cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/56362702

I am trying to get back into watching hockey again, but the digital rink board ads are making it surprisingly difficult. When they slide or flicker my eyes snap to them instead of the play, and I end up losing sight of the puck, especially when it goes behind the net.

I cannot tell if this is an attention or sensory issue on my end or if the broadcasts have simply become more visually aggressive.

For people who watch regularly: Do the shifting digital ads distract you too, or do you barely notice them anymore?

I am genuinely trying to enjoy hockey again but my focus gets pulled away every few seconds and I am wondering how others experience this.

  • AA5B@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2·
    2 days ago

    Do you have a chance to watch more live sports locally? I’m more interested in college hockey and every year take at least on road trip to see my college team play. Locally my town has a college with an older rink that has no moving ads. Now that my kids are in college, I make at least one road trip to see their school team play.

    College hockey is much less expensive to see in person and their rinks are a lot less commercialized. Given the ages and much shorter career you can get more invested in a player developing, improving, and get excited if they make the Bigs. My youngest has team autographs from road trips where we happened to use the same hotel as the team!

    And to be clear: it’s not just you or your condition. Ads are getting obnoxious and distracting for everyone

    Edit: a couple years back I went to see the Islanders in their new rink and it was horrible. The noise wasn’t just loud but painful (my watch repeatedly flashed dangerous noise levels). Everything moved or flashed. It was not enjoyable and I’m never going back

    Edit2: I have no idea what streaming college hockey is like but maybe that’s less obnoxious. Might be worth a try

  • underreacting@literature.cafeEnglish
    4·
    2 days ago

    Second local low-level sport live events. Probably less ad-infested, and more in need of support. You can be the one die-hard fan of the Queensville Badgers, or Southdale Football Club, or whatever you find locally.

  • jdr@lemmy.mlEnglish
    4·
    3 days ago

    This is why I stopped watching soccer. It’s kind of cruel.

  • JackbyDev@programming.devEnglish
    6·
    3 days ago

    I think a lot of forms of ads are ableist because of this. You are not alone. They’re so distracting. It’s infuriating.

  • AlternatePersonMan@lemmy.worldEnglish
    5·
    3 days ago

    Holy fuck. I loathe the digital ads. I cannot think of something more insulting to the fan base or stupid for the growth of a niche sport.

    Let’s see, the game is already difficult to track? Yeah, let’s add motion in the background, ads on the glass, and… banner ads across the scoreboard feed at the bottom of the screen.

    Bettman can eat shit.

    I can’t imagine the NFL pissing all over their premium product like this. I don’t even like football, but they do a great job making it easy to watch

  • rowinxavier@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3·
    3 days ago

    I cannot deal with TVs in the background for this exact reason. Either I have something on or I don’t, but never in the background. I can’t and won’t try to watch any sort of sport for this reason. That said, lower divisions may be a good option for you. Local groups are more likely to have less advertising and especially less video ads.

  • kate@lemmy.uhhoh.comEnglish
    2·
    3 days ago

    Not hockey but some other sports are very hard for me to watch for similar reasons. In some e-sports they’ve started putting ad banners inside the digital maps