Former Milwaukee Journal TV critic Mike Drew sniffed more than 20 years ago that Packer news trumped what he considered “real news” in the Green Bay TV market.
As I found out once I moved that direction, Packer news usually is the biggest news when it takes place, because the Packers have an outsized influence on that area — more so than any other professional sports market in the U.S. that comes to mind. The Packers are unquestionably the biggest business, in terms of impact, in Northeast Wisconsin.
I bring that up only to introduce the reverse, because of what happened at the Angels–Dodgers game in Los Angeles Friday:
Yes, that’s Vin Scully, the greatest sports announcer of all time, announcing an earthquake.
This has happened before, most notably before Game 3 of the 1989 World Series:
ABC’s Al Michaels did a fantastic job during what became a major news event.
Almost 20 years later, Tim Brando was announcing the Southeastern Conference men’s basketball tournament at the Georgia Dome …
… when the Georgia Dome was hit by the winds of a nearby tornado.
It’s one thing when a storm warning occurs during a live newscast, when the news people presumably can move.
It’s another thing when a storm warning occurs during a sporting event, where tens of thousands of people can’t be moved very easily.
Or, for that matter, when a tornado passes by a TV station.
Steve Prestegard.com: The Presteblog 