Many great discoveries are made by accident, which may be the case for NBC and its SkyCam coverage of NFL games.
NBC was forced to use the over-the-field camera during Week 7 when dense fog covered the field as the Patriots hosted the Falcons. The technique, likened to that of Madden video games, was widely praised for the unique view of the action offered to fans.
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So what has NBC decided moving forward? Give the people what they want.
The network announced Thursday it would begin broadcasting its Thursday night games primarily via SkyCam beginning in Week 11 with the Titans-Steelers matchup.
“After pivoting out of necessity to SkyCam in the New England fog, we’ve been aggressively planning and testing with the intent of utilizing the system for a full game,” NBC executive producer Fred Gaudelli said. “Younger generations of NFL fans have grown accustomed to watching football from this angle through their love of video games. This telecast will have a look and feel akin to that experience."
NBC's Thursday game schedule begins this week with Seattle-Arizona and runs through Week 16. The network did not specify if it would use the SkyCam for its Sunday prime-time games.