Copa América: Internet roasts Fox for bizarre USA-Uruguay camera angle, prompting a change mid-game: ‘Are they using a blimp?’

Copa América: Internet roasts Fox for bizarre USA-Uruguay camera angle, prompting a change mid-game: ‘Are they using a blimp?’

All eyes were on Monday’s Copa América clash between USA and Uruguay from Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium.

They did not like what they saw.

From the opening moments of Uruguay’s 1-0 win that eliminated USA in group play, the broadcast on Fox drew visceral reaction on social media from viewers noting the less-than-professional presentation of a high-stakes international soccer game.

The problem? The camera angle was off. Way off.

Rather than a standard lower angle that allows viewers to actually identify the players on the field, this game looked on TV as if it was being broadcast from a drone or a blimp high above the playing field. The reaction was so intense that Fox play-by-play announcer Stu Holden addressed it minutes into the game. He placed the blame on the CONMEBOL world feed that feeds video to the Fox broadcast.

Here’s a look at the broadcast alongside Holden’s commentary:

“This is not a stadium for ants. This is a very high camera for the CONMEBOL world feed.” @StuHolden shares what everyone’s thinking pic.twitter.com/V7ps4Ag8Of

FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 2, 2024

“This is not a stadium for ants,” Holden joked. “This is a very high camera angle for the CONMEBOL world feed. … For the tactics junkies, I’m sure this is great.”

For comparison, here’s a screenshot of the broadcast from Monday’s other Copa América game between Bolivia and Panama from Orlando. This is what a soccer broadcast is supposed to look like:

The jokes were fast and furious on social media with some suggesting that the camera angle was from the moon:

Fox’s overhead camera angle for US-Uruguay appears to be on the moon.

Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) July 2, 2024

Or on drugs:

THIS CAMERA ANGLE IS ON DRUGS

Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) July 2, 2024

Or from a blimp:

Why are they using a blimp as the main overhead camera for USA-Uruguay?

Colin Deaver (@ColinDeaverTV) July 2, 2024

The Goodyear Blimp chimed in and confirmed that it was, in fact, not providing the much-chastised feed:

Not sure if we should be flattered or offended but to answer all of you at once: no, we are not covering the USMNT game tonight.

Goodyear Blimp (@GoodyearBlimp) July 2, 2024

The jokes kept coming with references to video games, “Zoolander,” and All-22 feeds used by football coaches and analysts to watch every player on the field at once:

we playing FIFA on the wrong camera angle https://t.co/a1dlgccrEv

Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) July 2, 2024

This is an incredible Football Manager camera angle

Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) July 2, 2024

kinda looks like FOX is broadcasting this game from where the chiefs film their all-22 lol https://t.co/VkYnCpXmvh

charles (you look good – andy reid) mcdonald (@FourVerts) July 2, 2024

We’re pretty sure we’re watching USA vs Uruguay pic.twitter.com/LtQhAjIP4J

Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) July 2, 2024

Whats up with Foxs video game camera angle?

Joe Lago (@joelago) July 2, 2024

️ pic.twitter.com/L4CU32Jif7

Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) July 2, 2024

Sorry, soccer fans. This camera angle is meant for touchdown passes from Patrick Mahomes to Travis Kelce, not #USMNT and Uruguay.

Safid Deen (@Safid_Deen) July 2, 2024

Is the overhead camera in the US- Uruguay soccer game positioned on the space station?

Paul Schwartz (@NYPost_Schwartz) July 2, 2024

Camera angle for this USA game at Arrowhead is from Jordan Loves moms seat

Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) July 2, 2024

This is how FIFA wouldve looked on Nintendo. https://t.co/REytD5IZBb

Chris Burke (@ChrisBurkeNFL) July 2, 2024

Biggest US game of the cycle and we are watching from a drone floating just off the second Ring of Uranus. If you love this team and suffer from Vertigo, you are going to face a long, long night

Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) July 2, 2024

I may have successfully talked my wife into a new gigantic TV. Thanks #USMNT!

Brett Bensley (@brettbensley) July 2, 2024

By the 39th minute, Fox had heard enough. The broadcast abruptly switched to a more traditional angle at the 38:31 mark with the game tied at 0-0.

NEW CAMERA ANGLE UNLOCKED #USMNT pic.twitter.com/NEZVehzJNz

Ben Denton (@BDNetwork1) July 2, 2024

Social media approved:

NEW CAMERA ANGLE. I REPEAT. NEW CAMERA ANGLE.

Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) July 2, 2024

DID THE INTERNET JUST BULLY @CopaAmerica INTO A NEW CAMERA ANGLE???

Sean‍️ (@Seannn412) July 2, 2024

Did Twitter just bully CONMEBOL into finding a new camera angle 40 minutes into the game? Interesting

Johannes Schneider (@jocoolwu) July 2, 2024

Babe wake up, new camera angle just dropped in the 39th minute #USMNT pic.twitter.com/sC5HnMWuXG

Logan (@lelliott218) July 2, 2024

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