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Broadcasts for sporting events have continually added more and more features to try and make viewings more exciting for fans. During Wednesday’s broadcast of the NBA Playoffs, TNT took things up another level.
Despite playing indoors at Boston’s TD Garden, TNT utilized a drone to broadcast certain video portions of the game. The idea sounds like a cool one in theory, but the practice itself did not produce optimal results, to say the least.
Many fans slammed the actual footage for its poor video quality while others harped on the idea of a drone flying inside the arena as distracting for those actually in attendance. Either way, it doesn’t look like this method is picking up serious traction for future usage.
Here is what fans and media on Twitter had to say about the drone usage in TNT’s broadcast:
The drone footage TNT using for this Sixers/Celtics game pic.twitter.com/L0nT5qoxE8
— Blazers Palace (@blazers_palace) May 4, 2023
The TNT drone is suboptimal for Level 9 Celtics-Sixers viewing. pic.twitter.com/BpFEwIkEx0
— Darren Hartwell (@darren_hartwell) May 4, 2023
The drone pilot on TNT pic.twitter.com/GLFdBLUEiu
— Mikey O’ver (@MikeyOver1) May 4, 2023
TNT experimenting with low quality drone footage like this isn’t a playoff game lmao
— jeff (@retrojeffhoops) May 4, 2023
Glad I pay for 1GB internet download speeds just for TNT to show me this 360p drone camera footage lol
— Per Sources (@PerSources) May 4, 2023
When TNT switches to the drone camera #NBAPlayoffs #PHIvsBOS pic.twitter.com/vQCo32f6NJ
— Alex Hernandez (@salejandroh) May 4, 2023
The resolution on these drone shots TNT keeps using #PHIvsBOS pic.twitter.com/2SEJ6NCjkR
— Alex Hernandez (@salejandroh) May 4, 2023
TNT exec/drone enthusiast: “What if we had a camera to broadcast the basketball game except — get this — it is notably worse than the regular camera?”
TNT boss: pic.twitter.com/oCbOSqUh2j
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) May 4, 2023
Why is there a drone flying around above the court. That’s super distracting TNT
— Jazz Focus (@utjazzfocus) May 4, 2023
Seriously who at TNT went “Yo I got this great idea for a drone camera that makes it look like you’re playing NBA Live 97’!” #Sixers #ForTheLoveOfPhilly
— Christopher (@GT_491) May 4, 2023
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
