OT: On this day 43 years ago, NBC experimented with an announcer-less game (Jets at Miami)

[chongli]

NBC experimented with an announcer-less game in Week 16 of 1980 (NYJ-MIA) on Saturday, December 20, 1980, a few days before Christmas in a meaningless final game. [Some wish they would do that now with Chris Collinsworth.]

 

 

Edited December 21, 2023 by chongli

[RiotAct]

 

[Not at the table Karlos]

That is odd to watch. Kind of like games during Covid before they added crowd noise. 

[MJS]

I wish they would have that as a broadcast option for every game. Sometimes the announcers are just way too annoying.

[Malazan]

4 days ago, the announcers wish they tried it again

[Haslett_Stomp]

I remember watching that game.  It was great, though the announcers back then (Bob Trumpy, Dick Enberg, Merlin Olsen et al IIRC) were a joy to listen to.

[Don Otreply]

I bet it was way better than hearing, “now there’s a guy” ..,., 

[Saxum]

23 minutes ago, MJS said:

I wish they would have that as a broadcast option for every game. Sometimes the announcers are just way too annoying.

 

They should listen to your brilliant idea - they could charge extra for it on sound option.

Home Broadcast crew: $2

Away Broadcast crew: $2

No broadcaster sounds: $4

[chongli]

 

Note the beginning of the video:

 

 

Buffalo dominated the NFL that year. We led the NFL in 3rd-down efficiency, total defense, and sacks allowed. We were 5-2 against teams with winning records. We beat San Diego, Oakland, LA, Pittsburgh, and New England. Only a fluke play against San Diego in the playoffs in the last-minute cost us the game.

Edited December 21, 2023 by chongli

[thenorthremembers]

I run the same experiment in my house every Sunday.  

[MJS]

3 minutes ago, Limeaid said:

They should listen to your brilliant idea - they could charge extra for it on sound option.

Home Broadcast crew: $2

Away Broadcast crew: $2

No broadcaster sounds: $4

I'll just add that all the artificial sound when attending games really sucks too. We don't need all that extra noise, in my opinion. Maybe someone to announce relevant facts in a calm manner.

 

I attended the Bills vs Saints game in New Orleans back whenever that was recently. Man, they pumped so much sound into that stadium it was ridiculously uncomfortable. I did not realize I needed to bring ear plugs. Just let the fans make the noise!

[Saxum]

3 minutes ago, chongli said:

 

Note the beginning of the video:

 

 

Buffalo dominated the NFL that year. We led the NFL in 3rd-down efficiency, total defense, and sacks allowed.

 

2022:

[chongli]

32 minutes ago, MJS said:

I wish they would have that as a broadcast option for every game. Sometimes the announcers are just way too annoying.

 

Some people on twitter agree with you:

 

 

 

 

 

[Saxum]

1 minute ago, MJS said:

I'll just add that all the artificial sound when attending games really sucks too. We don't need all that extra noise, in my opinion. Maybe someone to announce relevant facts in a calm manner.

 

I attended the Bills vs Saints game in New Orleans back whenever that was recently. Man, they pumped so much sound into that stadium it was ridiculously uncomfortable. I did not realize I needed to bring ear plugs. Just let the fans make the noise!

 

New England NEEDS those sounds to hide sound from various devices - cameras, microphones, etc.

[strive_for_five_guy]

18 minutes ago, chongli said:

 

Note the beginning of the video:

 

 

Buffalo dominated the NFL that year. We led the NFL in 3rd-down efficiency, total defense, and sacks allowed. Only a fluke play against San Diego in the playoffs in the last-minute cost us the game.

 Sounds Billsy

[BarleyNY]

1 hour ago, chongli said:

NBC experimented with an announcer-less game in Week 16 of 1980 (NYJ-MIA) on Saturday, December 20, 1980, a few days before Christmas in a meaningless final game:

 

 

 

I remember this. I was almost 12 years old. My reaction at the time was that it was better than with the broadcasters. Also I remember laughing at the announcers who all thought it was so terrible. Even at that age I thought that was hilarious. Like they were going to say it was great and they should all be fired. 

 

One of my favorite things about NFL+ is watching the condensed games. The garbage announcer filler is dramatically reduced and I can watch a game in about 40 minutes. 

Edited December 21, 2023 by BarleyNY

[PetermansRedemption]

32 minutes ago, chongli said:

 

Some people on twitter agree with you:

 

 

 

 

 

Fan announcers sounds exceptionally interesting. 

[chongli]

36 minutes ago, PetermansRedemption said:

Fan announcers sounds exceptionally interesting. 

 

There would be plenty of savings for the networks. I'd imagine many would do it for a case of beer and bragging rights, lol!

 

Speaking of that, it's rumored that in Hulk Hogan's first match in 1979 against Harry Valdez, poor Harry was paid exactly that way: with a case of beer:

 

 

 

[Ok, sorry, I am making that up, but it sounded good!]

 

 

Edited December 21, 2023 by chongli

[frostbitmic]

For some reason I think about that game every Sunday night at about 8:00.

[Richard Noggin]

LOVE it. 

 

Kind of like being at the game. You miss a lot of details as they unfold live, but in this case the production and camera work could easily fill in most blanks for the moderately savvy fan.