I'm finding it more and more difficult to watch a baseball game on t.v. with the sound on. Last night - during the Astros v. Cards - I decided ahead of time that I was going to time the ads and include all the little crap that flashes across the screen:
WATCH BONES THE NEW HIT T.V. SERIES FROM FOX
SLEEP GOOD WITH LUMESTRA
WATCH PRISON BREAK
THIS TRIVIA MOMENT BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE HISTORY CHANNEL
THE DEFENSIVE LINE UP BROUGHT TO YOU BY INSURANCE COMPANY
THE OFFENSIVE LINE UP BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE ARMY
THE FIRST HIT BROUGHT TO YOU BY ONLINE POKER
THIS CALL TO THE BULLPEN BROUGHT TO YOU BY PORK, THE OTHER WHITE MEAT.
I also began to write down how many replays of a hit or catch were replayed (with the FOX LOGO before and after). Average - 4 times. Peak: 8 times.
I also counted any ads for the World Series (on Fox) but lost count.
Why are all these companies bringing me things? It didn't used to be like that.
Along with the normal spate of commercials between innings. I decided not to count the signage behind home plate that changes every inning since that would mean the entire game was an ad.
Anyway - the results from last night's game:
TOTAL TIME OF GAME: ABOUT 3.5 HOURS.
TOTAL COMMERCIAL TIME: 57 MINUTES.
That doesn't include the pre-game or the post-game show. In other words - close to 1/3rd of your baseball game is advertising.
If you get a game with lot's of pitching changes - the ratio is even worse since every change means at least another two minutes of commercials. So the game where the pitchers are changed on both sides as early as possible are the most lucrative for the network.
During the previous series on ESPN - they would actually cut to a commerical at the end of an inning while the announcer was still talking. I don't mean once in a while - but every inning.
So the conspiracy theory of the day is: what is the relationship between the modern use as many pitchers in a game as you can, and television. Is there a dark sinister force at work which has changed the game of baseball? We already know that t.v. has pretty much eliminated the day game. If it can do that - what else can it do?
Final score: baseball game 3
Network 1
5 comments:
I have a British friend here who was explaining the rules of cricket. Sounds like a good game. I wonder if I can get cricket matches over here on the telly (sp?).
Jeff,
When the President was re-elected I took my t.v. set down and put it on the street.
After a few months I began to miss it and bought another one. I mostly miss the old b&w movies on TCM.
About five years ago I took the t.v. and just put it in the closet. I lasted about a year without it.
That flickering box is definitely not good for you and I feel another tossing episode on the way. I probably need to go to a t.v. anonymous group. Hi - my name is David and I admit that I am helpless against channel 82.
Hi Dave.
It all began when I was 8 years old and my father brought a tiny little box into the house with a b&w flickering screen...
Lester - believe it or not my neighbor stopped by and gave me two CDs of the old Bob and Ray show. Haven't listened to them yet.
p.s. sorry I haven't made much progress with Mr. 11. Too busy selling buggy whips on the side.
p.p.s. I've come to the conclusion that the answer is not to sell more photographs but to inundate the site with advertisements which I'm in the process of carrying out.
If you can't beat 'em - join 'em.
Jeff - email me about it.
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