Ring entrances on Sky broadcasts...

[whiskey]

Is it just me or does the pointless jabbering by Watt & Rawlings as the fighters make their way to the ring, spoil it completely ?

I've seen a few American broadcasts where they say, and now making his weigh to the ring "Chad Dawson" .. then they let them come all the way through the crowd to the ring. You get a real sense of the occaision. The music pumping, the tension etc.

Perfect example was Pacquiao vs Mosely - no sooner did the music start playing, so did the Watt & Rawlings waffling. Like nails running down a blackboard, they're pointless squawking of useless drivel detracts completely from the vibe. Almost shouting over the top of the broadcast.

I'd seriously love the commentary to be on a mute facility. Like where you can press the red button and get fans discussing the fight, or just literally the crowd.

I dont mind some chat as they do the backstage tunnel walk, but please when they start making their way to the ring, please just shut up man !

Done properly:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4vHby3wPy4

[whicker]

Agree, Sky commentary is drab and awful. Its like two blokes chatting on a bus, doesn't build the occassiona at all.

[Benelio]

I disagree. Commentary has never really bothered me with ring entrances. Better than just 'dead air' in my opinion. And I prefer Watt and Rawling's commentary to some of the hyperbole that comes out of US commentators' mouths.

[Glyn Leach]

For a lot of these entrances, it really would be 'dead air' — many of the foreign imports arrive without any entrance music of their own, what you hear is chosen by the show's promoter. Under these circumstances, with no thought having been put into the entrance, it's hard to see why the commentators shouldn't tell us a bit about the bloke, who many people will never have heard of anyway (sadly). What I really dislike is the sight of some poor boxer standing there like a plonker until he's told it's time to start walking to the ring — that just looks Mickey Mouse, so unprofessional.

But what you really don't need is a good entrance spoiled by superfluous chat, an example being when DeGale came to the ring accompanied by some tune alluding to a bloke called Chunky, and Ian Darke helpfully informing the world: "And guess what, it's about him!"

I think a lot could be learned from UFC entrances, which tend to focus on the fighter rather than the commentator (a concept Sky fails to get its head around quite often). But these entrances, while relatively simple — a fighter walking through the crowd accompanied by music — are actually very well planned and timed to perfection from a TV perspective. And the 'need' to talk over them is removed by a brief head-to-head segment before every fight. The UFC has absolutely mastered combat sports broadcasting IMO, but it takes work, professionalism and imagination to do so.

[Gazmac81]

the Klitcho Ring Entrances are Quality ( no cheap jokes please )
cant wait for the it on Haye night , will be chilling

[whicker]

I think a lot could be learned from UFC entrances, which tend to focus on the fighter rather than the commentator (a concept Sky fails to get its head around quite often0.

Yeah, I agree- commentators should focus on the fighters- and the fight - and a bit of hype is good. They seem , in the UK , to take more of a pundit role- assessing , evaluating and offering personal opinions. I don't like that.

[junior pepa seed]

I think a lot could be learned from UFC entrances, which tend to focus on the fighter rather than the commentator (a concept Sky fails to get its head around quite often). But these entrances, while relatively simple — a fighter walking through the crowd accompanied by music — are actually very well planned and timed to perfection from a TV perspective. And the 'need' to talk over them is removed by a brief head-to-head segment before every fight. The UFC has absolutely mastered combat sports broadcasting IMO, but it takes work, professionalism and imagination to do so.

This spot on

Was good to see pacman and moseley with good walk ins, LL cool j and Jimmy jamison dope

[whiskey]

For a lot of these entrances, it really would be 'dead air' — many of the foreign imports arrive without any entrance music of their own, what you hear is chosen by the show's promoter. Under these circumstances, with no thought having been put into the entrance, it's hard to see why the commentators shouldn't tell us a bit about the bloke, who many people will never have heard of anyway (sadly). What I really dislike is the sight of some poor boxer standing there like a plonker until he's told it's time to start walking to the ring — that just looks Mickey Mouse, so unprofessional.

But what you really don't need is a good entrance spoiled by superfluous chat, an example being when DeGale came to the ring accompanied by some tune alluding to a bloke called Chunky, and Ian Darke helpfully informing the world: "And guess what, it's about him!"

York Hall bum fights obviously need colouring with a bit of background information like "Johan is a binman from Latvia with 11 kids and is married to a goat. His hobbies include getting punched in the face and pickpocketing"

It's when it's a marquee event - the commentators should allow the pyrotechnics, the entrance music and the fans cheering to fill there air.

Seriously the way Watt was screaming over the top of Pacquiao's entrance was a joke. It was like he was the lead singer and the two boxers were the backing vocals.

You just know the Kltischko entrance will be a spectacle of lasers, sound effects and pumping music as the long-awaited event unfolds finally...

..and it will be spoilt with Watt shouting "Haye needs to land bang on the chin! bang on the chin! bang on the chin!"

[Scottrf]

Depends what the atmosphere is like really, and how much the entrance depends on the accompanying audio.

[Glyn Leach]

York Hall bum fights obviously need colouring with a bit of background information like "Johan is a binman from Latvia with 11 kids and is married to a goat. His hobbies include getting punched in the face and pickpocketing"

[SAPFO]

The ultimate boxing entrance PacMan had and Watt spoilt it. Even PacMan looked starstruck!

[Glyn Leach]

It's the commentary team that get starstruck when Pacman's around IMO. John Rawling managed to eulogise about 'the fantastic Filipino' etc all through the moments of the Margarito fight when Pac was getting hurt to the body. It's like they feel they have to try harder the bigger the fight is, when a big fight speaks for itself. Less is more on such occasions.

[Wrists]

I quite like the idea of no commentary during entrances.

However if that were the case during some of the entrances for Judah, Tyson, Naz (the rap phase not the quality early 90s dance phase ) and Mayweather you would then have Adam et al apologising for the 'industrial language' all night.

[whiskey]

Adam Smith is just following broadcasting protocol for apologising for bad language by the cornermen.

The reality is he knows were all there to watch two men beat the back teeth out of each other and are very unlikely to be offended by some sticks & stones.