Just as baseball teams are still working out their early season problems, FS1 had a major series of glitches in their MLB broadcast Monday night.
In a totally unexpected development, some fans actually liked what they saw.
The game between the Texas Rangers and Tampa Bay Rays experienced a series of glitches between the second and fifth innings that included problems with the announcers’ audio disappearing for stretches, no replays, no scorebug, commercial breaks interrupting the action and one camera angle.
Graphics? Where FS1's broadcast of the Rangers-Rays game is going, we don't need graphics… pic.twitter.com/4SxrZh0Hc5
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 2, 2024
Fans have become so accustomed to having a wide variety of camera angles, the single-camera shot looked especially jarring. Those fans now know how their ancestors probably felt watching the 1947 World Series, the first series ever televised.
FS1 ran a message in the ticker announcing, “We are experiencing technical difficulties.” Those issues were resolved by the sixth inning. The problem was caused by FS1 losing power at the master control in Los Angeles.
Turns out, FS1 master control lost power in Los Angeles, hence the graphics and announcers disappearing at various times… pic.twitter.com/DLPDmUTzwH
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 2, 2024
Fans had mixed reactions to the problems. Some claimed all sporting events should come with the “No Broadcasters” option. X user Cape Ann Weather tweeted, “Best thing ever on FS1. The Rangers/Rays game doesn’t have any announcers. Just crowd noise. This should be an SAP-like option for every single televised sporting event.”
Other MLB fans weren’t pleased.
At least fans were spared from FS1’s awful commentary https://t.co/OudrJMMUKi
— Brian Fletcher (@Brian_Fletcher) April 2, 2024
@MDixonsports @awfulannouncing No announcers from 2nd to 5th on @FS1 for Rays vs Rangers. Control room in LA apparently went down
— Rob (@RobFromIndiana) April 1, 2024
https://twitter.com/CapeAnnWeather/status/1774946924153450696
This is the worst broadcast experience in the history of MLB baseball rn on @FS1
No announcers, no scoreboard, no balls and strikes. 1 camera angle from center field. Unreal 💀#rays #rangers #fs1
— 𝐁𝐎’𝐬 𝐁𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐑 (@boflowsburner) April 1, 2024
I can’t believe I just paid for FUBO so I could watch the Rangers, and this is the production level. Is @FS1 always this terrible? Want to know what I’m in for.
— andrew autry (@not_dead_now) April 1, 2024
[@RobFromIndiana; Photo Credit: FS1]
