What Makes TV Sports Interesting?

TV is a visually dominated medium. Camera angles and camera motion play a big role in how sports are presented on TV.

ln person viewing is more of an "atmosphere" or ambiance type of experience. For example, people that go to car races like the smells, and the sights and sounds that the camera will not capture. For some, it's the live interaction with other fans that brings them out.

As an interesting side note, I rarely watch sports on TV or go to sporting events. I usually listen to games on the radio, when I can pick up a station that carries a team I like to follow. This does allow me to read or do other things at the same time.
Last year was frustrating as I tried to follow the St. Louis Cardinals to their World Series victory. The local station that carries them is located on the opposite end of the Tulsa metro area from me, and it's not a very powerful station. I could catch some action from distant AM stations at night, but the signal would go up and down as ionospheric conditions would change.

Yup, as mentioned, TV offers some things that actual viewing cannot provide, like angles, close up, dramatic effects, etc. One thing not mentioned was commentators.

I, myself, play only darts but I enjoy watching American football, table tennis, lawn tennis, and, my favorite, Formula 1 racing. Commentators contribute a lot to my viewing enjoyment because they provide information, insights, and even spot updates. If I was watching an F1 race on site, and something happens on the far side of the track (or somewhere not visible), it's going to be a few seconds later before I know about it. On TV, it's there almost instantly.

Of course, there's personal preference.

I find football (aka soccer), to be unexciting. When a friend invited me to watch a game, he commented on how excited the other spectators were. I said, "No wonder, the goals come so far between that it's absolutely time to go wild when one goes in!"

_{^{I now look for my helmet in anticipation of remarks from the football lovers...}}

Like you I watch F1 on TV, but only because of the stupid money you pay to sit on the grass at an actual race. I do go and watch the teams testing occasionally, as you get in for free. I wonder what all the armchair enthusiasts who have never seen and heard an F1 car for real would make of the shear violence of the things! The first time you see one go into a corner at full chat, it really shocks, theres just no way the laws of physics apply.

Thats the only sport I do watch on the box though..

There's the classic comment on a Snooker match a few years ago:

"For those watching in black-and white, the pink ball is immediately behind the green!"

Oi larfed!

Oooo! I loved that! Reminds me of another commentator in a baseball game.

"It's a high flyball going to left field! The left fielder is running towards the wall...he hits his head on the wall! IT'S ROLLING BACK TO CENTER FIELD!"

So now, some left fielder out there is playing baseball without his head.