The Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers are playing right now at the Staples Center, and ESPN is going with an unusual camera angle for much of the game. It looks like one of those alternate angles available in video games that nobody actually uses.
An example from the broadcast:
Most viewers aren’t fans of the camera angle.
Please stop using this as the main camera pic.twitter.com/730m1mIIpi
— CJ Fogler #BlackLivesMatter (@cjzero) November 23, 2019
Are you fucking kidding me with this camera angle @espn it feels like I’m sitting in the nosebleeds I can almost smell the skunk weed pic.twitter.com/jo9CYPdrSg
— Basketball Jones (@adamjames799) November 23, 2019
What is this camera angle ESPN seems to be in love with in the #Rockets #clippers game?
— Robert Flores (@RoFlo) November 23, 2019
ESPN’s gotta retire this camera angle
— AUDIENCE Sports (@AudienceSports) November 23, 2019
Yeah, ESPN, you can fuck off with this camera angle
— Particle Man (@JesseGladsaget) November 23, 2019
Haven't enough people complained about this camera angle yet for ESPN to change it? This is just as bad as the Monday Night Football chryon.
— Rich Hofmann (@rich_hofmann) November 23, 2019
Can we get a normal camera angle @espn?
— Rob Kimbell (@RobKSports) November 23, 2019
Pair of observations:
1. The Rockets throwbacks should be their primary jerseys again.
2. This ESPN birds-eye camera angle is just awful for watching live basketball.
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) November 23, 2019
.@espn, STOP IT with this elevated camera angle! It is SOOOO disorienting. I feel sea sick. #HOUvsLAC
— Chris A. White ? (@fyrebear) November 23, 2019
@espn can you please stop that nasty camera angle for the rockets v clippers game?
— RichiE (@Richiespinoza11) November 23, 2019
I’m honestly getting a headache with this dumbass camera angle yo wtf @espn
— kingslayer (@knicksreek) November 23, 2019
I had a headache that finally went away but this ESPN overhead camera angle is making it come back
— Ricky Chu (@RikDaddy) November 23, 2019
The camera angle @espn is using during Rockets – Clipper game is disorienting. Please use a normal angle.
— David Sanders (@sandersd79) November 23, 2019
Why espn keep going to that trash ass camera angle?
— Vibess ??? (@NerfMyTweets) November 23, 2019
I’m boutta turn this game off if @espn does that dumbass camera angle again
— Dirir Harden ?? (@dmohamed14) November 23, 2019
However, not everyone hates it.
ESPN have used this camera angle a lot tonight and I like it. I wish they showed games from more than just the normal broadcast angle we've been watching for 30+ years.
— Laker Film Room (@LakerFilmRoom) November 23, 2019
The new ESPN camera angle tonight is great, much better view of floor spacing and flow of the game. More please. @ESPN #HOUvsLAC @ESPNNBA
— Jeff Sonderman (@jeffsonderman) November 23, 2019
But overall the reaction hasn’t been positive, and ESPN has recently shown that they listen to viewers about such complaints. So it would seem unlikely that this camera angle becomes a normal thing — or at least not a main angle — on ESPN basketball broadcasts.