ESPN came under criticism on Sunday for a mistake made early in the second quarter of Sunday’s Game 7 between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks. What was the mistake in question? Viewers couldn’t see part of the game.
The Pacers had a historic start to Game 7, opening up a 39-27 lead after the first quarter. When the game came back from commercial, the standard pre-taped interview between sideline reporter Lisa Salters and Indiana coach Rick Carlisle aired as the live game was shown on a split screen. Only, play had already resumed and the Pacers now led 41-27, thanks to a basket from Aaron Nesmith.
Play-by-play man Mike Breen acknowledged and apologized for the mistake.
“We apologize coming back late,” Breen said. “The first bucket of the second quarter — Nesmith, as they started before we came out of commercial.”
The ESPN on ABC broadcast was still at commercial as the second quarter of Game 7 between the Pacers and Knicks began.
That included a basket from Indiana’s Aaron Nesmith. pic.twitter.com/mcD9wbGsji
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 19, 2024
In the grand scheme of things, missing roughly the opening 30 seconds of the second quarter of an NBA game isn’t a huge deal, even if it is a Game 7.
But even before the opening tip, viewers were annoyed with ESPN on ABC’s broadcast of Game 7. With that, viewers were in no hurry to cut ESPN any slack for this mistake.
Irritated me so much. https://t.co/MeOXJV0jKn
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) May 19, 2024
Stop putting these games on ESPN/ABC. This and the constant going in and out is ridiculous. https://t.co/fyr6yWdpa3
— Miles McDowell (@journeyofMilesM) May 19, 2024
ESPN comes back from commercial late and misses a bucket, compounded by the fact that it ran the pre-taped coaches interview *anyway*. Credit Breen for acknowledging, but this is a Game 7 from the “A” partner. When exactly are they going to raise their game in Bristol?
— Sports Media Watch (@paulsen_smw) May 19, 2024
Wrong network lost NBA rights.
It’s astonishing how the one thing ESPN does well is Monday Night Football and it took 5-6 years of everyone trashing their product to do something about it.
Same thing happened with their soccer coverage before FOX took the rights away. https://t.co/Lu3xmBVqb9
— Mookie Alexander (@mookiealexander) May 19, 2024
[Photo Credit: ESPN on ABC]
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