MLB 2016 Season

[A3N 1002]

Spring Training games are finally here, and with the start of the 2016 Cactus and Grapefruit League Season, there are some graphics changes to talk about.

 

First off CSN (Comcast Sportsnet) is debuting updated graphics for it's RSN's that air MLB games. Graphics follow the same design/concept as NBC Sports:

Then we have FOX Sports. The more notable changes are the FOXBOX moving from the bottom left hand corner of the screen to the bottom right hand corner. The pitch tracker is now colored to reflect the team.

Then we have this little slip up, perhaps a new graphics package for FOX Sports? Nothing at all like the current package.

[lugnuts6 91]

Impressive on all accounts

[A3N 1002]

YES Network (Yankees) new graphics:

[lugnuts6 91]

Gotta Question ..Todays Tigers /Yankees game is airing on Fox Sports Detroit -The Tigers tv home- , why then is YES Networks coverage being shown instead of FSDs with Mario & Rod , I wonder if other teams do this during spring training

[A3N 1002]

Gotta Question ..Todays Tigers /Yankees game is airing on Fox Sports Detroit -The Tigers tv home- , why then is YES Networks coverage being shown instead of FSDs with Mario & Rod , I wonder if other teams do this during spring training

It happens very frequently during Spring Training. Some RSN's will piggy-back off each other to show the game in their market when the other RSN is televising. FS Wisconsin does this frequently every year. Or they do joint-broadcasts. FS Midwest and Florida will do several joint telecasts. NESN and ROOT Pittsburgh do 2 joint telecast each spring as well ( I think ROOT Houston did one with Pittsburgh last year as well). I suppose it cuts down on costs for both RSN's, plus it's neat to get the opposing team's broadcasters perspective.

[WCAUTVNBC10 415]

Spring Training games are finally here, and with the start of the 2016 Cactus and Grapefruit League Season, there are some graphics changes to talk about.

 

First off CSN (Comcast Sportsnet) is debuting updated graphics for it's RSN's that air MLB games. Graphics follow the same design/concept as NBC Sports:

 

I've noticed Comcast Sportsnet is starting to emphasize the CSN brand/logo more. As you can see in the first pic, the open has been modified with the CSN logo. It had used the full Comcast Sportsnet logo since it debuted in 2012. The hockey and basketball opens also reflect that change.

[A3N 1002]

I've noticed Comcast Sportsnet is starting to emphasize the CSN brand/logo more. As you can see in the first pic, the open has been modified with the CSN logo. It had used the full Comcast Sportsnet logo since it debuted in 2012. The hockey and basketball opens also reflect that change.

I noticed that. Looks good. I do like that they moved the CSN bug to the top right hand corner by itself.

[Georgie56 3333]

I'm seeing an updated ticker on MLB Network right now.

[Viper550 292]

If you're watching the Blue Jays home opener, you may hear a familiar voice normally associated with something that normally occurs 48 hours from now.

[brianpr3 178]

If you're watching the Blue Jays home opener, you may hear a familiar voice normally associated with something that normally occurs 48 hours from now.

 

who?

[ns8401 961]

who?

Judging by the post time one of the Sunday Night Baseball guys...

[24994J 5657]

It sure sounded like Costas, and that's nothing new considering it's MLB Network.

[Georgie56 3333]

Judging by the post time one of the Sunday Night Baseball guys...

Dan Shulman did say that he would call a few Jays games for Sportsnet this season.

[RGSJenkins 435]

The new MLB Network scoreboard.

[GALLERY=media, 787]MLB Network scoreboard by RGSJenkins posted Apr 8, 2016 at 11:11 PM[/GALLERY][GALLERY=media, 786]MLB Network new scoreboard by RGSJenkins posted Apr 8, 2016 at 11:07 PM[/GALLERY]

[24994J 5657]

Can't wait to see what happens when a game goes to extra innings, because that column is barely wide enough for a single digit.

[ns8401 961]

Can't wait to see what happens when a game goes to extra innings, because that column is barely wide enough for a single digit.

They'll add the digit below I would imagine...

[Viper550 292]

I was actually talking about Shulman, but I didn't know Costas was commentating last night too so I guess my remark about something associated with Sunday works for both (SNF for Costas, SNB for Shulman - who historically did Blue Jays games on TSN before he got his big gig down south)

 

And that new scoreboard? Meh. It really does look like a cross between NBC's 2012 package and the pre-NBC CSN package. Despite how intrusive looking their PitchTrax-type box is, you begin to appreciate the home team for having the only bottom banner scoreboard in the entire league.

 

Speaking of Sportsnet, the high resolution arms race has begun again: this time it's 4K. Shockingly, Canada has been ahead of everyone else when it comes to actually doing 4K broadcasts. Every Blue Jays home game will be in 4K this year for the 16 people who can actually get 4K from their television provider. There have also been a handful of NHL and Toronto Raptors games in 4K, and the Juno Awards this past weekend were the first ever awards show in 4K.

[Spring Rubber 717]

 

Let's say I'm just tuning in for the first time and have no idea what the standard style of the score graphic is. I would have no idea if it's saying that the bases are loaded or empty. In actuality, the bases are loaded in this pic, but without knowing that gray is the color of unloaded bases, this graphic is confusing to a new viewer. Basically every other network uses yellow or some other color to indicate loaded bases, not white. IIRC, CSN tried to use white back in 2009 or so, but they quickly switched back to yellow after learning that white was confusing.

 

I feel like it's made worse because the bases have white text below them. I feel like this gives the impression to the viewer that white is the default color of the score graphic, and thus white should indicate that the bases are empty. I feel like they should really consider using yellow or another color for loaded bases going forward.

 

I'm also not a huge fan of leaving the Outs indicator off of the graphic while there are no outs, but that's not as serious of an issue.

[nathannah 2520]

AT&T, which bought DirecTV last year, also got their Root Sports Networks in Seattle, Pittsburgh, Denver/Utah and Houston, and has put them under the new banner "AT&T Sports Networks". Root Sports' branding is remaining with the usual "part of the AT&T Sports Networks" appendix on the end.

[A3N 1002]

AT&T, which bought DirecTV last year, also got their Root Sports Networks in Seattle, Pittsburgh, Denver/Utah and Houston, and has put them under the new banner "AT&T Sports Networks". Root Sports' branding is remaining with the usual "part of the AT&T Sports Networks" appendix on the end.

They'll probably ditch the ROOT Sports moniker next year. It took them about a year to move away from FSN to ROOT Sports under DirecTV. Plus, they'll be due for a new graphics package by then anyhow...

[Spring Rubber 717]

MLB Network fixed the two very things I pointed out above. Bases that are loaded are now yellow, and the indicator displays "0 OUT" instead of being blank when there's 0 outs. Thanks MLB Network!

[Viper550 292]

Meanwhile at said game, the supposed first 4K broadcast in U.S. MLB history was a bust.

[WCAUTVNBC10 415]

NBC/CSN gave their baseball scoreboard a little facelift:

 

[Spring Rubber 717]

I definitely can see why they did this. With the old design, it was hard to see the yellow bases at a distance.

[Georgie56 3333]

Bump. TBS has new graphics for MLB. Looks like it's based off the new March Madness package.

 

This makes me wonder if Turner is going to start using one graphics package for NBA, MLB, March Madness, and the PGA Championship.