FOX coverage of PBA - there are some really good things happening **01/06 spoiler

[ALazySavage]

Had the opportunity to watch the last half of the PBA Hall of Fame Championship that was televised by FOX, and I must say that there is a lot of good things that FOX has done and some that bowlers should really pay attention to.

First the things that are not specific to serious bowlers:

Camera quality is much better than ESPN - we do live in a HD world where you don't get a bad picutre anymore, but there is a considerable difference
Production value is higher - short lead-ins of players coming up, etc.
FOX is bringing up PBA events on other telecasts - used the Cowboy game to mention the event in Arlington, a bowling mention on the NFL pregame.

The thing I highly recommend bowlers to really start paying attention to/analyzing is the shot tracker that they have added to the telecast, especially when a bowler is able to progress through a few rounds. I'm using Bill O'Neill as the example in this, because if you really watch the tracker you will start seeing his ball rolling out well before the pocket 7-10. As he starts leaving soft tens (counting those that end up carrying and excluding the near out of bounds shot) you will notice that the angle on the backend starts to soften up. I believe the transition was the Columbia300 Savage to the Hammer Web Tour which would explain why the ball change worked. Something else of note, pay attention to the majority of ten pins left in the event and notice if you can start seeing a trend - may help you in making that first adjustment off of consistent ten pins.

[bdpeters]

I caught the broadcast a couple of weeks ago on our local Fox station but I believe this one was not covered by our local station. if I had dish or cable that would be great. i would like to see more or local antenna TV. but i agree with what you said about the broadcast and the improvements.

[djp1080]

It was great to have Nelson Burton Jr. on there, too. Too bad he's not on there as the commentator regularly. He truly knows the game and the history as well...

[fordman1]

As far as I know yesterdays show was live. Also if you don't live in a dead zone you should have been able to get the show on you local fox station.
I liked the show and thought Randy was ok (not as many stupid jokes) Rob Stone was good too. That should fire up the haters.

[vdubtx]

Really liked the PBA show yesterday. I DVR'd it and watched it last night.

Very nice data that they are capturing and thought it was way above what has previously been done with bowling broadcasts from other providers.

Good things are in store for bowling this season. :cool:

[bdpeters]

finally finished watching this on youtube. it was a pretty suspenseful championship match.

[RobLV1]

I really wonder what they said to Rob Stone to get him to quit screaming "Hambone!"

[fordman1]

My guess is he heard that some of the old fans didn't like it and so toned it down. Randy instigated a lot of the hambone talk on the show this week. I think it is a bit todo about nothing.

[JasonNJ]

My guess is he heard that some of the old fans didn't like it and so toned it down. Randy instigated a lot of the hambone talk on the show this week. I think it is a bit todo about nothing.


Plus he is what, 10 years older now? Maybe he wants to be taken a bit more seriously.

[fordman1]

All we can ask for is for him and Randy to be professional. I will watch and enjoy it.

[fordman1]

Just finished watching the PBA doubles. Even though Ogle is a 2 hander I became a fan. Would like to see more of him.

[GrumpyCatFace]

Just finished watching the PBA doubles. Even though Ogle is a 2 hander I became a fan. Would like to see more of him.

Yeah, it’s hard not to love a good story like that. And he was solid ice out there.

[mx1alex]

I'm really enjoying the broadcast. My only complaint is the shot tracker deal that pops up after each shot is only up for a few seconds. I'd like to be able to study it a little longer between shots.

On a side note I wonder how much of that info is available real-time? Do the players have access to it? Ball reps? I really wish I could have access to that kind of info. I'd really like to get an idea of how consistent (more like inconsistent for me) I am with my ball speed and rev rate.

[boatman37]

Recorded it yesterday but only watch the first few minutes so far. Saw Mark Roth sitting there. I didn't know him that well but a sort of funny story here. Me and my friend ran the youth bowling league in the early 2000's (about 2002-2003) at the local center (now closed). Long story short Mark got involved in a deal with a local guy and was a partner in this center for a short time. It was called Mark Roth's Woodside Lanes. Anyway, I had no idea who he was. This was before the internet had blown up and pre-Google. There were rumblings about Mark Roth being there but that meant nothing to me. At the time I had only heard of buys like Dick Weber, Parker Bohn, and Brian Voss. I had talked to Mark every Saturday morning and watched him bowl a few times but he was only there about 6 months and they had a falling out so the partnership fell apart. A few months later the center closed. I will say that the guy Mark had partnered with was pretty shady and the story I had heard (and was pretty reliable) Mark got screwed over. I only add that so nobody reading this thinks Mark was the reason for the bad deal. I knew the partner since about the early 90's and he had always been pretty shady so the story I heard was believable.

Anyway, the funny part was that I had no idea who Mark Roth was even though I had been bowling in leagues for 20 years. I remember specifically asking somebody who he was when they told me he was running Park Lanes (the name changed after Mark got involved)

[GrumpyCatFace]

I'm really enjoying the broadcast. My only complaint is the shot tracker deal that pops up after each shot is only up for a few seconds. I'd like to be able to study it a little longer between shots.

On a side note I wonder how much of that info is available real-time? Do the players have access to it? Ball reps? I really wish I could have access to that kind of info. I'd really like to get an idea of how consistent (more like inconsistent for me) I am with my ball speed and rev rate.

In a few years, you’ll see it start popping up in bowling centers.

[vdubtx]

I'm really enjoying the broadcast. My only complaint is the shot tracker deal that pops up after each shot is only up for a few seconds. I'd like to be able to study it a little longer between shots.

On a side note I wonder how much of that info is available real-time? Do the players have access to it? Ball reps? I really wish I could have access to that kind of info. I'd really like to get an idea of how consistent (more like inconsistent for me) I am with my ball speed and rev rate.
Since they are using Specto for the stats, that is available real time using an app on phone/tablet. I am sure ball reps would likely have access to it, but maybe there is a rule that they cannot use it during competition? I know kind of an answer with more questions. LOL!!

[fordman1]

My team mate is the general manager of the center where I bowl and told me he tried to talk the owner into buying the system. The bill was really steep. Like $2000 per pair or maybe it was per lane. The owner said maybe next year. ;)

[grumpter]

I'm really enjoying the broadcast. My only complaint is the shot tracker deal that pops up after each shot is only up for a few seconds. I'd like to be able to study it a little longer between shots.

My thought was they could have a shot tracker for each lane up constantly. One on the left of the screen and one on the right. Don't really need much screen real estate for the bowling lane or player close ups.

[mx1alex]

My thought was they could have a shot tracker for each lane up constantly. One on the left of the screen and one on the right. Don't really need much screen real estate for the bowling lane or player close ups.

agree 100%

[boatman37]

started watching it today and after one shot you can hear Rash and Ogle talking and one tells the other what the revs were so they must have access to real time on it.

[fordman1]

Odd how no one is talking about the PBA shows that just finished. Nothing about the crowd noise, just worry about colored oil.

[JasonNJ]

The PBA playoffs show were excellent. The Fox coverage has been really good and it's nice to have a network treat bowling like a serious sport. I think Prather and O'Neill were the two best bowlers this tournament and both deserved to be in the finals. Prather had nerves of steel and O'Neill really struggled with his ball reaction.

[ALazySavage]

In all honesty I just haven't had time to discuss it yet - I watched both weekend telecasts back to back so after I was done I didn't really feel like discussing it. We all knew the crowd noise was going to happen since it was Portland and they are known for that (granted I'm really curious if the other locations in 2020 will have a same feel - I will be in Westminster for sure). Very happy to see a game turn into a strike fest because what was missing before this was for the casual bystander to see an exhibition of how amazing these guys are. We can all see the improvement in the telecast quality and I think it is a good product for FOX as well - the PBA seems very flexible in when they will put on events as to help with filling content (as long as it doesn't go up against major sporting events).

[fordman1]

I believe it needs more publicity or hype on web sites like this. It is the best thing to happen to bowling since the old ABC Saturday telecasts. If it isn't supported by the viewers it will go away and we will be watching cornhole and those guys on ice with brooms. Support the PBA when ever you can.