The latest attempt at a spring professional football league began in earnest on Saturday night as the USFL began its inaugural season.
With so many attempts to carve out a share of the football market during a time where it doesn’t face competition from college or the NFL — namely the AAF, the XFL (which folded during its first season due to the COVID-19 pandemic) and more gimmicky leagues like the currently active Fan-Controlled Football League — it’s important to set yourself apart.
One new addition to the formula that many fans were talking about during the debut were the new drone camera angles, which operated both between and, in some cases, during the plays.
Another drone shot and then after (might be tough to see on here) you can see it trailing the play on the normal shot which I think is giving some people a bit of anxiety or is potentially a bit distracting. pic.twitter.com/TeMu5XSVw1
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 17, 2022
Now, the consensus opinion here seems to be unfavorable, and I can certainly see why. No doubt, it could be smoother. However, as someone who is honestly a bit fatigued with the conventional sideline broadcast angle, I’m always open to iterations upon the status quo.
The main issue with the standard angle, in my opinion, is the fact that it’s basically impossible to both follow the ball and what’s happening downfield on passing plays. It’s for that reason that I would be interested in networks experimenting with the raised, behind-the-line-of-scrimmage angle that is used in all-22 footage.
Maybe I’ve just played way too much Madden in my life, but I can’t help but feel like I’m missing out on some of the action when I tune into a live football broadcast.
The development of wire cams that operate on four axes in recent years has allowed for a whole new level of cinematic creativity, but even those are more restrictive than drones. I think that drone technology absolutely has a future in improving the sports viewing experience.
With that being said, there are definitely some issues with the execution here, and it may be too jarring to use mid-play. I am, however, more of a fan of its use in atmosphere shots, such as when the players are breaking the huddle.
Not all attempts at innovations are good ones, though, and the other new feature introduced by the league is less promising: the helmet cam.
Look, it’s cool to see things as the players do. It allows fans to gain a whole different perspective on the game they love. But as interesting as it may be, it’s even more nauseating.
The #USFL is busting out all kinds of tricks like the "Helmet Cam." What do you think of the broadcast and gameplay so far? pic.twitter.com/HUDkx0SGhG
— Southeast Sports Network (@SESNsports) April 17, 2022
Just… no.
I think the drones could have more utility, though, and while they’re a bit polarizing and certainly rough around the edges, trying to improve on the viewing experience (especially with in-person fan attendance dropping by the year) is a worthy endeavor.
And for a league like the USFL, there’s nothing to lose in attempting to do so.
