For most of the first half, the FS1 broadcast used a camera that made most of the United States men’s national team and Uruguay players seem incredibly small.
And the fans and viewers of the Copa America Group C game weren’t thrilled with how difficult it was to watch the pivotal clash that ended with USMNT’s 1-0 loss.
Fox Sports producers attempted to fix the issue shortly after the match began, according to The Athletic, but until the 39th minute, the network relied on an angle — reportedly from the world feed — that looked as if it was “from the space station,” former Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes wrote in a post on X.
“This is not a stadium for ants,” analyst Stuart Holden said on the broadcast. “This is a very high camera for the CONMEBOL world feed.”
A host of fans weighed in about the camera throughout the first half, which featured plenty of injuries — including Uruguay star Maximiliano Araújo getting carried off the field on a stretcher — but ended scoreless.
“This USA vs Uruguay match camera angle might be the worst viewing pleasure I’ve ever experienced,” one user wrote on X. “Feels like we are watching from a blimp!”
“This camera angle in the Team USA game feels like I’m playing FIFA,” another user added.
“Is the USA Uruguay broadcast camera on the space station or something what is Fox doing with this angle. It’s not like we haven’t shown a billion Chiefs games on national TV in this stadium,” a third user wrote, referencing the game being played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
Soccer games previously hosted at Arrowhead Stadium didn’t rely on that strange angle, according to The Athletic.
Once the broadcast switched the camera, that’s where it stayed — outside of the other close-up angles FS1 cut to — for the remainder of the match.
Uruguay scored a goal off a set piece in the 68th minute that was upheld — though still controversial — despite a sequence that was close to being offside.
And while the USMNT had chances, including some in extra time, they couldn’t equalize.
That defeat, paired with a Panama victory, eliminated them from the tournament.
