frustrating broadcast

Was defiantly frustrating when there was a battle going on and they pan to a rider clicking off laps. It's the worst when you hear the crowd erupt and your watching a rider by himself hitting lines.

Yeah it was one of the worst in a long time. The first 3 races were good. It seemed like they were off-sync 80% of the time with what happened on the track. That is not Ralphs or Rickys fault, it's the producers. All they can do is commentate on what the producers give them.

Has there ever been a broadcast that wasn't bitched about on Vital?

I thought MX guys were generally "tough", lots of whiners around here though.

And now for the weekly broadcast complaint thread!

LungButter wrote:

Has there ever been a broadcast that wasn't bitched about on Vital?

I thought MX guys were generally "tough", lots of whiners around here though.

These whiners are fair weathered moto fans.

Vital is king of whining, complaining, criticizing forums. Never seen anything like it. I read the threads, but feel like commenting less and less because positive comments are either ignored or torched. We have a great season unfolding but there is still so negativity.

I was thinking during this broadcast about emailing (like it would do any good) the NBCSports crew and tell them to direct one camera in the stadium to film nothing but the lead battle for the entire race, a second camera is directed to focus on a selected battle during the race (Roczen, Tomac, plus whoever is with them in this case). Then while they are Hee Hawing about something off topic, they can at least go back to replay footage. I also noticed that in the final 450 qualifier, we missed the first 2 laps while they were showing us some Instagram pictures. Couldn’t they have shown those during a C qualifier or in between two of them. Sorry if this sounds like a bitch session, but I see so much stupid every day that I can’t help but to call it out once in a while.

LungButter wrote:

Has there ever been a broadcast that wasn't bitched about on Vital?

I thought MX guys were generally "tough", lots of whiners around here though.

theprizefighter wrote:

These whiners are fair weathered moto fans.

I see. Whining about a thread that was discussing some of the gaffes in the broadcast. Carry on....

I work in TV and I tend to end up muting it and listening to music while I watch. Between Ralph's mistakes, Ricky restarting every sentence halfway thru, and Will trying her best to psych out every rider while simultaneously having to be corrected with each answer I'm just disappointed. Seems like they come into the practice show completely cold, only knowing the info contained in the pre-cut segments then try to warm up for the night show with only ~30 min of practice. Ricky is kind of endearing because you can hear how hard he is trying to speak proper, but any number of other people (Blair, Weege, even goddamn Wes Cain and Kevin Kelly) would be more enjoyable to listen to.

The production crew seems like it could use some work, but I've got a hunch that supercross is a 'feeder' for other, more popular TV productions so we'll never have the crème de la crème there.

Calling fans who take issue with the broadcast fairweather is a very very weak response to fair criticisms IMO. I'm a huge fan of the sport and very grateful for the coverage we do have, but when my non-moto friends' main takeaway is how abysmal the show was and not how cool the racing was, there are obviously improvements to be made.

I was trying to Give Ricky a chance
But its not been great so far
Personally i dont really care about Mistakes so much
But you can tell Ricky is trying to hard and lacking confidence, it seems to me like he was better in the past

steezenation wrote:

I work in TV and I tend to end up muting it and listening to music while I watch. Between Ralph's mistakes, Ricky restarting every sentence halfway thru, and Will trying her best to psych out every rider while simultaneously having to be corrected with each answer I'm just disappointed. Seems like they come into the practice show completely cold, only knowing the info contained in the pre-cut segments then try to warm up for the night show with only ~30 min of practice. Ricky is kind of endearing because you can hear how hard he is trying to speak proper, but any number of other people (Blair, Weege, even goddamn Wes Cain and Kevin Kelly) would be more enjoyable to listen to.

The production crew seems like it could use some work, but I've got a hunch that supercross is a 'feeder' for other, more popular TV productions so we'll never have the crème de la crème there.

Calling fans who take issue with the broadcast fairweather is a very very weak response to fair criticisms IMO. I'm a huge fan of the sport and very grateful for the coverage we do have, but when my non-moto friends' main takeaway is how abysmal the show was and not how cool the racing was, there are obviously improvements to be made.

I know a couple of guys who “work in TV” too. Installing cable and dish services.....

Since the friends you are referring to are “non moto”, it sounds like they are watching the races with you. Interesting that they’d form such an opinion of the broadcast with it muted and with music playing instead.

steezenation wrote:

I work in TV and I tend to end up muting it and listening to music while I watch. Between Ralph's mistakes, Ricky restarting every sentence halfway thru, and Will trying her best to psych out every rider while simultaneously having to be corrected with each answer I'm just disappointed. Seems like they come into the practice show completely cold, only knowing the info contained in the pre-cut segments then try to warm up for the night show with only ~30 min of practice. Ricky is kind of endearing because you can hear how hard he is trying to speak proper, but any number of other people (Blair, Weege, even goddamn Wes Cain and Kevin Kelly) would be more enjoyable to listen to.

The production crew seems like it could use some work, but I've got a hunch that supercross is a 'feeder' for other, more popular TV productions so we'll never have the crème de la crème there.

Calling fans who take issue with the broadcast fairweather is a very very weak response to fair criticisms IMO. I'm a huge fan of the sport and very grateful for the coverage we do have, but when my non-moto friends' main takeaway is how abysmal the show was and not how cool the racing was, there are obviously improvements to be made.

I don't agree with you about Will. I don't know where she came from, but she knows her moto and she's super comfortable in front of the camera. IMO she's excellent at what she does. If the riders can't take her saying "you didn't have a good practice out there" and that "psychs them out" then they don't have what it takes to compete at this level. While Ralph and Ricky and mostly the camera work, are not great all the time, I have yet to see anyone else do it better.

The in stadium announcers did an immensely better job.

Ricky was awful and Ralph substandard as usual. They're don't have a clue about anyone outside of the top 5. Nothing but silence during the LCQ races besides an occasional "he's got a good run going there"

Everyone needs to go excel Will and Daniel Blair.

Mr. Knobby wrote:

I don't agree with you about Will. I don't know where she came from, but she knows her moto and she's super comfortable in front of the camera. IMO she's excellent at what she does. If the riders can't take her saying "you didn't have a good practice out there" and that "psychs them out" then they don't have what it takes to compete at this level. While Ralph and Ricky and mostly the camera work, are not great all the time, I have yet to see anyone else do it better.

That's a fair response. She is always on her game. My opinion comes from thinking I wouldn't like being asked how I intend to crash less before I go out for practice but I'm also far from pro.

Id rather have Ricky keep saying "good" instead of forcing himself to say "well".

LungButter wrote:

Has there ever been a broadcast that wasn't bitched about on Vital?

I thought MX guys were generally "tough", lots of whiners around here though.

What does being tough have to do with being critical of poor job performance

The heat race savatgy won was pretty bad

LungButter wrote:

Has there ever been a broadcast that wasn't bitched about on Vital?

I thought MX guys were generally "tough", lots of whiners around here though.

This is a complete non sequitur.

Last night's production and coverage was horrible. Key elements of the race(s) were completely missed. As in, not even a camera following the leaders/action to provide a replay. It was just flat out completely ignored and missed. We shouldn't have to watch a guy all alone in 6th for two laps while the live audience is going crazy over something else. We deserve better and don't think it makes any of us a "fair weather fans" as was mentioned in another post. If anything it shows that the sport we love can and should be covered better. I get it, were not considered a major sport and the money just isn't there to put a camera on all the riders but, last night was just wrong and I don't accept any excuses. This is hardly the first time we've been yelling at our TVs saying "what the hell just happened?!". No replay....no mention... nothing. Just all of a sudden rider X is now in the lead and we have no clue as to what happened.

Nothing wrong with guys calling it for what it is. Pointing out poor camera work is fair. It's not whining.
I too get frustrated when they show a rider just clicking off laps when there's great action going on.

To be fair to the production crew, this isn’t a ball sport where following it is always where the action is.

joeellis wrote:

Vital is king of whining, complaining, criticizing forums. Never seen anything like it. I read the threads, but feel like commenting less and less because positive comments are either ignored or torched. We have a great season unfolding but there is still so negativity.

What a whining and negative post.

I enjoyed RC telling us who has gotten progressively worse round by round.

Indy mxer wrote:

Nothing wrong with guys calling it for what it is. Pointing out poor camera work is fair. It's not whining.
I too get frustrated when they show a rider just clicking off laps when there's great action going on.

It becomes whining when there a thread (or two, or three...) every week. We get it, some of you aren’t happy and we’ll get to hear about it for 17 weeks until we move on to the outdoors where there will inevitably be more complaining about something. ???

I just like watching the racing and listening to the interviews. Ralph nor RC bother me that much at all.

joeellis wrote:

Vital is king of whining, complaining, criticizing forums. Never seen anything like it. I read the threads, but feel like commenting less and less because positive comments are either ignored or torched. We have a great season unfolding but there is still so negativity.

WCRider wrote:

What a whining and negative post.

Man. You’re one of the most negative people on here, so I’ll totally disregard this.

joeellis wrote:

Man. You’re one of the most negative people on here, so I’ll totally disregard this.

Be cool it was just ironic...

I blame the camera crew more than the broadcast crew. You guy's do realize they are calling the race from the same tv monitors we are watching right? They are not watching the actual race like the live announcer at the event. Top 3 changed places in the 2nd 450 heat race and they were filming Barcia trying not to sit down for 2 laps lol.

That said RC has to find some creativity, sarcasm, humor, spontaneity, something. He sounds like the last guy on earth I would want to have a beer with.

Ralph - "Oh no!!! Tomac's bike is smoking! .... Tomac's bike was smoking but now it looks like it fixed itself. We'll have to keep an eye on i..CHECKERED FLAG"

I did think the cameras were better this time with more visuals at track level instead of up above. It's hard to appreciate what the riders are doing when you're seeing them from 40 ft directly above. Just really irritating to hear the crowd go nuts while we're watching nothing happen, then cut to someone being out in the lead.