Broadcasting teams not traveling for road games will be the "norm this season in the NBA, in response to the pandemic," according to Rick Bonnell of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. FS South Associate Dir of Communications Brad Bernstein said that home teams "would provide video for both teams' telecasts, with announcers for each road team calling games remotely." That means, for example, that FS Southeast's Eric Collins, Dell Curry and Ashley Shahamadi will call the Hornets' season opener tomorrow against the Cavaliers "from a video feed in Spectrum Center" rather than at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The Hornets' radio broadcasts of road games also will be "done remotely from Spectrum Center, by new play-by-play announcer Sam Farber" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 12/21).
WORKING OUT THE WRINKLES: In N.Y., Bob Raissman wrote the NBA "already has a problem on its hands," as the atmosphere the league created for TV in the Orlando bubble was lauded. But now, with each team's RSN handling the broadcast, the early results have been "spotty -- and that's being kind" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 12/19). THE ATHLETIC's Steve Berman wrote the sound for the Warriors' preseason opener on Dec. 12 against the Nuggets on NBC Sports Bay Area was "not great," as it "seemed like the fake crowd noise was emphasized, while the on-court and basket mics were muffled." This is "all a work in progress ... and the on-court sounds will be clearer and more amplified as the technical people adjust to this new, altered arena environment" (THEATHLETIC.com, 12/18).
