Fox coverage minimized the use of the on screen batting box that shows where the pitch was over the plate and how fast.   They only used it during replays for what I saw, keeping the live action old school and leaving the viewer to see it as if they were live and not challenging the Ump's calls with technology.

Meanwhile, Sportsnet uses the same on screen tool for every pitch.   I guess Sportsnet thinks Canadian fans are newbies and need something like that on screen all the time, but it did remind me of (coincidentally) Fox sports constant use of the glowing puck (1997-1998) that Canadian fans used to laugh at, thinking that US audiences didn't have the hockey mojo and needed the silly thing to follow the play.        .   

And another thing I noticed with the audio.  I listen to the games with a Dolby 5.1 surround sound system and the Sportsnet mix was excellent.   When I switched to Fox, the middle speaker with the commentary vanished so I heard the announcers from the side and effect speakers as if it was in the background.    When I switch to stereo it picked up the commentary perfectly.     This was also a problem with the CBLT Hockey Night In Canada feeds for years and only changed in recent times.    My research revealed it had to to do with some of the station's audio gear not being up to date.     I was surprised to see Fox / CITY's feed having that problem as the US sources are almost always great with 5.1.

Last edited by SpinningWheel (October 26, 2025 7:53 pm)

I prefer Dan and Buck's commentary and I also like Sportsnet's use of the strike zone box. Viewers have become spoiled with all the multiple camera angles and slow motion instant replays. While the World Series was televised as early as 1947, it wasn't available nationally until 1951. NBC had only three camera angles. The primary one was behind home plate with two others showing the dugouts plus first and third base. At the end of each inning there were no graphics to show the score. A camera zoomed in on the stadium scoreboard. Extremely primitive but viewers could watch the game now instead of listening to it on the radio. As for the centre field camera, which is the primary one used today, it was first used by WGN in 1951 during a little legue game. NBC introduced this camera angle during the 1957 World Series. A few other World Series firsts. 1955: in Colour. 1957: First use of Analyst with the broadcaster. 1961: 30 second replay regular speed available in certain situations. Audio improved so audiences can hear the crack of the bat. 1969: Commentators can now stand in front of a greenscreen composite of the stadium crowd. Replays now longer than 30 seconds and electronic graphics are introduced. 1974: Slow motion replay arrives. Cameras now at  first and third base, home, centre field, left field and each dugout. Probably the piece of technology we take for granted is the FoxBox Graphic which contained the score, inning, balls strikes and runners on base. It was introduced to MLB IN 1996, although FOX had been using it on their NFL broadcasts since 1994.

As long as I don't have to listen to Buck Martinez then anything is better....so yea I'm watching the Fox coverage. Captain Obvious is a master of telling you what you just saw but the fact that he can't start a sentence without saying "Yea" first drives me crazy...a drinking game where you have to just take a swallow of your beer when he says "Yea" every time would have you drunk by the third inning and passed out by the 5th. I know Jays fans love him but if you are an otherwise fan of baseball (not a blue kool-aid drinking fan) he teaches you almost nothing that you might not already know. Smoltz can be very dry and low key at times but he can give you insights that I never hear from Buck.

Last edited by scrand (October 27, 2025 1:09 pm)

Speaking of the audio on the Fox broadcast, it turns out the music on the broadcast is up to one person - someone you never get to see. But if you watch the U.S. coverage, you've heard his work.

"The signature low-end Oberheim synthesizer at the beginning of Tom Sawyer by Rush plays in the background as the FOX broadcast of the World Series goes to commercial break. The Toronto Blue Jays are getting ready to come up in the next inning, and the tie-in of the music is unmistakable: Rush is Canada’s most well-known music artist with Tom Sawyer being a classic rock anthem. Toronto… Canada… Rush… it all ties together."

Inside The Art Of Commercial Break Music For FOX’s Broadcast Of The World Series

As much as I might want the American commercials, I do have to say the Canadian announcers are doing a good job. 

The FOX audio mix for game 3 was an improvement from the first two in Toronto.  Sportsnet still had more natural stadium sound and cleaner audio mix overall.  For camerawork and graphics FOX was the best IMO.  Commentary would depend on your preference and style.  Both Sportsnet and FOX on air personalities had their strengths. 

Fox coverage is superior, audio mix aside, you could hardly distinguish Sportsnet's World Series production from spring training. Anything above and beyond the usual is coming from the world pool feed, B- for effort

mace wrote:

I prefer Dan and Buck's commentary and I also like Sportsnet's use of the strike zone box. Viewers have become spoiled with all the multiple camera angles and slow motion instant replays. While the World Series was televised as early as 1947, it wasn't available nationally until 1951. NBC had only three camera angles. The primary one was behind home plate with two others showing the dugouts plus first and third base. At the end of each inning there were no graphics to show the score. A camera zoomed in on the stadium scoreboard. Extremely primitive but viewers could watch the game now instead of listening to it on the radio. As for the centre field camera, which is the primary one used today, it was first used by WGN in 1951 during a little legue game. NBC introduced this camera angle during the 1957 World Series. A few other World Series firsts. 1955: in Colour. 1957: First use of Analyst with the broadcaster. 1961: 30 second replay regular speed available in certain situations. Audio improved so audiences can hear the crack of the bat. 1969: Commentators can now stand in front of a greenscreen composite of the stadium crowd. Replays now longer than 30 seconds and electronic graphics are introduced. 1974: Slow motion replay arrives. Cameras now at  first and third base, home, centre field, left field and each dugout. Probably the piece of technology we take for granted is the FoxBox Graphic which contained the score, inning, balls strikes and runners on base. It was introduced to MLB IN 1996, although FOX had been using it on their NFL broadcasts since 1994.

Game 6 of the Boston-Cincinnati World Series in 1975 introduced the camera in the Fenway Park scoreboard. It was apparently suggested by Tony Kubek. When the camera operator wasn't distracted by a rat, he caught the famous image of Carlton Fisk waving at his winning home run to stay fair, and then jumping when it hit the left field foul pole. It's become standard since for a camera to show the hitter's reaction as he leaves the batter's box.  Example: Joe Carter jumping for joy in 1993.

   BTW, I much prefer listening to John Smoltz analyzing pitching to the cheerleading of Buck Martinez. I know the latter is what most Canadian fans want, but not this contrarian.

Last edited by dieter (Yesterday 9:22 pm)

I don't have Sportsnet. I could only watch the games that aired on WUTV so I can't compare the two.

This was the first time I'd heard of or seen Fox' Joe Davis. I don't know what it was but he looked...fake, like ridiculously so - maybe this is what AI will look like in about 10 years?

He just didn't look like a real person to me and the constant "go ahead, tell me I'm handsome" smile was unnerving. It instilled in me an instant sense of distrust.

Last edited by Binson Echorec (Yesterday 10:04 pm)