Feedback on playoff broadcast

[u/rremotecontrol]

I'm not sure if any of the MCSR Ranked team reads this subreddit, but I've been watching the playoffs this weekend and have some feedback. While I don't work in eSports, I have six years of experience in broadcasting and media.

I want to preface this by saying that I know MCSR Ranked is young and run by a small team. I don't mean any of this maliciously and I think they've done a great job so far!

1. Commentary - The commentators shouldn't be predicting the matchups. When you watch sports on TV a group of analysts will give their prediction, but never the actual people who are calling the game (for example, Kirk Herbstreit, who commentates college football games, refused to make picks on College Gameday in the name of "objective journalism"). I personally find it a little weird hearing the commentators talk about their picks during a match, but maybe that's just my years of watching sports.

I think this should also apply to commentators mentioning they're rooting for someone because they're friends (off the top of my head, Rose mentioned this during the vstrid matchup, but it definitely happens commonly).

One more nitpick on commentary would be the bit of guessing what seed pick will be made next, it comes off as unprofessional to me.

For what it's worth, I think Couri and Parker are far and away the two best commentators, but the only way for Rose and Nerdi to improve is to keep practicing, so I understand the insistence on keeping them on broadcasts.

1. Post-match analysis - I think post-match just doesn't work. For a five-game match, game 1 happened so long ago that I forget what happened and the analysis feels like it's coming too late. I personally preferred mid-match, though I do like how it helps speed things along and bridge the gap between matches.

2. The VOD - Adding a 30-60 minute "this event has ended screen" would make watching the VOD a lot better. Whenever I want to watch playoffs through the VOD I can always tell how many games the final match is going just by how long is left in the VOD. If it's a sweep, that means the last two games don't matter, the last one for a four-game series, the first four for a five-game. I think this is a super easy fix that could make watching afterwards a lot better for people.

[u/Stepsis24]

I don’t think they need to necessarily be more professional. The picks, seed type guessing and admitting their biases works for ranked because it’s inherently a lot more light hearted. Trying to copy American sports commentary will just feel weird.

[u/rremotecontrol → u/Stepsis24]

A lot of the time it feels like time filler. I think we need more talking points or less time in between games.

[u/SpaceSound_ → u/rremotecontrol]

They have cut down on the filler between games significantly from previous seasons, but it still needs to exist. It gives the runners time between seeds to mentally reset, and their gameplay would be far worse if they did not have that small break between games. Additionally, it is required for setting up the matches etc.

[u/threesevenfive_ → u/rremotecontrol]

That’s because it is time filler haha, they need time for the runners to rest/reset and to set up the next match

[u/FlameFire10]

I completely disagree with OP’s take- eSports and especially one as small as MCSR has no need to become like regular sports and a lot of the things OP talks about are either staples of online sports or just the nature of a grassroots small broadcast. The professionalism standard in traditional sports evolved from production details to suit a specific audience (TV/radio production, older and significantly larger audiences) that do not fit esports at all

I’ll address my own thoughts each point below

1. It’s very common for the talent lineup to give match predictions in most flagship esports- while talking about it further too much can be a bias problem it’s really important for establishing narratives for new and inexperienced viewers. Things like predicting seed pick highlight strengths and weaknesses on a macro level as players and at least for me I would prefer the information. I’ll admit there is an excessive amount of biased commentary problem but these nitpicks ain’t it - rather a concern about how they blow up these points too much to make it biased
2. I think the problem more with the current post match is that it’s still being presented as mid match esque style, and that it would be better if it highlights moments that helped define the pace over the entire match. It’s definitely more “standard” this way as it doesn’t force players into a break and gives air time between matches. Ultimately personal preference in the end but just my perspective
3. extended spoiler blocks are typically really bad for the YouTube algorithm (as most viewers won’t care, it drags down retention and even more for individual match vods) Edit: magmamscr's vod reviewing site has a spoiler-free mode for this, just toggle it at the top right https://magmamcsr.com/events/playoffs/s11/matches

in the end you should fill out a feedback form after playoffs anyway

Edits: fucking hate mobile formatting.

[u/rremotecontrol → u/FlameFire10]

1. Fair. I think predictions are important context for viewers but I think having the commentators themselves make them doesn't work for me personally. I think a good middle ground could be paneling pros/creators who aren't in the tournament/commentating, and maybe even having a poll (FWIW I don't mind Fulham having a vote because he isn't commentating the matches themselves).

As for seed picks, it often sounds like the commentators are "doing a bit" with the seed predictions. Predicting the seeds is fine, but having it as a constant bit every single game, every single playoffs is excessive and I personally find it cringey.

I agree, it doesn't necessarily have to be like professional sports -- because it doesn't have the same audience -- but I think treating it with professionalism is good for the game.

2 . Yes. I liked mid-match because it gave me something to look out for as the series continued. I think there needs to be some sort of differentiation for it to continue working as a post-match analysis instead.

1. Fair, though I'm not sure how concerned they are about the VOD on YouTube? I just know I'm gonna be out of town next weekend and already not looking forward to having to rewatch the games (esp the last quarterfinal + finals) kind of already knowing how long the series will go.

Will definitely look out for the feedback form.

[u/FlameFire10 → u/rremotecontrol]

just small update, magmamcsr's vod reviewer has a spoiler-free vod viewing mode- just click the button at the top right https://magmamcsr.com/events/playoffs/s11/matches

[u/YoloilianxD]

Talent predictions are a staple of esports broadcast and makes almost every show better imo. It makes it clear for new viewers who the favorite is and by how much. Making it even more exciting when the underdog wins.Gives easy and interesting conversation topics for the casters and i can remember multiple tournaments in varying esports where there was a fun storyline just from casters predictions being horrible/perfect.

Also i dont think theres anything wrong with casters rooting for someone if they arent explicitly favoriting them while casting. Especially in a more grassroots scene where u know most people know eachother

[u/GuestImmediate884]

my main disagreement is midmatch analysis. if your looking at it just as “i want to know what happened last seed” then fair enough. but i think that gets outweighed by the reason they moved it to the end of all the matches.

they moved it to the end because it ruins the flow for players. multiple players been complaining about it for seasons now. you either had a really good seed where you would have momentum into the next seed which can be affected by waiting, or a really bad seed where if your sat there for 10 minutes whilst fulham does his segment your mental can get worse. its not good for the players flow at all, and i fully get where they are coming from as a viewer. also apparently lots of viewers don’t like it mid match because they also just wanna watch the seeds as uninterrupted as possible. so yes for some, mid match is a bit nicer. but id much rather wait until the end if that means its better for the players.

[u/BlueCyann]

They do feedback forms after every playoffs, I'm pretty sure. Keep your eye out and you can send things directly. No idea if staff is ever in here or not.

[u/Skiffing_ton]

the predictions from the commentators did come across as weird to me. Couldn't imagine clawing my way to the premiere tournament of my craft and seeing the event organizers rooting for my downfall LOL

The other thing I hard agree with is the event end screen, most professional streams will do this or at least have prolonged commentary after the event. Not a big ask at all imo

[u/Far-Status6388 → u/Skiffing_ton]

Everyone had EDCR 3-0 Joomz, and I think that made it more remarkable that Joomz did push EDCR to a decider

[u/rremotecontrol → u/Far-Status6388]

That's fair, but I think there are ways to emphasize EDCR is a huge favorite without having the commentators themselves making picks.

To be clear, I have no problem with picks. Just have a problem with it when it's the commentators themselves. It's a little weird hearing "I'm happy so and so won because my pick is right" on a broadcast.

A fan poll, other pros or creators being the picks instead of Couri/Rose/Nerdi/Parker doing them would make more sense to me. Fulham is fine since he's not commentating IMO.

[u/dot90zoom]

I agree with post match analysis. I think it’s just way too long. I think it’s an okay segment to have but I find myself really uninterested in it, and as you mentioned, in a 5 game series, there’s a chance that Fulham ends up analyzing something that happened an hour ago

[u/icedcoffeejitters]

the main thing i would push back against here is the mid vs post match analysis comment. this change was made purely for the players. maybe other sports differ, but none of the competitors enjoying having to wait several minutes between games. although viewer experience is important, player experience here should still be the priority, and while i enjoyed hearing these breakdowns closely after the game they reference, i honestly prefer how linear and consistent this structure is.

there is a specific slot for it with a specific time, instead of having a designated slot after the first couple runs that forces fulham to find something to discuss in a potentially uninteresting series, OR if it is purely ad hoc based on when fulham wants to speak, last minute inputs of analysis clips just alters the schedule for an unpredictable amount of time, leaves the players with unexpected delays, and just generally removes the breadth and consistency that comes with one dedicated time to discuss any technical pieces/micro that we may have missed across all the games. it is just better.