Do you remember the only NFL game without TV announcers?

[LB48]

The announcer less game was an American football contest played on December 20, 1980, between the New York Jets and the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. As an experiment, the NBC television network broadcast it without assigning any commentators to cover it.

 

The Jets won 24-17 in an upset over the Dolphins!  I don't like many of the NFL announcers today with scripted comments and analysis BUT this game was ultra boring!!

[Mark Vader]

There was another game without announcers on NBC, between the Dolphins & Bills in Miami. I want to say it was in 1981.

 

I remember watching that game.

[qwksilver]

I remember it being very strange.

That's probably why they haven't done it since. What idiot thought it was a good idea?

[Bob Chandler's Hands]

I wonder if in today's world of large screen high definition TV's and ability to check on information (access rosters and stats, game day threads...) it would be more appealing than watching on the little CRT's sets we all had in 1980?

[oldmanfan]

It was weird.

[SinceThe70s]

12 minutes ago, oldmanfan said:

It was weird.

 

Well put. 

 

It definitely didn't work.

[Cotton Fitzsimmons]

What’s good, gents? What’s good?
 

The next gimmick they should try is flames trailing the ball whenever Josh throws it a la the glowing puck Fox trotted out for their NHL games some years ago. 

[without a drought]

It was the last game of the season between two nonplayoff teams. It wasn't a success yet lots of us watched some of it, and that was kind of the point. It was more of a gimmick to garner interest than a way to improve an NFL broadcast. 

[stevewin]

I thought you were referring to the Beth Mowins / Rex Ryan game

[without a drought]

I usually watch football with the sound off and listen to music so it's really not that weird to me now.

 

Back then it was probably weirder to watch part of a meaningless game the week before the playoffs. But once again that was the point of it.

[GETTOTHE50]

i prefer it w/o the stupid commentators. especially cause i love hearing the sounds of the game

[BillsfaninSB]

I think it was cool they tried it so I give NBC credit. 

[djp14150]

1 hour ago, LB48 said:

The announcer less game was an American football contest played on December 20, 1980, between the New York Jets and the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. As an experiment, the NBC television network broadcast it without assigning any commentators to cover it.

 

The Jets won 24-17 in an upset over the Dolphins!  I don't like many of the NFL announcers today with scripted comments and analysis BUT this game was ultra boring!!

 

 

Bob costas did cut in periodically on dome info.  Generally the game had no broadcasters

 

thus was one of the special broadcast late season Saturday games iirc

 

i fo remrmber watching it. They still had down and fistsnce graphics.

 

[1ManRaid]

That was exactly 4 years and 1 day before I was born, so no.

[ganesh]

Wasn't there also a game that Terry Bradshaw and Jimmy Johnson called, but not from the booth ?

 

https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Bradshaw-Johnson-will-comment-on-game-from-studio-3118475.php?forceWeb=1

Edited October 30, 2020 by ganesh

[UConn James]

That happened when I was still in diapers and a bassinet, so I don’t have the lived experience at least as far as football is concerned. But some years ago on the ESPN3/BBC feed of Wimbledon 🎾, there were a number of matches where the commentators spoke only a couple of times a game and it was awesome to be able to feel like you were just a guy sitting in the stands. Some graphics came up which provided info and the umpire would announce the Hawkeye challenges and such. It was nice to just have the sounds of the court in full breath and not have to listen to someone trying to get in your head and chat you up and explain their worldview. But tennis is different; shorter time between play. 
 

Maybe not advocating a full removal of an announcer, but definitely paring down how much they talk might be refreshing. With the coming ATSC 3.0 broadcast standard I’m hoping that comes with more audio options.

[Buftex]

1 hour ago, LB48 said:

The announcer less game was an American football contest played on December 20, 1980, between the New York Jets and the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. As an experiment, the NBC television network broadcast it without assigning any commentators to cover it.

 

The Jets won 24-17 in an upset over the Dolphins!  I don't like many of the NFL announcers today with scripted comments and analysis BUT this game was ultra boring!!

I think if they ever went with no broadcasters that people (lord knows how much we love to B word about evertything) would complain about how boring it was.  I remember this game, and remember thinking it was terrible at the time. As bad as some announcers may (or may not be), you always have the option of turning the volume down.  If you watch this way, you really do miss a lot of the game.  

[buffalobillswin]

It would be interesting if they turned the on field mics up or added more especially since there is no crowd noise. But then again every other second would need to be bleeped out due to swearing.

[Marv's Neighbor]

1 hour ago, qwksilver said:

I remember it being very strange.

That's probably why they haven't done it since. What idiot thought it was a good idea?

The same one that is keeping the fans away!

[Red Squirrel]

I remember the PA announcer was cranked up so some of what we would normally hear from the booth was covered by that. It was just not a big deal IMO; even then, at 15, I was sophisticated enough to not need them yammering at me. And who here among us hasn't been in a sports bar where they had all the games playing but only one with audio? Once in a blue moon something confusing happens that requires a verbal explanation, but most of these guys think they get paid by the word and wouldn't be missed in the least if someone "accidentally" pulled the plug on them.