ESPN’s SkyCast camera malfunctioned during the College Football Playoff quarterfinal clash between Notre Dame and Georgia, with viewers left looking at wonky shots of the crowd.
The “Worldwide Leader” broadcasted alternative coverage of the Sugar Bowl on ESPN News, with the intention of giving fans a wide-angle view of the action from high above the Superdome field in New Orleans.
However, instead of treating viewers to a birdseye view of the action between the Fighting Irish and Bulldogs, they were more likely to be dealing with motion sickness in the second quarter as the camera lost sight of the field and wobbled while pointing at the crowd.
In another instance, the camera flipped upside down before ESPN took the coverage offline for approximately an hour to fix the issue, showing viewers standard camera angles instead.
Before it went offline, viewers could see the camera descending from the roof of the stadium and was looked at by technicians, with the issue eventually resolved and coverage restored to normal. But not until after viewers had missed a crucial play that set the tone for the game.
With the game scoreless, Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton hit Arian Smith in stride for what should have been a 67-yard completion, setting the Bulldogs up on the Notre Dame 11-yard line. However, inactive defensive back Parker Jones was flagged for sideline interference after colliding with an official as he celebrated.
Fans watching the SkyCast could only see the stands in the Superdome as the call was announced, surely leaving them bemused by what had happened on the bizarre play.
Viewers vented their frustrations on social media. One user said: “ESPN just flat out killing me with no Command Center or SkyCast What gives!?!” Another said: “Hey ESPN! Fix the SkyCast! I have it on so I don’t have to listen to your annoying announcers! Fix it!”
The 15-yard penalty took the wind out of Georgia’s sails and they could not move the chains, forcing them to kick the field goal and take a 3-0 lead. The game soon spiraled out of control, with Notre Dame taking 13-3 lead into halftime, before cruising to a 23-10 win, punching their ticket to next week’s Orange Bowl against Penn State.
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