With the baseball season just beginning, regional sports networks are unveiling brand new on-air graphics packages (see Fox) or in the case of NESN, the home of the Boston Red Sox, some new on-air features.

For those not familiar with NESN, this is a network that has offered various programming that has gone over like a lead balloon. It currently airs something called “Dirty Water TV” which has nothing to do with sports, but seems to be a cross between the old “Wild On” on E! and a local cable access show.

NESN also had a reality show called “Sox Appeal” which paired singles on a date at a Red Sox game (you can’t make this up). The mystery was how it managed to survive two seasons let alone one.

So knowing a little background on the regional sports network, you can imagine that the NESN bosses might try something different for Red Sox games this season. And drawing on the concept of VH1’s Pop-Up Video from the 1990’s which would present little known facts about various music videos, NESN decided to try “Pop Up Facts” offering various little known facts about the Red Sox’s opponent.

The only problem was that the “little known facts” were tidbits that even the least knowledgeable Jeopardy contestant could answer. Besides the factoid that you see above, NESN also let us know that “Built in 1992, Camden Yards is Major League Baseball’s 10th oldest park.”

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And during a discussion on their Opening Day wardrobe NESN flashed a banner promoting the suits for Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy were made by Joesph Abboud.

So as NESN ventures into the 2014 season, we will see how long “Pop Up Facts” will last.

About Ken Fang

Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013.

He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television.

Fang celebrates the four Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.