A few weekends ago, viewers were treated to one of the more incredible SkyCam shots ever during a Fox NFL broadcast, as Bears returner Cordarelle Patterson took a kick 102 yards to the end zone.
Today, ABC’s Michigan-Maryland broadcast featured another tremendous SkyCam shot, thanks to Michigan receiver Giles Jackson’s 97-yard return of the opening kickoff.
https://twitter.com/espn/status/1190665384518569987
It’s a slightly different return than Patterson’s, without the cross-field cutback, but that moment where the camera pulls up to show the pack of pursuers as they fall further behind is fantastic sports television. The decision not to cut for the start of the end zone celebration is also perfect. Full credit to ESPN/ABC’s production here.
I will never supply any data to support this but 100% of all kick returns starting with a skycam view become touchdowns https://t.co/NKa7ZxflVV
— ¡BUM CHILLUPS AKA SPENCER HALL! (@edsbs) November 2, 2019
When sports broadcasting becomes organically cinematic in ways that both heighten excitement and take viewers further into the game and the experience of being there, it’s all we can really ask for.
About Jay Rigdon
Jay is a columnist at Awful Announcing. He is not a strong swimmer. He is probably talking to a dog in a silly voice at this very moment.