I'm watching the Crew/Rapids game and the background crowd noise seems to indicate that the stadium PA announcer just won't shut up. I understand the occasional pitches for sponsors or prize giveaways, but the PA rumble seems to be almost constant. I didn't think we got rid of jock rock, just to replace it with continual paid advertising.
It's a sign that someone actually is advertising their product at Crew games, but , yes, it is mighty annoying. Especially the "graeters ice cream first-ten" minutes. they have to announce it, and then announce it again just to remind everyone its still going on. blah.
for the first part of the broadcast FSW was using their own background audio. If you listened closely, it was on about a 17 second loop. (Yes, I timed it, I have no life) They eventually got the live feed back on, but for a while it was a bit annoying. You could tell because the sound had nothing to do with the game. There were no drums playing during the piped noise. (There was during live feed) And the commentator was speaking Spanish I think, or something like that, and that doesn't happen during MLS games. Or maybe I was smoking something...
It is possable that they had some problems at the game and were using the Fox Sports Spanish feed. The only reason I know about the spanish feed is that I don't get Fox Sports World and had to watch the match in Spanish. So maybe that is what you heard.
The Crew PA announcer is horrible! One of the many annoying things he does is stretch one syllable words in to two. For instance, it is not uncommon to hear, "Goal for your Columbus Ca-rrreeewww." The Greater's deal does suck (especially since everyone knows Maggie Moo's is the best ice cream in town). Also, he has often times waited so long to announce a goal, that a second one has been scored in the mean time. He is barely more tollerable than the Crewzers.
not as bad as the Blue Jackets guy though... ever been to an NHL game in Columbus? The only time I went, the guy seriously sounded like cookie monster. Try to picture cookie monster saying, "It's a blue jackets power play!!" It was just sad.
They do some promos, sure, and it can be distracting, but I think that claiming it's "constant" is an exaggeration. Graeters is mentioned once perhalf, for example. Anyway, I figure it helps pay the bills and so I don't complain. And pardon me for seeming contentious, but how can you possibly get annoyed at the guy for saying "Goal for YOUR Columbus Ca-reeeew"? It's not like he says it 30 times a match or something. (And FYI he doesn't "wait to announce the goal" like he has some sort of cognitive disconnect or something. He waits to get the official ruling on who scored, the assist if any and the time of goal. Then he relates them all at once "Attention Crew fans: that goal, in the 27th minute, from an assist by Kyle Martino, by Brian McBride". It's just a "for the record" thing. You're the first person I've ever heard of who thought it was bothersome.) As a contrast, have you ever been to a Charleston Battery match at Blackbaud? We were there just one time, but some of the stuff was repeated so much that I still remember a bunch of it. If you think a 10 secong mention of Graeters Ice Cream is annoying, how about EVERY SINGLE TIME there's a corner kick the blathering PA guys tells everybody to "Stomp those feet 'cause it sounds soooooooooooooooooo sweet" ? By the end of the game my kids and I were absolutely falling down laughing at some of this stuff. Horrible. The guy NEVER shuts up. Give me the "Value City Furniture Best Seats in the House" once a match any time.
Thats twice too many IMO. When that stuff goes on in ANY sport it makes it look minor league, heck probably even worse than that. The one thing that makes it hard to be completely against it is that other pro sports DO, do this, but they have the luxury of game stops. Such as in baseball you will see these ads on the jumbotron between innings. It still doesnt excuse it in my opinion. I think that these guys know what soccer is and they should be more creative in getting the Ads out than just blarring it out during the game. Because its anoying no matter what you say in that tone. Its like youre trapped in a TGIFridays. 2 wrongs dont make a right, plus Charleston is minor league stuff. If you want people to perceive you as top flight league you have to act like it and not give out excuses. That sucks too.
Here's your solution: If the Columbus fans would make enough noise in the stands, the PA announcer would be no problem because you wouldn't be able to hear him.
I'm sure those of us residing in New York for a many years wish all stadium announcers had the dignity that Bob Shepard of Yankee Stadium does. Since nobody can do it like he does, I'd prefer a laid back, matter-of-fact type of public-address man. Madison Square Garden, before it also became a riot of ear-pounding noise, had a guy named John Condon. Never got excited about anything, just gave the information on goals, baskets, whatever. Very unassuming. He's dead now, as is peace and quiet at the Garden. It's become just another madhouse. Thank heavens Giants Stadium, for all its many faults, tends to show restraint when it comes to the P.A. system during soccer matches.
It's spreading... During one of this year's Libertadores games on FSE, the Fox commentators were amazed at all the PA announcements and sound effects played during Pumas home games. At one point, one of them just couldn't take it anymore and exclaimed something like, "he never stops talking!" Pumas also has this incredibly annoying puma growl sound that they play all the time. So, hey, it could be worse. The Fox announcers also got very annoyed at the PA announcer at the Vila Belmiro for Santos home games. They don't have any goofy animal sound effects, but the PA guy does talk a lot. We also see cheerleaders all over Latin America now. It's just a matter of time before everyone has all sorts of PA announcements, cheerleaders, half time contests, etc. Now if that buck-a-brat thing could also catch on...
Went to the England/Australia friendly in February and the PA announcer was fantastic. "All right then, give me a quick cheer if you'd like to here some Oasis or Rod Stewart?" It was like this guy was throwing a party and we were guests in his house. First PA announcer I've enjoyed at a match.
Oh that's rich. You could hear the concession guy making change it was so quiet during your game with the Metrostars Saturday.
The guy who does the P.A for the Metros is the same guy who used to do the Knicks and Rangers (who was let go last year and the replacement was sooooo bad that Joe Tolleson was brought in to do P.A after half the season, ironic because Joe did PBP for the first 4 or 5 metro years. I'm babbling.) Sheppard also does the New York Giants games.