FOX Proved They Can Have Afford End Zone Cameras For Noon Kickoffs

November 3rd, 2024

As Joe suspected, this story has legs. And because Joe is still reading new comments posted about this subject this morning, Joe is sharing a related story.

Yes, the Bucs and Antoine Winfield got robbed of six points last week when Winfield stripped the ball from Kyle Pitts’ mitts at the goal line in the five-point 31-26 loss to the Dixie Chicks.

So why wasn’t the call at the goal line reversed? FOX didn’t have a goal line camera and the only angles FOX had showed the play inconclusive and the call stood.

Later that night, video surfaced from Sean Barie of local FOX affiliate WTVT-TV Channel 13. He stood on the 1.5-yard line. And also, Joe found out FOX could have easily had a goal line camera last Sunday if it wanted to.

Networks are not required by the NFL to have cameras on each boundary and goal line. Since it costs money to do this, most 1 p.m. regional broadcasts do not have said cameras. Virtually all nationally televised games (the “big” game at 4 p.m. and all primetime games) have goal line cameras.

In other words, as Joe was told, the NFL does not mandate or have a “template” that mandates cameras or their placement.

But as evidenced yesterday in the early televised window of college football games Saturday, FOX had a hand-held camera in the end zone near the goal line of the Ohio State-Penn State game. And sure enough, that camera helped decide a potential touchdown in what turned out to be a one-score game as Ohio State beat Penn State 20-13.

Ohio State quarterback Will Howard ran on a keeper from 12 yards out. He appeared to have scored but came awfully close to stepping out of bounds at the 2. Howard then fumbled. But was the ball over the goal line?

You can see the clip here.

The zebras determined, with help from a FOX camera near the goal line, that Howard lost control of the ball before it went over the pylon, which resulted in a touchback. Penn State ball.

That call clearly kept Penn State in the game.

The difference televising the Bucs’ game and the college game? Almost all 1 p.m. kickoffs are regionally televised. FOX has “Big Noon Kickoff,” which is a nationally televised Big Ten game at noon. Nationally-televised games equal revenue.

Also, based viewer ratings, FOX was probably looking at 10 million viewers for the Ohio State-Penn State game with both teams being top-five teams and the winner likely securing a playoff berth. Last year’s game between the two schools pulled in 9.96 million..

Joe isn’t sure the Bucs have ever pulled in 10 million viewers for a 1 p.m. regular season regional broadcast.

https://twitter.com/CFBONFOX/status/1852763979392647618

19 Responses to “FOX Proved They Can Have Afford End Zone Cameras For Noon Kickoffs”

  1. Tye Says:

    If the Bucs were better coached on defense, the Bucs would not have needed to rely on some drop at endzone!

  2. DavidBigBucsFan99 Says:

    Money talks and the Bucs walk

  3. #99 the big fella Says:

    If a bullfrog had wings he wouldn’t bump his ass either.

  4. GoneGator Says:

    Yesterday’s mashed potatoes.

  5. Mike C Says:

    Tye, Forced Fumble, give Winfield his do.

  6. Beeej Says:

    Chris Olave is one very unlucky dude

  7. Bucsfan Says:

    NFL dropped the ball completely as the league could and should have mandated goal line cameras in the contract language of the TV deal.

  8. Pmike Says:

    Talk about beating a dead horse!! Can we move on please!!!

  9. Herdofem Says:

    If the nhl can have goal line cameras, why isn’t the nfl mandating goal line cameras. Probably could fit in the pilons. Bad management nfl! Also Fox greed, shocker!

  10. Buchen61 Says:

    The nfl much like everything else today is ahem cough corrupt

  11. gp Says:

    How much noise would there be if the roles were reversed and Otten was the one to fumble at the goal line yet be rewarded the TD?
    Wait….What am I thinking?
    The refs would’ve called that a fumble.And they would probably have flagged Otten with “unsportsmanlike” for celebrating before crossing the plane.

    itsabucslife

  12. orlbucfan Says:

    Murdoch’s POX has plenty of dough to do whatever they want. That is supposed to be a big surprise?

  13. Adrnagy Says:

    It does not matter if Bucs are not coach better or player didn’t play better or whatever excuse. That’s 6 points should never been on scoreboard. That’s a failure of the league. And competition committee. If that’s the case. Why call penalties. All Penalties can be questionable. It’s an integrity of the league. And officiating.

  14. Bartow Buc Says:

    Agree Joe

    Goal line cameras should be mandatory, period. I bet they have them at Arrowhead Stadium!

    Go Bucs !!

  15. Joe in Michigan Says:

    Is Oneilbuc watching the Cleveland game? 😬

  16. BucsFanSince1996 Says:

    FOX only generates about 2.2 Billion annually from its NFL broadcasting rights. Clearly, they can’t afford additional cameras. Can we hold a bake sale for them to raise some money so they can buy more cameras?

  17. Dave Pear Says:

    The more cameras there are, the more angles there are to show the futility of Lovie’s so called “defense.”

  18. Esteban85 Says:

    The headline for this story sounds like a drunk wrote it up

  19. #99 the big fella Says:

    Dave pear I actually agree with you

 

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