It's not all happening here:
When the Houston Rockets visit the Orlando Magic on Feb. 26, the only sounds NBA TV viewers will hear are sneakers squeaking, referees' whistles blowing, balls bouncing, rims snapping and an organist entertaining the crowd. Taking a page from NBC's "Silent Game" in 1980, NBA TV is planning its first telecast without announcers. Steve Herbst, VP of programming for NBA TV, said the network will use extra enhanced microphones so viewers will be able to hear "all the stuff you hear when you're lucky enough to be that close to the game." (Viewers will hear the regular announcers in Houston and Orlando, Fla., where NBA TV will be blacked out.) The game is part of the league's Hardwood Classic games, and the Magic will wear uniforms from the 1989-90 season. "We wanted to have a little fun with that and capture the in-arena feel for the audience," Mr. Herbst said. Fun is fun, but Mr. Herbst said that if things get heated, and bad language is likely, "We'll have the ability to lower the mikes when necessary" to avoid a Super Bowl-style "audio malfunction."-Jon Lafayette
Considering how few good commentators there are here in Straya, this would probably be a win for the viewers, on balance. Once we got used to it, we'd probably wonder why we bothered with commentators in the first place. Although the occasional special comment from one or two of the few experts who actually know what's going on would probably work. (Did Optus trial this a few years ago?)
I mean, it's an old question, but do we REALLY need some shrill honker telling us what we are already looking at?
Posted by: Tony.T | 22 February 2006 at 09:52
That's mainly for football, by the way. But not exclusively.
Posted by: Tony.T | 22 February 2006 at 09:56
If a sport is 'fox sports active' you can do this already on foxtel.
Posted by: Scott Wickstein | 22 February 2006 at 10:42
What? Just the sounds of the game, and no commentators?
Posted by: Tony.T | 22 February 2006 at 11:06
I think Dermot might have been in on that Optus C7 business.
Posted by: DJ | 22 February 2006 at 12:00
I am seriously thinking of upgrading to digital then. A wider angle and no commentary is the holy grail of the discerning football watcher.
Posted by: Some other Bruce | 22 February 2006 at 12:02
Somebody tell Rex Hunt the end is nigh.
Thank God.(or Allah or Gaia or whoever floats your boat)
Posted by: Pedro the Ignorant | 22 February 2006 at 14:41
I don't necessarily want silent commentators, I just want ones who talk more sense than the ones we have now.
Rex Hunt is a bully, blow-hard and fat-head who talks less sense than most. And he loves himself because he rates. His offsider Clinton Grybas is simply nauseating the way he sucks up Rex. 3AW = nightmare.
Posted by: Tony.T | 22 February 2006 at 15:11
Rex seems to think that the football is something we just put up with so that we can hear Rex.
Posted by: carneagles | 22 February 2006 at 16:16
Precisely. But with 3AW boosting him, it'll take some time yet before the majority of listeners realise he's a shocker.
Posted by: Tony.T | 22 February 2006 at 17:26
umm. rex is ok. at least he is not vanilla.
Posted by: girtbysea | 23 February 2006 at 09:26
Tony yeah. In the one "active" game per week you can select the umpires microphone or just general ground sounds instead of commentary.
Posted by: Yobbo | 23 February 2006 at 10:34
Rex WAS ok. Now he's just a blowhard. Just because he's not bland doesn't mean he's good.
Interesting that, Yob. I initially signed up for Fox-Dig, but pulled out after I realised I wouldn't be getting that much more bang for my buck. One active game wouldn't make up for the dough I'd have to fork out.
Posted by: Tony.T | 23 February 2006 at 13:18
You might want to revisit those costs Tone. Optus is now offering us a discount on the monthly fees to go to digital.
I am seriously considering it now and Yob's news about the active game is a definite plus.
Posted by: Some other Bruce | 24 February 2006 at 09:51
In my opinion digital is worth the extra cost just to have the extra version of the popular channels on 2-hour delay. But then I'm a mindless consumer.
Posted by: Yobbo | 24 February 2006 at 11:03
Sounds alright, but I've got this discount thing happening that packages Foxtel and my home and mobile phone-bills. So I caouldn't be bothered shifting over to Op-Tarse. I'll stick with Telstr-AAAAAAAHHHHHH!
Posted by: Tony.T | 24 February 2006 at 11:11
If the American sports networks do away with the commentators, will they not be tempted to replace them with canned laughter? I can't think of anything more appropriate than hearing the synthetic audience roar with laughter every time Murali lets go of the ball, or Hopuate expresses his affection for his fellow Rugby League players. Basketball, even more than soccer, desperately needs something to liven up the game's intrinsic dullness. Conversely, I think many American sitcoms which rely on canned laughter would be much improved if they replaced their canned laughter with Australian sports commentators, who do a much better job of inducing unintended laughter. Imagine dragging Rex Mossop out of retirement to commnentate on "Will and Grace"
Posted by: Clem Snide | 24 February 2006 at 16:01
You shoulda heard these Melbourne radio dicks going on about how good Darryl Eastlake was. They'd just interviewed him, and were in full-on suck mode. It was pathetic.
Don't forget to overdub "Strike One!" as Murali delivers.
I like Will & Grace.
Posted by: Tony.T | 24 February 2006 at 16:32