Sports, Television and the Future

Throughout the chapter on sports content, Raney and Bryant make it clear that sports are everywhere, and in multiple forms on television. They state from the beginning, “…not only are sports on 24/7, sports aficionados typically have several viewing choices at any given time (Bryant and Raney 77). At first I am hesitant to believe this statement, but as I turn on the television I can see it is very much true. You start at channel two and go to channel ninety-nine of your television, and sports, whether a live event, a recap, an analysis, or some sort of sports fiction, are guaranteed to be playing. Sports television has become the medium by which we consume sports entertainment. Television has made professional as well as collegiate sports a successful entertainment business.

Raney and Bryant end chapter 5 by questioning the future of sports fandom and viewership. The question that they pose to the reader deals with the development of high definition television, and how it has brought the feeling of being at the game to the our living rooms. When they questioned if the high def experience would keep people at home watching the games instead of making the trek to the stadium it was in 2006, when high definition technology had just taken off. Now, most sporting events that are aired can be viewed in hi-def. Consequently, the threat of hi-def technology decreasing the attendance at the games has only increased. With that, professional sports leagues are attempting to implement changes, in order to fill their stadiums.

For example, an article from The Sports Journal, details how the NFL is using the blackout policy, and the criticisms that have developed against it. The article, “As NFL looks to pack stadiums, critics line up against blackout policy in comments to FCC" recounts the policy of blacking out the airing of games, unless the stadium is sold out, and describes the recent comments critics of the policy approached the FCC with. The article states, “This past season, 16 games were blacked out, or about 6 percent of the league’s total games. That is on the low range of historical trends. When the FCC first imposed the blackout rule four decades ago, more than half of NFL games were blacked out" (Kaplan). Keeping this in mind, do you think the blackout rule is still necessary to keep fans attending the games? Or, do you believe that even though the hi-def technology has made the at home experience better, and ticket prices are increasing, there is still enough interest in attending games to fill stadiums? Furthermore, are there certain teams, or professional sports in general, that you believe need the blackout rule, and others that may be fine without it? Take a look at this article and let me know your opinion on the future of game attendance and the blackout policy.

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2012/02/20/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/Blackouts.aspx?hl=televised%20sports&sc=0

Kaplan, Daniel. "As NFL Looks to Pack Stadiums, Critics Line up against Blackout Policy in Comments to FCC." SportsBusiness Daily. Street and Smith, 20 Feb. 2012. Web. 27 Feb. 2012. Governing-Bodies/Blackouts.aspx?hl=televised sports>.

Raney, Arthur A., and Jennings Bryant. Handbook of Sports and Media. Mahwah, NJ: L. Erlbaum Associates, 2006. Print.

The 2012 Pro Bowl

Every year all professional sports gather their fan-picked favorite players to play in a game that pits one conference against the other. For professional baseball, basketball, and hockey there are the All Star games. But, for the National Football League, it is the Pro Bowl. Players are annually chosen by the fans to be sent to Hawaii to represent their team and their conference. It is usually a game with little defense, and practically no penalties. The 2012 Pro Bowl, which took place this past Sunday, January 29, 2012, was no difference. It became a game of possessions as the offenses achieved the highest scoring Pro Bowl points in the game’s history. In the end it was the AFC that defeated the NFC 59-41. With their win players from the AFC were awarded $50,000. The NFC players did not go home empty handed, they received $25,000.


The game began with a very slow start. The players seemed as if they had been having too much fun in the sun all week in Hawaii. The defensive lines barely rushed, and the run game in the first half seemed nonexistent. With a contact sport like football, it is difficult to motivate players to give one hundred percent during an all star game. The players do not want to get hurt, and their only motivation is money. Because of the lack of contact in the game, quarterbacks on both the AFC and NFC completed pass after pass to move their teams down the field. The most excitement in the game came from Miami Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who had four remarkable touchdown catches in the game. The catches earned him the title of Pro Bowl MVP. Another exciting, but ultimately disappointing moment came when NFC quarterback attempted a drop kick after the NFC scored their final touchdown. It was a failed kick, but nicely paged homage to retired quarterback Doug Flutie who announced the game (Flutie successfully completed a dropkick in 2006, as a backup quarterback for the New England Patriots).


Overall, I believe the game was played like you would play in your backyard. Little rules, lots of offense, and lots of throws down the field. The players seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves, and each other. There was a sense of camaraderie as players who are normally enemies on the field played together, and gave each other advice. The final quarters picked up the tempo, with the rookies quarterbacks playing, along with other first time Pro-Bowlers. It If you are looking for a game that showcases skills of the players the Pro Bowl is not the game to watch. But, it was game to watch if you just wanted to see players and coaches have a good time.