Kiss Cam Tradition

By R. Thomas

Affection and sport are not two themes we would not normally put side by side, whether this is because of their contrasting principles, or because they have a range of different appearances in time and place. Nevertheless, we are very familiar with the tradition and fun stunt of the kiss cam.  

This feature, typically found in north American countries such as Canada and the US, involves a giant video screen, a stadium or arena and of course, as the name suggests, a kiss. This social pastime requires a camera which scans the vast crowd of a stadium and randomly selects a couple to share a kiss on the live flatscreen, but where did this tradition originate?  

The exact roots of the kiss cam stunt are still somewhat unclear, but some say it originated in California in the early 1980's at Dodger stadium. The practice was very popular in mainly baseball games, but soon spread to other sports such as basketball and hockey, as a way to fill in the gaps between plays, and naturally became an event of pure entertainment and opportunity for sponsorships. The light-hearted diversion during a timeout is traditionally rewarded with claps, cheers, and whistles while a denial is often fed with booing. The gimmick is so popular now a days that of the 30 NBA teams 16 confirmed that they do use the stunt, while the 14 others either declined or didn't answer the survey.  

While crowds mostly enjoy this feature, some think it's an exploitative practice specially on the well-evolved world we now live in. Several affirm that the practice can be uncomfortable and embarrassing, especially when denying the action. In addition, with the technology we now possess your response can be broadcast forever and to anyone in the world with a single cell phone camera and a click to post or send.  

Ultimately the eminent tradition used in vast terrain, can be the source for live entertainment, or evident discomfort. Next time you're in a game be sure to look for those cameras! And ask yourself where you stand with this topic!