A3N 996 Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 So MLB Opening Day begins on Sunday with Rangers taking on the Astros, and then most of MLB will begin their season on Monday. There have been a few graphics changes for many teams and their RSN's. Everyone knows about the NBC Sports graphics package that debuted last year and has been making its way across all of NBC's sports properties including Comcast Sportsnet which debuted the new look at the start of spring training. FOX Sports also made some changes to its scorebug (AKA the FOXBOX). The FOXBOX has been tweaked each of the last three years usually involving minor things such as text, logo and game information. This year, FOX has changed the box again reflecting the one that made its debut during the 2012 postseason. Gone are the teams logos showing home/away teams (visiting teams on the left and home team on the right), replaced by the city abbreviation and being stacked above each other. Also, a pitch count has been added, some fancy animations for strikeouts and home runs have been added. The updated look matches that of the NFL Broadcasts. Screenshots below. FOXbox 2011: FOXbox 2012-March 2013 FOX Sports 2013: Comcast SportsNet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spring Rubber 618 Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 I've noticed that Fox has also added a few animations to their lower thirds. As we've mentioned in a different topic, MLB on Fox has always used lower-quality and lower-animation graphics compared to other properties such as NFL on Fox, Nascar on Fox, and CFB on Fox because the MLB broadcasts (even on the main Fox network) use the FSN production trucks, which are less capable, while the football, racing, and UFC broadcasts on Fox use the national network's production trucks, which can handle the full animations on all of the lower thirds and other on-screen graphics. For the past two years, the baseball telecasts on both the national Fox network and on the FSNs have featured still graphics with no animation. Based on the spring training games, most of the graphics will remain this way, but they have added some animation to certain graphics such as the batter walk-up lower thirds. Now there are arrows that animate across the graphic, and there is also subtle animation in the background behind the text area just like the NFL/Nascar broadcasts. They also added animated team logos to the score graphic that displays before each break. The animation is nowhere near as smooth as it is with the national network's production trucks, but I guess this is the best they can do with the FSN trucks The unfortunate part is that the other graphics all still seem to have no animation. I guess they were already pushing the FSN trucks to their limits by adding the little animation they did to the graphics mentioned above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
News 9 Viewer 100 Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 NESN also debuted new ingame graphics during spring training. I like how it's compact like the FoxBox but that the pitch count is in a different place. It looks squished against the diamond on the current FoxBox. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A3N 996 Posted March 30, 2013 Author Share Posted March 30, 2013 I've noticed that Fox has also added a few animations to their lower thirds. As we've mentioned in a different topic, MLB on Fox has always used lower-quality and lower-animation graphics compared to other properties such as NFL on Fox, Nascar on Fox, and CFB on Fox because the MLB broadcasts (even on the main Fox network) use the FSN production trucks, which are less capable, while the football, racing, and UFC broadcasts on Fox use the national network's production trucks, which can handle the full animations on all of the lower thirds and other on-screen graphics. For the past two years, the baseball telecasts on both the national Fox network and on the FSNs have featured still graphics with no animation. Based on the spring training games, most of the graphics will remain this way, but they have added some animation to certain graphics such as the batter walk-up lower thirds. Now there are arrows that animate across the graphic, and there is also subtle animation in the background behind the text area just like the NFL/Nascar broadcasts. They also added animated team logos to the score graphic that displays before each break. The animation is nowhere near as smooth as it is with the national network's production trucks, but I guess this is the best they can do with the FSN trucks The unfortunate part is that the other graphics all still seem to have no animation. I guess they were already pushing the FSN trucks to their limits by adding the little animation they did to the graphics mentioned above. Good points. Also, I wonder if FOX Sports decided on not doing a complete overhaul of the look and just wait until next season. With FOX Sports 1 launching in August, they could be planning to launch a new graphics package seeing as this look will go on 4 years now. NESN also debuted new ingame graphics during spring training. I like how it's compact like the FoxBox but that the pitch count is in a different place. It looks squished against the diamond on the current FoxBox. I believed those debuted sometime last season, the only change for this season was that the scorebox was moved to the upper left hand corner from the bottom right hand corner. I'm not really fan (nor have I been) of NESN's look. It just seems so plain. The font choice bothers me for one, but they could have at least added the teams colors to the box to better differentiate one from the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24994J 5287 Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 WGN has the same graphics as last year. They're a little plain and I like CSN's better, but they're pretty good... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spring Rubber 618 Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 I've always hated the NESN look, as well. Looks rather dated. I also dislike the plain colors of WGN's look, as well. I liked their 2008-2010 package a lot better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24994J 5287 Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 I also dislike the plain colors of WGN's look, as well. I liked their 2008-2010 package a lot better. But the 2011 package was HORRIBLE compared to old and new... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
News 9 Viewer 100 Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 NESN also debuted new ingame graphics during spring training. I like how it's compact like the FoxBox but that the pitch count is in a different place. It looks squished against the diamond on the current FoxBox. I believed those debuted sometime last season, the only change for this season was that the scorebox was moved to the upper left hand corner from the bottom right hand corner. I'm not really fan (nor have I been) of NESN's look. It just seems so plain. The font choice bothers me for one, but they could have at least added the teams colors to the box to better differentiate one from the other. The version that debuted last year had subtle differences. As you can see, the inning indicator was in the lower left corner of the scorebox and the NESN logo was in the lower right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCAUTVNBC10 408 Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 MLB network needs to get a new look. They've had it now since they launched and it looked dated when it debuted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spring Rubber 618 Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I still like MLB Network's look. I watch the network so much that I'm used to where to look on every graphic to see what I want to see. Edit: I'm watching the NESN telecast on MLB Network right now. They're STILL doing that thing where they remove the score graphic as soon as the ball is put in play? What is this...the 90's? I want to be able to see where the baserunners are and how many outs there are while the ball is in play, especially if I'm multitasking and only look at the TV as soon as the ball is put in play. Having the score graphic on the screen (like every other network does) allows me to quickly see what the situation is with baserunners/outs. Why take it away like NESN does now? It's such a tiny graphic that it hardly interferes with anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24994J 5287 Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Nothing new on ESPN...or so I can tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viper550 268 Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 In Canada, Sportsnet (going along with their recent re-launch) debuted a new design last season that consisted of a bar across the bottom of the screen (i.e. this) Though, on both curling and hockey, Sportsnet has recently introduced a refreshed version that had a more metallic and colorful look and much smoother animation. They were using last year's during preseason so we'll find out on Tuesday... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A3N 996 Posted April 1, 2013 Author Share Posted April 1, 2013 I still like MLB Network's look. I watch the network so much that I'm used to where to look on every graphic to see what I want to see. Edit: I'm watching the NESN telecast on MLB Network right now. They're STILL doing that thing where they remove the score graphic as soon as the ball is put in play? What is this...the 90's? I want to be able to see where the baserunners are and how many outs there are while the ball is in play, especially if I'm multitasking and only look at the TV as soon as the ball is put in play. Having the score graphic on the screen (like every other network does) allows me to quickly see what the situation is with baserunners/outs. Why take it away like NESN does now? It's such a tiny graphic that it hardly interferes with anything. Sportstime Ohio used to do that, very annoying. Now that FOX Sports has taken over, I don't think that the scorebox will disappear like it used to. Nothing new on ESPN...or so I can tell. Nope, same graphics that have been around for several years now. ESPN is really slow in rolling out new graphics to its MLB telecasts. The YES Network really needs new graphics, not only are they ugly but they look cheap and outdated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viper550 268 Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 Sportsnet has done quite a few touch-ups this season; they finally fleshed out their package a bit more, changed out their scoreboard to be based off their new NHL one (I kinda expected that one), and in the most unexpected twist, we now got persistant strike zone/PitchTrax/K-Zone/whatever you call that thing with pitch count (kinda like how TBS does it). They've finally upped the production ante in general, it seems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spring Rubber 618 Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 So that's why the Pirates can't hit...their "I"s are all out of whack. Any folks with knowledge of broadcast graphics know how a font gets whacked out like this? They managed to get it fixed by the time they showed the Dodgers lineup in the next half inning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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