There’s been a lot of great action in Saturday’s Big Ten game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan State Spartans. As for whether or not ABC audiences have been able to appreciate those big moments, well, that’s another story. For some reason, the camera crew working the game are having a really hard time keeping up with the action, and fans at home have certainly been noticing.
Take, for instance, this play early in the first quarter where Michigan State throws a swing pass that’s completed, and…the camera just stays with the quarterback who clearly doesn’t have the ball anymore. Meanwhile, the play develops elsewhere.
Been a rough go with the camerawork thus far on ABC pic.twitter.com/OPDb5Zn2lU
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 5, 2020
Later on, we saw an Ohio State touchdown barely come into view as the camera kept a big chunk of the empty field in focus while receivers ran routes out of frame below.
Ohio State started putting the hurt on Michigan State soon after, and that includes a Spartan pass from the endzone that’s deflected in the air and caught by a Buckeye defender for a touchdown. Though, you’ll just have to take our word for it as ABC went to cover the receivers instead. To be fair, that’s an understandable instinct, but given the rest of the day’s camerawork, it doesn’t look good to miss a touchdown.
Woof pic.twitter.com/ZA6LE34PYa
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 5, 2020
Things haven’t improved too much in the second half. Here’s another instance where the camera doesn’t keep up with the development of the play and we miss a pass catch and the clarity of knowing where the receiver is until after he’s caught it.
These are just some of the instances of questionable camerawork for a major college football game being broadcast on a national network, so you better believe audiences noticed.
Hey @abc , any chance you could show MOST of the field, at least where the play is?! Be better…@OhioStateFB #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/mNFWtL6hfV
— Brad Keating (@bktwothree) December 5, 2020
Didn't see it (camera, again), but touchdown Buckeyes
— Matt Barnes (@Matt_NBC4) December 5, 2020
HASKELL GARRETT TOUCHDOWN (just in case you missed it thanks to the horrible camera work).
— Land-Grant Holy Land (@Landgrant33) December 5, 2020
https://twitter.com/dcicconi_/status/1335290029174906880
Great play by Garrett…wish I could have seen it! That is like the 3rd time the ABC camera people have been all over the place! Be better!
— Matt Middleton (@mlmiddleton3) December 5, 2020
Not sure who is operating the game camera in this Ohio State Michigan State game but @ABCNetwork hmu 👍🏻
— Andrew Everhart (@rvsoccerace) December 5, 2020
Is ABC working with a backup crew due to Covid? Hard to know for sure but if any announcement or statement is made we’ll update the article. In the meantime, try your best to enjoy the game, or what you can see of it.
[ABC]
