The condition of the course at Chambers Bay isn’t the only aspect of this year’s U.S. Open that people are complaining about. The coverage has also largely been a disaster. For the first time, NBC isn’t airing the USGA event, but Fox Sports is. And, well, some, including renowned golf reporter Dan Jenkins, say the network is missing a few basic elements.
A tip to Fox Sports: Please put on the screen who I'm looking at and how they stand. Or is it going to be guesswork all week long?
— Dan Jenkins (@danjenkinsgd) June 18, 2015
Jenkins (full disclosure: he is Washington Post columnist Sally Jenkins’s dad) is most upset about the lack of details Thursday’s Fox Sports 1 was offering its viewers during the tournament’s first round. At times, the network didn’t disclose who the golfer was on screen or where that golfer fell on the leader board.
For example, midday on Thursday, Rory McIlroy appeared on the screen, but the telecast neither posted his name nor his score even after he finished the hole, the number of which was also never posted on the broadcast.
(As it turns out, according to the Internet, it was hole. No. 1, his first of the day, which he made par on in four shots.)
Lack of labeling wasn’t the only issue either. For part of the broadcast, Fox Sports had no leader board.
Comedian Norm McDonald saw the irony, at least. Others didn’t.
Hey @FoxSports1, the leaderboard on http://t.co/eOCoF6gvS3 seems to be just working fine. Can't you just tell me what holes the guys are on?
— Brian Johnston (@brianjohnston) June 18, 2015
And while the above issues are all fixable with a few technical tweaks, some things might take a bit more practice to perfect. A lot of people aren’t happy with the camera work, for example, which has shown golfers shooting from bizarre angles so that their shots were lost in the air.
Someone needs to teach @FOXSports1 how to cover golf. These camera angles are awful.
— Mike Mohr ⭐⭐ (@mikemohr) June 18, 2015
@FOXSports1 this awful coverage!!! I don't wanna watch the player after he hits!! Show the ball!!!
— Benjamin Ham (@benjaminham12) June 18, 2015
@FOXSports1 switching cameras when balls are still moving, not showing any distances, can't even get people's scores right. #BringBackNBC
— Adam (@amb92z) June 18, 2015
Joe Buck, who’s known mostly for his play calling in the NFL and MLB, and broadcast partner Curt Menefee were also getting slammed. But the biggest issue for many was the broadcast’s sheer lack of what makes the sport’s fans want to tune in — golf.
Dear Fox Sports, Please show me golf when I watch the US Open Golf Championship not Curt Menefee and Joe Buck proving how little they know.
— Rick Dayton (@rickdayton) June 18, 2015
@hriefs @richarddeitsch @FOXSports1 From 10:55 to 11:12 am PDT, we saw a grand total of four golf shots. Unacceptable. Get it together, Fox.
— Kevin Price (@kevinp613) June 18, 2015
@FOXSports1 can y'all please show more than one group. #USOpen2015
— Fincher's Barbecue (@Finchersbbq) June 18, 2015
Fox Sports did little to address the thousands of complaints on Twitter, but did take the time to thank the few who complimented the coverage, two of whom happen to be named Jake.
@GBJakeT Glad you're enjoying the coverage Jake!
— FS1 (@FS1) June 18, 2015
@jakemm3 Glad you're enjoying the coverage Jake!
— FS1 (@FS1) June 18, 2015
NBC Sports, meanwhile, is getting some inadvertent great PR.
Can someone please help @NBCSports get the US Open contract back? Fox sports is lost!!!
— Michael Scully (@MedinahScully) June 18, 2015
Unfortunately for NBC, however, Fox outbid them in 2013 to gain the rights to air not just the U.S. Open, but also the U.S. Women’s Open and the U.S. Senior Open for the next 12 years. Let’s hope it doesn’t take that long for Fox to figure out how to put words and numbers on the screen …