a South Bend fan this year of rooting against the Silver Hawks in a game against Fort Wayne because I got "too excited" about a great diving play by a TinCaps player. I also received an email from a Beloit fan two years ago, saying that I talked too much about the Dayton Dragons on the air (I was broadcasting for the Dragons at the time). I realize that the Snappers didn't have a radio broadcast, but I politely reminded the fan that I was employed by the Dragons, and my broadcast was on the radio in Dayton! It's simply amazing.
Or then there are the comments that I get whenever I tell someone what I do for a living. My favorite is "I hate listening to Joe Buck. What do you think about him?" First of all, you can replace the name with whatever announcer floats your boat (Dick Vitale, Brad Nessler, etc.). Secondly, these guys are paid millions of dollars because they are good at what they do. My opinion on all of these guys is that I would love to have their jobs, because they are the best of the best.
I'm not writing this to criticize fans for their opinions -- and again, as I mentioned earlier, I have some broadcasters that bother me for the same reasons. However, I think it is important to realize that very rarely is a broadcaster truly biased against a team. As a line in the article says, the bias is not in the voice, it's in the ears.
The New York times has had some pretty good baseball articles this season haven't they?
ReplyDeleteI'm perplexed when people actually get angry about perceived bias in sports broadcasting. Its at least understandable to complain about biased political news. Convince enough people of something --- good or bad --- and you can get it accomplished.
But in sports media, especially play-by-play, the commentator has exactly zero effect on the outcome of the event.
Don't like the style of the broadcaster? Fine. But even the strongest rooting from the press box never put a run on the scoreboard. The White Sox have only won one World Series since 1917.
In an absolutely unrelated note, have you been watching ESPN's "30 For 30" series? All of them so far have been really great.
Pete,
ReplyDeleteYour comments are right on the mark. Over the course of a game, the broadcaster has so much time to fill, that at times they are going to compliment a team and at times they are going to criticize a team. It's inevitable that people form opinions based on one comment, when they should be looking at the whole picture.
Additionally, as anyone who listens to me regularly knows, one of my favorite lines is that I don't believe in jinxes. Nothing I say in the booth can have an impact on the field. If a guy has a perfect game through seven, I'm going to say he has a perfect game through seven. If the next batter gets a hit, he did so because of a good piece of hitting, a bad pitch, or some other effort that is in no way related to my words.
And yes, the 30 for 30 series has been amazing. I've watched every one, and will continue to do so. I'm not as critical of ESPN programming as others are, but I think this series is one of the best things they have ever done.
People wondered when I blogged about Fort Wayne and their incredible season that suddenly I was rooting for the enemy, so I could see that anything that might be along the lines of patting another team or player on the back might be deemed "biased" by a broadcaster.
ReplyDeleteYou're job is to report on the game and not just the team you are covering. Exciting plays are exciting plays no matter which team that exciting play happens for.
I will have to admit though, Tim McCarver seemed to rub me the wrong way. I can't give you the example off hand but he was announcing like he was the authority on the game and knew more than the manager. (not team specific) Generally I have always enjoyed McCarver's announcing. I have never had a problem with Joe Buck and wonder why other fans have.
Dave