The NBA on NBC returns in just over a month. While the network has leaned heavily on its 1990s nostalgia, it’s also going to try some bold experiments when it comes to covering games.
On Tuesday, NBC revealed that they are going to attempt a brand new way of covering NBA action with what the network is calling “on the bench.”
When the Cleveland Cavaliers face the Detroit Pistons on October 27, it will be the debut of the concept that Peacock will use for its 23 Peacock NBA Monday game broadcasts. And in that first telecast, the streamer will position its broadcasters in a totally unique way for an NBA game.
Play-by-play announcer Noah Eagle will take the mic at a traditional center-court location in the broadcast booth. However, he will have one analyst located near each bench of the Cavaliers and Pistons respectively by their assistant coaches. Austin Rivers will be located with the Cavs bench and Robbie Hummel will be on the Pistons sidelines.
Each analyst will then present analysis, insights, and reports geared towards their respective teams including relaying what they learn from huddles and timeouts.
“Never before has a game featured an analyst dedicated exclusively to each team with such unparalleled access,” said Executive Producer Sam Flood. “Each analyst will be dedicated to telling the story of the game through the lens of their team. At the same time, we will respect the sanctity of the inside information our analysts are able to hear but will always strive to give the audience unique insights that only this type of access can provide. We’re grateful to the NBA and its teams for their vision and faith in our ability to provide this first-of-its-kind coverage.”
Clearly, NBC is trying to emulate an innovation from its NHL coverage where they stationed a hockey analyst “Inside the Glass.” That development has been largely successful as it has been implemented by other networks and local teams in years since, even though it might be more dangerous than an NBA analyst sitting by the bench.
But now the NBA on Peacock is upping the ante by having three different announcers in three different locations. Just from a pure logistical perspective, that has to be an incredible challenge for Noah Eagle, Robbie Hummel, and Austin Rivers. How can you develop chemistry as a broadcast team in that setup? And how awkward will it be if one analyst is only supposed to talk about one team while the other analyst is only focused on the other side?
If it works, it could provide unique insights never before seen during an NBA telecast and be a gamechanger for the way other networks do it moving forward. If it doesn’t, it will go down in history alongside TNT’s Players Only telecasts as experimental ideas best left on the cutting room floor.
