When you're watching a baseball game on TV, chances are you want to see what's happening in said baseball game. That sounds simple enough and should be a guarantee every time you flip on a game, but fans learned during a pivotal moment of Wednesday's Mets-Brewers playoff series that it stunningly isn't always a guarantee.
In case you missed it, the Mets came up in the ninth inning down by two runs. Jose Iglesias led off the inning while New York fans sat on the edge of their seats, hoping to see their team mount a dramatic comeback.
That's when ESPN decided to show an in-game interview with Milwaukee's Garrett Mitchell instead of sticking with the action on the field. They cut back in time to see Iglesias fly out to right field but the broadcast missed the pitch being thrown. In the ninth inning of a playoff game. With so much on the line.
This was just so bad:
ESPN juuuuust made it back in time from that 9th-inning in-game interview to catch Jose Iglesias's flyout. pic.twitter.com/UEEBlpt2XX
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 3, 2024
Fans were rightfully furious:
This is insanity https://t.co/sSau854bee
— Nick Kostos (@TheKostos) October 3, 2024
At this juncture of the game, you can’t be doing this https://t.co/DozJ15ObWM
— D.J. Short (@djshort) October 3, 2024
I will keep beating this drum.
— JJ Cooper (@jjcoop36) October 3, 2024
This is bad for baseball fans but it's also bad TV.
Talk off camera. Go to the reporter (off camera) for the info in a moment of downtime. https://t.co/VvGs2NOFph
It was so cool how in the top of the 9th in a game that already broke me, the only network it was on decided not to show every pitch of a playoff game. https://t.co/DxYgxnV65A
— Sydney Bauer (@femme_thoughts) October 3, 2024
I produce TV every morning. This is what we call over producing. Let the game take center stage, no need for in game interview with Mets down to final two outs. https://t.co/817UgKm7um
— Justin Antweil (@JAntweil) October 3, 2024
I’ve been so against in game/halftime coaches interviews for years. There’s no value to them, but they aren’t going away.
— Joe (@joe_ruggiero_) October 3, 2024
Then I saw this and it’s just inexcusable. 9th inning of a playoff game and there’s this?? https://t.co/7K2kIU04VS
In-game playoff interviews are utterly insane. Literally, no person on earth wants to see this, but here we are, @ESPN, the worldwide leader in buffoonery. https://t.co/4b3L3YyDJo
— Sekrah (@sekrah) October 3, 2024
The Brewers held on for the 5-3 win to force a Game 3. Hopefully ESPN learns from that mistake.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as MLB Fans Crush ESPN for Brutal Broadcast Move in 9th Inning of Mets-Brewers Game 2.