One week after a tough loss against the Georgia Bulldogs, #10 Notre Dame faced off the #18 UVA Cavaliers. UVA football was 4-0 for the first time in 15 years, trying to continue their streak as Notre Dame was the hardest game left on their schedule. The game took place on 9/28/2019 at the Notre Dame Stadium and was broadcast by NBC.
Leading up to kickoff, the announcers reviewed the Notre Dame v. Georgia game along with highlights that were dramatized with sad music and a post-game interview with the coach. The playoff hopefuls took a hit against the Bulldogs in Week 4, but the coach was focused on a comeback, providing a sports cliché that’s irresistible to watch.
The announcers also reviewed players to look out for and the importance of the game to both the teams, ensuring an established storyboard before the game even begins. After a pregame interview with Brian Kelly, two announcers took to the middle of the Notre Dame student section to give a report on the emotional atmosphere of the stadium, showcasing the tangible excitement of the fans and commitment of the reporters (adults voluntarily throwing themselves into a student section = scary).
The camera placement is able to cover nearly every corner of the stadium without trouble. Placement includes across for the team benches, behind the goalposts, on the 50-yard line, the corners of the field, and cameras focused on the defensive coordinators of both teams. In addition to the wide-angle shots these cameras typically provide, after each outstanding shot, the cameramen ensure to draw focus to the players' reactions with close-ups of those involved. I did notice that the camera on the 50-yard line was significantly less stable and smooth than other angles, suggesting that the camera operator had difficulty with the stability of the camera. Microphones were utilized on the referees, by the benches, and with sideline reporters to get accurate calls and interesting banter.
Key plays were met with 1/3 graphics on either side of the screen detailing the players involved and some of their most important statistics. These plays were also followed by a very clear, in-depth analysis of the plays and the ruling on the field. The replays played an instrumental role in this game as multiple plays were complex and had to be put under official review.
In an additional storyline, Notre Dame Player Jalen Elliot was featured in a “day in the life video,” allowing the fans to get a more intimate view into the players lives outside of game day. The announcers also point out Notre Dames false-start issue, discussing how 12 of their 6 penalties against Georgia were false starts- the most in Brian’s decade with the team. This brought additional value to the plays and ensured viewers were clued in on all aspects surrounding the team.
Very unfortunately, my recording of the game was cut short due to a weather difficulty in Virginia during the away game. A large thunderstorm prevented the visuals of the game from being anything but a neon green screen with audio in the background. However, I was able to listen to the end of the broadcast during which the announcers reviewed the game as a whole, focused on key players, and where the teams go from there. This broadcast did a phenomenal job matching the continuously changing energy of the game. The back and forth between the team were elevated by both team’s previous challenges, which were highlighted by side-line and on-camera announcers.
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