Crowd mic inside backstop?
 

Broadcaster here. During the second round of the Ga. AA playoffs, our crowd microphone nearly drowned out my color commentator and I. I want to keep the microphone to pick up the ping of the bat and the pop of the mitt, but not so much of the crowd that it drowns us out. It was on the table with us elevated right behind the backstop

I'm thinking of asking the umpires if they would allow the microphone cord to be taped to the backstop and the microphone to lay on the grass facing home plate? The microphone is only about eight inches long and about an inch wide.

Would you allow such a request?

Thanks in advance.

I'd tell you, nicely, to put that microphone somewhere where the crowd noise wouldn't be a problem. Oh, and don't eat burritos for lunch or the microphone would pick up a different noise.

voiceoflg,

You might consider getting a "shotgun" mike. Surprisingly effective in my experience.

JM

I wouldn't want a foreign object on the playing field. I would suggest you run your mic cord up the backside of the backstop and then put your mic on the field side upside down hanging. Take some wire ties and tie a square of foam rubber between it and the backstop. Don't do it directly behind the catcher, but do to one side about 20 feet. Hang it high and you should get plenty of bat and mitt sounds and maybe the foam will help with the crowd noice.

Just a thought.

From both a broadcaster (34 yers) and umpire (16 years) here...
 

If you're within 30-feet of home plate, your mic will pick up the ping of the ball off the bat. If you're looking for crowd noise, just put a non-directional mike in a desk mic stand and set it in front of you. Should do the job. As as ump, like others, I've got enough stuff on the field to worry about...I don't need a mic behind me! The field is where the game is played...the press box is where it's broadcast from!

No.

A shotgun mic or one of those parabolic mics would work from anywhere.

Uni-directional it is. Just bought one today. Thanks, all. I appreciate all you do.