Verdict in early: Blue Jays fans don't like Facebook Watch game
Much like baseball players, baseball fans are creatures of habit — and Toronto Blue Jays fans saw their routine disrupted on Wednesday afternoon.
The Blue Jays had their game against the Kansas City Royals broadcasted on Facebook Watch, and the fan reaction was not exactly positive. Before we dump a boatload of Tweets in here keep a couple of things in mind:
People are generally biased against change of any kind
I mean, fair enough, change is scary. That said, any type of deviation from the status quo in matters of this nature tend to receive outsized backlash.
2. Facebook isn’t super popular right now
It’s safe to say Facebook’s PR situation could be better at the moment. Having a hand in influencing a major election in a way that results in a Donald Trump presidency isn’t going to sit well with a certain type of person. That type of person is most people.
3. Blue Jays fans are really attached to Pat Tabler and Buck Martinez
Why this is the case is up for debate. When FanGraphs last did its Broadcaster Rankings in 2016 this team ranked 53rd and they’ve traditionally been lower than that. When Buck and Pat have been taken away for the playoffs, people have gotten upset.
With that in mind, here’s a sample of some of the rage that has come Facebook’s way on account of Wednesday’s Facebook Watch game:
Dear @BlueJays and @MLB don't make my team apart of your guinea pig project. Get that sh** off of facebook it is not your right to take away our team by trying to force your ideas on us. #knockitoff #givemebackmyteam #BlueJays
— AwokenDefendeR (@AwokenDefendeR) April 18, 2018
Today's Jays game only available on Facebook?? Every time @BlueJays do this, I'm subtracting a visit to the dome. #bullshit
— Scooter (@Donnelly13Scott) April 18, 2018
Watching the Blue Jays on Facebook live is somehow worse than I thought it would be
— Scott Morrison (@mottysco) April 18, 2018
Wait wait wait, the Blue Jays game isn't on TV today? Sportsnet has 11 channels and yet put their team on "Facebook live" where a lot of fans who don't have the facebook live can't see it? What an abject disaster.
— Tim Anderson (@timanderson87) April 18, 2018
Facebook's MLB Broadcast: where the designated Blue Jays commentator (Cliff Floyd, for some reason) just asked the Facebook guy how to pronounce "Ngoepe"
— Ty Berry (@tberry3) April 18, 2018
Love too watch the @MLB game on #Facebook pic.twitter.com/5vANGgdEgm
— Andrew Stoeten (@AndrewStoeten) April 18, 2018
Now this is silly: the radio broadcast is several seconds ahead of Facebook broadcast. Hernandez hit HR well ahead of my computer screen. Should be in sync.
— steve simmons (@simmonssteve) April 18, 2018
Not all of the anger was well-informed, but the general take was pretty uniform. The Blue Jays universe is not in favour of Facebook Watch games.
Unfortunately for those who aren’t liking the new format, it isn’t going away. These games are part of a partnership between Facebook and MLB and there’s nothing the Blue Jays or Sportsnet can do about it.
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