Have you ever watched TV sports without commentary?
I’ve been watching Olympic cycling and handball and kayaking on the live streams that NBC provides without commentary. Some of these sports I’ve never seen before and so I don’t know the rules, nor the people.
Cycling I know a lot about, but I don’t know the people and I don’t know the impact of the Olympic rules on the sport. So I find myself asking all these questions and trying to answer them. Like what is the impact of having three person cycling teams by nation? Have they worked together before? Are they acting like a team, or just three competitors from a nation?
As I write, I switched back to the feed to find the three US competitors together at the front of the peloton. They are riding on the hilly part of the course. Which isn’t really very hilly. I’ve seen a number of attempted breaks, but none got far. Also, what is the impact of the rain?
Because there is no commentary, you hear the sound of the motorcycles only. They are electric! Also, the coverage likes to watch bicyclists with flat tires.
If you have watched coverage with no commentary, is this frustrating to you, or do you like it? What do you find yourself thinking that you wouldn’t think if there was commentary?
Observing members:
0
Composing members:
0
6 Answers
I am watching the NBC feed with commentary, and I know I’d be confused watching the stream without it. It’s tough, after watching the Tour de France for three weeks, finding out that there are no radios to the team cars. And there is no indication of how far they’ve gone, what the distance to the finish is.
There does seem to be some teamwork, although minor, to support a breakaway, but if the breakaway gets caught to set up the sprinter. But no idea how they decide who gets to do what for the team.
The rain just makes it much more difficult, because the course becomes dangerous.
Good luck on the no commentary, I am glad I have it.
I often watch baseball and football with the sound turned off (or in noisy bars from time to time where the television can’t be heard over the ambient noise). But since I understand those sports very well, even if I don’t follow most other teams, the only thing that I miss sometimes is the “color commentary” with personal details and other factoids / tidbits that I may not be aware of.
Soccer, too, is another game that’s good with no sound.
The women’s road race just went through the town of Dorking. God I would hate to be from Dorking. It’s raining. They show the names of a few riders—perhaps the favorites?
Some commentators do drone on a bit, so it’s tempting sometimes to hit mute, but at the end of the day the dialogue adds to the drama/tension, particularly when an event reaches it’s climax.
Only football, and that’s when I should be doing my homework and I’m not.
I wouldn’t like to watch any sport without commentary to be honest, it’s part of it.
Unless of course, I’m at the venue itself :D
I did that just today. We watched China versus the USA in women’s volleyball. It was a great game and I saw no need for commentators.
Answer this question 
Composing members:
0
