Facebook Broadcasts: thumbs up, or thumbs down?

[Samurai Bucky]

I watched the last couple of innings of the Brewers / Twins game. I have also watched portions of the other Facebook broadcasts at Miller Park. I noticed that about 23K were watching the game when I was watching.

 

I don't know what to think, yet. I understand this is the first year that Facebook (with MLB.TV) is producing these games and it seems like they have a long way to go. The play by play guy is not really good. Also, it seems like there is rarely any chemistry in the booth. I do like the "thumbs up / thumbs down" questions they have in the 7th (?). I also like the absence of commercials (Badger Mutual sells Commercial insurance...). I suppose that is what would happen if I purchased an MLB.TV subscription.

 

The format and new delivery will certainly evolve. If Facebook Live has an app for the Roku platform, I might be on board a little more.

 

For now, I'll give it a thumbs down. What sayeth thou?

[CheezWizHed]

Thumbs down. Simply from the point that I paid for a MLB subscription so that I can watch it on my TV. And the MLB.TV app won't carry these games. I've not actually seen any of them on Facebook.

[pacopete4]

I don’t mind the broadcast itself but it needs to get more accessible to out on a tv. I like it better than having off days we have had in the past.

[jerichoholicninja]

I get to watch baseball, so I really don't care either way. But I could do without all the "They pulled the starter. What do you think? Comment and let us know" crap.

[Fear The Chorizo]

I get to watch baseball, so I really don't care either way. But I could do without all the "They pulled the starter. What do you think? Comment and let us know" crap.

 

I agree, the broadcasters spend more time trying to come up with dumb questions for people to respond to than just calling the game. I wouldn't mind if they occasionally read posts realtime and discuss questions posed by viewers, but don't forcefeed questions to try and get posts.

 

I can deal with all the other junk fb has simply by making the feed fullscreen and losing the emoji and comments stream on the side.

[Thurston Fluff]

As someone who cut the cord years ago the only drawback was not being able to watch games. It's nice to have an outlet to actually watch a game. I also think it's something that baseball has to embrace if it wants to grow. I tend to think baseball lends itself better to a interactive formats like facebook than any other sport. At this point the broadcasters are asking kind of stupid questions to get conversations going but as time goes on it's going to get more sophisticated. Interactive broadcasts might just end up being baseballs brave new world.

[MrTPlush]

As someone who has cable and in the Brewers market I hate it so much. The delay can be and usually is pretty bad. I get the notifications for scoring etc. well before it happens on Facebook. The lag and pausing can be just awful. You have to refresh or it will just make the delay even worse.

 

That has to improve. I actually like the broadcast itself. Good announcers and the interviews are cool a lot of times. Though at times a little to excessive. Why doesn’t FSWI ever do in game interviews? Not allowed?

[JohnBriggs12]

Two emphatic thumbs down. I pay plenty for MLB extra innings, but don't get these games on my package and I have zero interest in opening a facebook account. MLB is screwing with it's most loyal audience and that's retired people. It's not a terrible idea, but no way should people be forced to use that platform by blacking out the games elsewhere. Why limit the audience? I don't get it.

 

Keep the games on facebook, but eliminate the exclusivity.

[stoutdude04]

I hate having to watch it from my iPad, maybe I just havent figured out how to get it on my TV. My friends say you dont need a Facebook account to watch the games, but I have no idea if that's true as I use my wife's account.

[DHonks]

I don’t use Facebook and so I miss these games. I want to watch games on my Apple TV and big screen.

 

As my high school students have said for the last 4-5 years, Facebook is for moms.

[JohnBriggs12]

I don’t use Facebook and so I miss these games. I want to watch games on my Apple TV and big screen.

 

As my high school students have said for the last 4-5 years, Facebook is for moms.

 

If the only reason Facebook agreed to this was to entice more people to get Facebook accounts by keeping it off everywhere else, that tells you all you want to know about Facebook. MLB was incredibly stupid (and uncaring) to take games away from elderly fans who watch games religiously so they could brag how their audience "skewed 20 years younger". Of course it did MLB. You locked everyone who normally watches out. That's not how you reward your fans. Most aggravating is that Brewers were featured in consecutive weeks? Is that because the Boston's and Yankees know better than take the games away from their fans? Come on Attanasio for goodness sake. Don't ever agree to that again

[Thurston Fluff]

Two emphatic thumbs down. I pay plenty for MLB extra innings, but don't get these games on my package and I have zero interest in opening a facebook account. MLB is screwing with it's most loyal audience and that's retired people. It's not a terrible idea, but no way should people be forced to use that platform by blacking out the games elsewhere. Why limit the audience? I don't get it.

 

Keep the games on facebook, but eliminate the exclusivity.

 

The fact that retirees are baseballs most loyal audience is the reason why this is a good idea. I look at facebook as the gateway to a new wave of game viewing options instead of the endgame. In that light it is leading baseball into the modern age. Cable is not the future, it's the past whose time of major relevance is nearing an end. Sports are one of the few areas it still has dominance. Baseball, sports in general really, would be wise to look to the future or be stuck with smaller, older audiences. Personally I'm waiting for a Netflix version of sports programming but I like interactive part of facebook games. More as an idea in general than how facebook is doing it now.

AS far as having games blacked out isn't that what cable has done forever? I can't get the one team I'm interested in on MLB packages because of cable rights. What's the difference?

[Ennder]

I think they are fine I could never watch one ever again and I'd be perfectly happy, but they don't bother me either. I usually turn down the commentary on normal games because it is so bad, so the fan interaction stuff doesn't bother me. I liked all the interviews they did with people.

 

I will say that trying to cater to the older crowd is how baseball will fail, they have to try something to get newer fans. Football gets it naturally with the gambling, NBA is basically "the bachelor" of sports now with all the inane twitter nonsense that attracts people so much. Baseball needs to find a way to get a younger fanbase. As others have said Facebook probably isn't the answer. Maybe get a streaming service to take games makes more sense. My kids spend all of their time on hulu, netflix even youtube etc. None of them use facebook anymore.

[MrTPlush]

1) 99% sure you don’t need an account

 

2) Even if you do just make an account. You can make it as fake and private as you want.

 

3) Anything with a Facebook app can get it on your TV. Apple TV...definitely can get it on your TV. You may need an account on the apps though.

 

4) Is it really that big of a deal to your MLB extra innings if a game is on Facebook? You still get it?

 

Man no one is saying you gotta make an account add your mother and all your high school friends.

[Thurston Fluff]

I don’t use Facebook and so I miss these games. I want to watch games on my Apple TV and big screen.

 

As my high school students have said for the last 4-5 years, Facebook is for moms.

 

If the only reason Facebook agreed to this was to entice more people to get Facebook accounts by keeping it off everywhere else, that tells you all you want to know about Facebook. MLB was incredibly stupid (and uncaring) to take games away from elderly fans who watch games religiously so they could brag how their audience "skewed 20 years younger". Of course it did MLB. You locked everyone who normally watches out. That's not how you reward your fans. Most aggravating is that Brewers were featured in consecutive weeks? Is that because the Boston's and Yankees know better than take the games away from their fans? Come on Attanasio for goodness sake. Don't ever agree to that again

 

You don't think it might have something to do with the Yankees and Red Sox owning the cable network they are on? They are heavily invested in yesterday's technology so they have little choice but to remain in it.

[Vgmastr]

If the only reason Facebook agreed to this was to entice more people to get Facebook accounts by keeping it off everywhere else, that tells you all you want to know about Facebook.

 

Oh please, every single broadcaster that airs MLB does the same thing. FOX and ESPN games are exclusive and you can't watch in market games in MLB.TV for the same reason. If a company is paying for the rights to air the games, why would they want to allow you to watch the games somewhere else? I see no issue with trying to draw in younger fans, and I'm sure only airing weekday afternoon games on Facebook is also a way to reach young professionals who can stream the game while they work.

[MrTPlush]

Briggs doesn’t like it because it isn’t what he wants and it has to be his way. Rebuilding isn’t an option because he is old and every year can be special. Briggs doesn’t care about the young generations. To him he would rather them just cater to him and when his generation dies off baseball can just fizzle out of existence.

 

So really I see no arguing with him because it will be just like his thoughts on rebuilding. You aren’t going to get through to him and change his mind.

 

Let me tell you about how Scooter Gennett and Khris Davis are doing though.

[djd1228]

I was able to stream from my at bat app and easily streamed it via chromecast. Im pretty sure any of the streaming sticks work this way. Also i dont mind a little change up from the norm once in a while. There have been too many of these though, should be 3-4 times per year.

[dlk9s]

It could certainly use some work, but I like the Facebook broadcasts just fine. It's nice for fans to have a chance to watch a game if they live out of market and don't subscribe to MLB.tv.

 

Yeah, the announcing isn't great, but whatever. I do like the fan, coach, and player interaction features, though I think if they reduced them a bit, the balance between actual game broadcast and kitchy novelty would feel a little better.

 

Overall, though, I give it a thumbs-up.

[brooks_quichenick]

I hate it. The broadcast is obnoxious with the "sound off in the comments" questions every half inning.

[KeithStone53151]

My internet is very good, but I run into a bunch of lag when watching. That could just be me. I like no commercials, and I actually like how they question things trying to involve the audience. Overall though, I don't like the announcers. It makes me appreciate BA that much more.

[brooks_quichenick]

My internet is very good, but I run into a bunch of lag when watching. That could just be me.

 

I've had the same issue over and over. A lot of times the video will freeze but I'll still be hearing the announcers and will have to refresh. Normally any streaming I do over my connection is close to perfect.

[coolhandluke121]

I live in NYC during the school year and have no cable. I watch some replays of games when I can and occasionally go to a bar with mlb tv, but facebook broadcasts are by far the best for my own selfish interests.

 

And yet, I hate them. It's the principle. Total rip-off for people who are paying for cable. I think it's a disgrace. I would have no problem voting it down in a millisecond even if it meant I would miss even more games. I can't imagine how frustrating it is to pay for cable and have to watch that lagging, pausing crap. Or worse yet, not have/want facebook at all and miss a game or two before you figure out a workaround.

[lcbj68c]

Generally speaking, it's a big thumbs up for me. I live in Utah and subscribe to MLB.tv With that, I can count on about 15 games a year being blacked out, if I am at home. I travel for a living and regularly deal with blackouts if the Brewers are playing an opponent in my area. At home, I get blackouts for every Brewers vs Rockies and Diamondbacks games and then games when the Brewers are a nationally-televised contest. The Facebook feed has pleasant announcers, fresh content, less Bill Schroeder cliches. You do have to make sure that you are on the original feed. If so, I find no lagging. I have noticed several "dummy" feeds that like to run ads over the top of the re-broadcast. I also like the interactive content, but I do hide the comment bar because the answers scroll so fast, it's pointless to try and read them. I am hopeful that Facebook content model grows and extends to the NFL, as they have done with a single game a year. The sooner I can ditch Sunday Ticket, the happier I'll be.

[MrTPlush]

My internet is very good, but I run into a bunch of lag when watching. That could just be me.

 

I've had the same issue over and over. A lot of times the video will freeze but I'll still be hearing the announcers and will have to refresh. Normally any streaming I do over my connection is close to perfect.

 

It’s a Facebook issue. I’m sure this is something that can be improved long term. I never really have problems with Fox Sports Go, but Facebook is frustrating often times. I’m guessing the investment to improve such a thing isn’t there yet as they continue to test the Facebook thing out.