FanGraphs: Q&A with broadcaster Jon “Boog” Sciambi

From SABR member David Laurila at FanGraphs on March 19, 2012:

Jon “Boog” Sciambi never found himself the subject of a scathing critique on the “Fire Joe Morgan” blog, and for good reason. Few, if any, broadcasters have been as saber-friendly as the former Marlins and Braves, and current ESPN, play-by-play man. Sciambi was in attendance at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference earlier this month, and between sessions he discussed the use of advanced stats in the broadcast booth.

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Sciambi, on giving the audience what they need: “Some broadcasters simply aren’t interested in advanced stats and there are others who are worried that the audience will have their eyes glaze over if they use them. But if you are interested, by and large you’re going to use them. As I’ve said before, it’s kind of like the New York Times and the New York Post. The Post puts on their front page what they feel the readers think is most relevant. The Times puts above the fold, to the right, what they think is most relevant. They print the news. Kim Kardashian is going on the front page of the Post, because it will help sell papers. What happened in Syria is going to go above the fold in the Times. Similarly, I want to deliver ‘the news’ and tell people what is actually happening. Advanced stats help illuminate that.

Read the full article here: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/jon-boog-sciambi-broadcasting-the-stats/



Originally published: March 19, 2012. Last Updated: March 19, 2012.