If you watched hockey in the 2000s, the crowd audio would often be louder than commentary. This made you feel like you were in the arena.
During the current playoffs, TV broadcasts reduced crowd volume so much that you can barely hear it.
Reducing crowd volume completely ruins the atmosphere.
Here’s an example of crowd audio when it’s not reduced:
by info-warz
25 Comments
Agreed
What is the rock song they keep playing for semi promos?
It isn’t just hockey, lots of sports. And really dependent on the placement of mics too. For instance think of how loud the foghorn is on Patriots (NFL) games versus another stadium.
Did it have something to do with the “Let’s Go Brandon” chants.
Didn’t even realize until now. Yeah, that was much better. Drowns out these terrible colour guys too.
As someone who like to hear when the announcers have something worth saying (stats/history/explaining rules) I don’t want the crowd to overpower the announcers. I also don’t want the crowd not to be heard in the broadcast. I get more headaches the louder the crowd is which is why I don’t go to live sports very often and watching hockey at times has given me headaches. There’s a balance between the two that I always hope broadcasts aim for.
I agree. Sometimes I wish I could watch a game on TV without the commentary. Especially ESPN and Doc Emrick back in the day
I noticed it’s muted in ESPN coverage , not TNT though
Just enjoy it while you can, in a few years I reckon the commentators will be just whispering various betting websites or apps and the crowd will be completely obscured with a myriad or advertising
“How else do you expect us to commentate? Y’all some loud motherfuckers!”
-The commentators.
From a technical standpoint, I think at least part of it has to do with the dynamics of how loud and quiet it gets honestly.
Before software was the Chief Audio Engineer for live broadcasts—actively attenuating/compressing dozens of mics, an actual human being was constantly monitoring a mixing board with all 16+ microphones connected.
So when a crowd got much louder back in those days, there was no auto-attenuation (compression) to balance out the sudden spike in volume.
But I doubt there is an active decision to decrease crowd volume. Just more and more focus on Ads, software dependency and typical Hollywood egos.
Hockey peaked in the 2000s/early 10s
Change my mind
I remember a couple of years ago the local commentators just let the crowd “have” the last 30 seconds of a Canes game because it was so loud. It was magical.
Not to mention the vast number of fucking moronic betting commercials and moving ads on the boards…..
https://youtu.be/0OOPMtKA7vc
I rewatched this recently and thought they must have been amplifying the crowd noise. Prob just microphone locations but it was drowning out Doc.
One thing I’ve found super distracting is the moving ads they impose on the boards. Bunch of little things just starting to add up. I also just miss doc emerick so much.
I noticed this too I thought it was just a malfunction.. that’s lame
At least they don’t artificially amp up game noises like Fox does for when the baseball hits the catcher’s mit during the World Series. It sounds so fucken fake *oMgoMg tHe BaLl Is AbOuT tO eXpLoDe FrOm AlL tHe PoWeR oMgOmg*
The versus days were low key awesome.
It’s more of an ESPN angle. TNT and local crews have always been top notch and sound hasn’t been an issue. Arena is always loud as fuck on tv
For some reason, it seems like they amplify the people in the front row smacking the glass with their hands. That always is super noticeable
Man I’d pay extra for a game package that had no announcers and all the audio for ice level game action, crowd, officials and players cranked
Watching sports on US stations sucks…I’ve notice both NHL and NBA games get muted at times to avoid, go forbid, a curse word being aired…in Canada they swear in the interviews after winning a series or winning the cup. I find it amusing that after the Cup is won US tv audio seems choppy due to the censoring, and Canadian tv you hear the “fucking ehs” and “fuckin rights” and the true emotions of winning, and losing.
If only NHL producers embraced surround and atmos/height channels to really put you in the stadium.. THAT could be an awesome experience.
I mute the announcers and play music