[AmpDesigner333]

Ever want to watch the game but the commentators are annoying?  Thought about muting them, but then you don't hear the "game sounds"??

First, you must be listening in surround sound for this to work....

I use phantom center in my "mini" 2/2 (2.0/2, really) surround sound system, so the decoder is set to mix the center channel into the fronts.  When I change the setup to 2/3 mode, the commentators go away, but the game sounds stay!  IF YOU HAVE A CENTER CHANNEL: Another way to make this happen would be to disconnect the center channel if you don't have a way to do this in your system's settings.  It's easy to experiment, but be careful not to short the speaker wires!!  Adding a switch might be worth it to you.  Are there options in your system for this?

Downside for me is that changing the settings requires a different remote, but that's a small price to pay to mute annoying commentators.  By the way, the effect on commercials is very interesting!  Some of them purposely mix the dialog into the L/R channels.  How (or if) this works in an Atmos type system is next....

-Tommy O

[Elizabeth]

I just turn off the sound and turn on the 'closed caption' line.
Then f something important is said, I can notice it.
For sound I play music..
But your idea is good too!

[n2siast]

👍🏼

[JLM]

Yes, most are very annoying!  Hate interviews during the game, especially early in the game when they take the video feed off the game. 

I only watch recorded shows/games to save wasting my time on commercials (saves 17 minutes typically per hour long show), watch TV at my convenience (no longer tied down to a viewing schedule), and not miss action in order to hit the head, grab food, or answer the phone/door.  Also allows me to repeat spots.  I even fast forward between football plays and golf shots.  Baseball is too boring, haven't watched in years.  I often surf during GP races. 

Before I tried the O.P.'s suggestions I might try listening to music during the game.

[AmpDesigner333]

Yes, most are very annoying!  Hate interviews during the game, especially early in the game when they take the video feed off the game. 

I only watch recorded shows/games to save wasting my time on commercials (saves 17 minutes typically per hour long show), watch TV at my convenience (no longer tied down to a viewing schedule), and not miss action in order to hit the head, grab food, or answer the phone/door.  Also allows me to repeat spots.  I even fast forward between football plays and golf shots.  Baseball is too boring, haven't watched in years.  I often surf during GP races. 

Before I tried the O.P.'s suggestions I might try listening to music during the game.

I'm a "commercial skipper" too!  I usually leave it on pause for the first 15 minutes of the program to allow this.  DVRs are great, aren't they?

I agree that baseball is boring to watch on TV.  It's a great way to squeeze 2 minutes of action into 4 hours.  I'm a big fan of ice hockey (mostly NHL).  Nonstop action, especially during the playoffs.  That's how this post came to be: watching playoff hockey!

[Wind Chaser]

Re: Hockey - Years ago when I lived in the big city a lot of the pubs muted the TV and turned on the AM radio for the play by play action, which was much better than TV announcers without all the BS.

I don’t watch American football, but here in Canada the CFL often has live mic’s so you can hear everything on the field, the crushing, the grunting, the friendly and not so friendly exchanges and so forth. It definitely gives a more intimate perspective of the game. 

[whell]

NBC tried an "annoucerless game" a number of years ago.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Announcerless_game

Most people who called in said they liked it, though one wonders if they really liked "the novelty of it" more than the fact that there were no announcers. 

That was in 1980.  I think they should try it again.  With a few exceptions, I think the state of play-by-play announcers has gotten worse than it was back in the 80's.  Howard Cossell referred to the increased use of former athletes as announcers - at the expense of trained broadcast professionals - as a "jock-ocracy" in the broadcast booth.  I think he was/is absolutely right.

[abd1]

I tend to almost always watch sports without listening to the commentary and listen to music instead. The only exception is a major event, such as watching the Blazers during this playoff run! Go Blazers! That being said, one thing I've noticed is when I watch while listening to music I don't care as much about the outcome, which is nice.

[Letitroll98]

I guess I'm the outlyer here as I'm not annoyed by most announcers, that's the way I've been listening to games for the last sixty some years and I see no reason to change it now.  I'm much more annoyed by the constant blitz of commercials, which a DVR solves.  The exception to the above is MNF, I want to shoot the TV or myself when listening to the new crew, I either don't watch or play the local radio feed through the stereo.

[RoadTripper]

There is no consensus on this issue. If you turn the sound off you will miss Tony Romo predicting all the next plays by the offense. I like the Padres announcers a lot. "That strike was right on the corner. Yeah, on the corner of 5th and K". On the other hand, I like it quiet for other sports occasionally, but not because the announcers are bad. I just like it quiet.

[JLM]

NBC used to, don't know if they still do it, would occasionally switch over to the BBC for coverage of one game during Wimbledon.  Almost no commentary!  Had to do a double take.  How refreshing!

[Big Red Machine]

You can tune in local radio commentators while watching the national feed with the latest receivers. That might be an option for some.