Two person broadcast booths are standard across most sports in America. Three person booths are also a popular option, but many fans aren’t as supportive because of the potential for verbal traffic during commentary.
But a four person booth? That seems to be a bit much, especially when you’re using three analysts. However, that’s what NFL Network is doing this Sunday for its broadcast of the Eagles-Jaguars game from London, with Rich Eisen, Michael Irvin, Steve Mariucci, and Kurt Warner calling the game, and both Peter Schrager and Melissa Stark working as sideline reporters.
This Sunday's Jags-Eagles game on NFL Network will have a four (!)-man booth (@richeisen, @kurt13warner, @michaelirvin88, @SteveMariucci) and two sideline reporters (@PSchrags and @melissastark).
— John Ourand (@Ourand_Puck) October 23, 2018
This sounds like it’ll be…well, it’ll be an NFL broadcast, that’s for sure. Two sideline reporters also seems a bit excessive, especially considering it’s a Week 8 Eagles-Jaguars game and not, you know, the playoffs.
The quartet reportedly worked together twice on rehearsal games.
They called one preseason game from NFL Network studios and one regular-season game (Vikes-Rams on TNF). https://t.co/VfXWgKizL0
— John Ourand (@Ourand_Puck) October 23, 2018
On one hand, the chemistry between the four should be fine, since they all work together on NFL GameDay Morning (and presumably, they’ll be working together on GameDay Morning before the London game). On the other hand, it’s four people calling one game, with two sideline reporters that also need to get news in. That’s a lot of voices on one broadcast, and there are bound to be missteps, awkward moments, and the broadcasters talking over one another at points.
I have no qualms with a network doing different things with some games, so it’ll be interesting to see how this goes. I’m not optimistic at all, but hey, maybe it’ll end up being a fun, chaotic broadcast that is fine once or twice a year.
