Despite the fact that we lowered the centerfield camera and the tight centerfield camera down on position on the cf platform, we still experienced unusable video from those two positions from the bottom of the first through the middle of the top of the third. Lowering the cameras approximately ten feet helped a little but we still took some pitches from the high home camera. PNC ballpark opened in 2001 and I have never experienced this problem before. Hopefully MLB and the Pirates will rectify the problem quickly.
The only other camera position in the National League that has a flare problem would be low first at Coors Field in Colorado. Near sundown, the pitcher shot from that position is unusable. In fact, the only time that I would use that particular shot would be to show how difficult it is for the first baseman to see a ball thrown from third base or from the hole at shortstop.
I think PNC Park in Pittsburgh is the best ballpark of all the new ballparks from a fan's perspective. The sandstone blockwork is beautiful and the view of downtown Pittsburgh is spectacular. Live shots for billboards are great. It is nice to not have to rely on scenics for billboards all the time as some of the scenics in some of the ballparks were shot 1 year ago, 2 years ago, and even longer. All sports broadcast production entities should shoot scenics with an ENG guy twice a year. Opening day and the first game after the All-Star game.
There are some problems with the camera positions at PNC however.
The dugout cameras (camera 1 in the Pirates dugout - 3rd base, and camera 5 in the visitor dugout - 1st base) are located on the outside of the dugout. This means that they are located on the outfield side of the dugout. The most effective dugout position for cameras is the inside position. There is an inside position in each dugout at PNC, but these positions cannot shoot the dugout because of handicapped elevators. While these cameras have nice shots up each respective baseline, the fact that they cannot shoot the dugout is detrimental to the telecast. The number one camera that creates the most excitement, that best captures a great moment in a game is the camera that shoots a player who just scored, (with a homerun even better), arriving in the dugout being greeted by his teammates, manager, and coaches. That camera location puts the viewer in the dugout. No camera position better excites the viewer, no camera position causes more elation in the fan and no camera angle sells more tickets.
Each and every team should look at their respective dugout positions and, if possible, make changes to ensure that their fans are able to enjoy the best moments of any telecast to the utmost degree. I believe that the cost of such changes would be well worth it.
We have already talked about the CF camera situation at PNC and I am sure that changes will be made. If not only because they have to be.
High home camera (camera 2) at PNC is fairly high and the backstop comes into play too much, but overall I believe it is not too bad. Compared to Three Rivers Stadium's hi-home camera position, the PNC position is usable.
As far as the mid level cameras at PNC, I prefer the mid first and mid third cameras to be low to the field. The ballparks built in the 60's, 70's, and 80's all were built with no mid cameras. They are called high first instead of mid first or high third instead of mid third. I wish there were mid cameras available at PNC, but, in fact, the high cameras are not too high.
I believe that the philosophy of television sports coverage in the beginning was to show the game.
Then the great Roone Arledge changed that philosophy to one that's purpose was to put the fan "in the ballpark."
The evolution of sports television equipment ie. - bigger lenses, smaller cameras (lipstick umpire cams), immediate replay access, computer graphics, companies like Stats Inc., wireless microphones, etc. have all contributed to a new and different philosophy - put the fan "on the field."
In fact, of all the technological changes made to the sports television industry, audio is still years behind video. Once the viewer is able to not only see all the action but hear it as well, then and only then, will the viewer be rewarded with total coverage of an event. For example, I want to hear what the pitching coach is saying to the closer on the mound in the bottom of the ninth. I want to hear what the third baseman is saying to Albert Pujols who just ripped a triple.
I WANT TO HEAR MORE ON SPORTS TELEVISION!