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Thursday Night Football has been a bit of a drag, with athletes playing on short rest, some getting injured and those hideous Color Rush uniforms. (Remember the mustard vs. ketchup game?)
But this week's game, which ended with the Pittsburgh Steelers beating the Tennessee Titans 40-17, tried out the "Madden Cam" -- or, as NBC actually calls it, the SkyCam.
It's exactly what it sounds like: NBC covered most of the game via a computer-controlled, stabilized, cable-suspended camera system, or to put it simply, two cameras gliding through the air above Pittsburgh's Heinz Field. The angles captured by the new system are similar to how the on-field quarterback views the game and remind many viewers of video-game play, especially the "Madden NFL" series, named for legendary coach John Madden.
"Younger generations of NFL fans have grown accustomed to watching football from this angle through their love of video games," Fred Gaudelli, executive producer of Thursday Night Football, said in a statement before the game. "This telecast will have a look and feel akin to that experience."
Game on, fans. Some loved it.
I don't understand why anyone would hate this angle. EVERY game should be skycam. This is EDUCATIONAL FOOTBAW. I have read zero concrete reasons to suppress the skycam angle other than small-minded fear.
— David H - Hambone (@dhyatt) November 17, 2017
Sing it from the mountaintops. The only camera angle you’d ever need
— SeanO (@Seanjamesoneil) November 17, 2017
Agog watching this. It's like anchovies--thought I would be disgusted, turns out I can't get enough
— Dom Tassoni (@DomTassoni) November 17, 2017
GIVE ME MADDONVISION OR GIVE ME DEATH
— Ryan Tennant (@TheBoysBadNews) November 17, 2017
Why all networks don't use the sky cam more is beyond me. It's the best view to watch plays develop, or play Madden. #BringBackNCAAFootball
— Steven Albritton (@StevenAlbritton) November 17, 2017
It will be a shame and disappointment if other networks don’t start using the sky cam “Madden†view immediately
It will make any horrible game look drastically enjoyable ... Even Giants games pic.twitter.com/ZVd80NyKHq
— Troy Hughes™ (@TommySledge) November 17, 2017
Sky cam also makes me feel like it's Madden and I get pissed when the QB doesn't throw it to the guy I was pressing the button for.
— Adam Bogdan (@PatriotsInform) November 17, 2017
The sky cam is going to be a huge story tmrw. My great friend @DavidReedRADIO put it best. “Under 35 will love it (Madden). Older will hate it.†Yep.
— Jason Martin (@JMartOutkick) November 16, 2017
And yes, some thought the network fumbled by relying heavily on the new technique.
Skycam
Pro:
See what QB seesCons:
Where are the receivers? Flags?
1st down line?
Linebackers?
Perspective for relative distanceI feel personally attacked
End rant #TENvsPIT @nflnetwork
— Nathan R. Petrie (@GottaPetrie) November 17, 2017
I’m okay with #skycam being sprinkled in every now and then, but as the primary 99% camera view? No thanks. Please stop. #TENvsPIT
— Chris Metcalf (@ChrisMetcalf7) November 17, 2017
But maybe the best comment came from the official Twitter account for Madden NFL itself.
"Go back to the old camera angle where I can't see anything downfield"
— EA SPORTS Madden NFL (@EAMaddenNFL) November 17, 2017
-Your Dad#TENvsPIT
For now, the telecast was only an experiment, coming out of positive reviews for a week-seven game where fog over the New England Patriots' Gillette Stadium forced NBC to tap SkyCam as the main viewing angle. But surely the network will be closely mining social-media reaction as it mulls future use. Ready, player one?
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