jamesblakefan#1
G.O.A.T.
So now they're showing taped Nadal beatdown over the 4-5 live matches going on. What a joke.
ESPN coverage of slams is horrible
- Thread starter backhander
- Start date
fedfan08
Professional
You knew from the beginning of their coverage EVERYTHING would be on tape today. And the OOP for tomorrow has Serena and Andy Roddick 1st on PC and SL, so no doubt we'll see them on tape on NBC over anything live. And I believe when NBC has coverage TTC and/or ESPN cannot show what they do. Either that or they can't be on the air at the same time.
jamesblakefan#1
G.O.A.T.
Good. I'd rather NBC show Roddick/Serena on tape then actual good matches on tape. Those matches are likely to be beatdowns anyways.
zak425
Semi-Pro
Selling the rights to ESPN was the worst move tennis could have let happen. Its an overload of terrible taped matches of mostly Venus (this time). Instead of expanding the market and showing top players in GOOD (read: live) matches, they decide to keep the market specifically targeted to 2-3 players. They are doing themselves in ultimately. As they decide to market their coverage to the average fan, the real tennis fans will stop watching cable and ESPN. I really wonder how many casual sport watchers actually tune in at all? Its almost a no-brainer that when Venus and Serena retire ESPN will no longer keep the slam rights. I cant wait to see live matches soon, I eagerly anticipate the thrashing that Venus will eventually take place
Last edited:
jamesblakefan#1
G.O.A.T.
Now they're showing a feature on Nadal's injuries last year while LIVE tennis still goes on.
And now an interview w/ Nadal. :roll:
And now an interview w/ Nadal. :roll:
fedfan08
Professional
well who else could they get to cover it? The slams have requirements about minimum number of households you reach so Tennis Channel would never be able to show a slam without additional coverage as they don't reach enough homes.
kanamit
Hall of Fame
It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. Very few real tennis fans tune in already. So ESPN, when they get their ratings back, will see that the Williams sisters matches get the highest ratings. What they don't realize is that those supposedly high ratings would be at the lower end of their scale if they began respecting tennis fans by showing live matches and close matches. Instead, they see the Williams sisters ratings and draw the conclusion that people really must want to see taped-delayed blowouts. What's the result? Tennis fans continue to desert cable coverage for greener pastures.
They are viewing their statics in relative terms instead of absolute terms, and fail to realize that the relative draw of the Williams sisters has to be viewed in the context of really crappy coverage that alienates all but the most casual American viewers (who are more likely to want to watch only American players). Like most network executives, these people lack the capacity to think critically or holistically.
Last edited:
West Coast Ace
G.O.A.T.
Is this where I'm supposed to gloat about my DirecTV Mix? 
jamesblakefan#1
G.O.A.T.
Add insult to injury - ESPN scrolls the live score update on the bottom of the screen while showing taped matches. :roll:
S
Serendipitous
Guest
Really?? Wow......:lol:
OKUSA
Hall of Fame
did this today, showed serena and venus matches over nadal and federer matches. sure they were all taped, but i woke up late and avoided everything so i wouldn't know the outcomes
Last edited:
jamesblakefan#1
G.O.A.T.
Today they showed Serena, Venus, Nadal and Fed taped matches over live coverage, so throw them all in the same boat.
fedfan08
Professional
exactly.
Today there were 3 womens matches - Dementieva, Kuznetsova and Rezai that were live when ESPN came on the air. All 3 went 3 sets, with Kuzy being knocked out and Rezai/Petrova tied at 7-all in the 3rd when play was suspended. All of these were compelling matches with well known players. No excuse for ESPN chosing not to cover them. And the last match stopped at around 4PM EST and ESPN's coverage goes until 6:30 EST. That's 2 1/2 hours for them to show 'highlights' of Venus, Serena, Fed and Nadal. Plenty of time considering all matches were pretty routine.
I can understand showing taped stuff when all that's left on court are a couple of journymen/women, but today while showing taped Serena the defending champion got knocked out. That ESPN isn't showing it is absurd. Especially since Tuesday - Thursday they were showing live tennis.
fedfan08
Professional
haha we can gloat about it until Sunday and after that we're stuck the evil cabal of TTCESPNNBC.Is this where I'm supposed to gloat about my DirecTV Mix?
This is the spanish tv. You have 2 channels. If a spanish player is on the courts, they´ll logically will be showing that match , but as i said, 2 channels and pretty good quality. hope it helps
http://www.rtve.es/deportes/
http://www.rtve.es/deportes/
lidoazndiabloboi
Hall of Fame
http://www.espn3.com has all the live matches you want
espn wants to show the big name players
espn wants to show the big name players
fedfan08
Professional
Yes of course those of us who have HD want to watch live tennis on a crappy internet feed. Heck the feeds at tennischannel.com don't even have the audio and video synched up.
Mustard
Bionic Poster
They really did that? Blimey.
West Coast Ace
G.O.A.T.
Agree. The internet isn't ready to put satellite/cable of out business quite yet - despite what the pundits say. And my 'unlimited' internet is only 5GB/mo - so I don't think I could watch too many matches (or stream movies) before AT&T would be shutting me down...
I'll say it again, thank goodness for the Mix on DirecTV...
backhander
Rookie
I was just about to say this too. Three times now I'm watching a match that ESPN is showing for the first time, and then the final score of the exact match is shown at the bottom of the screen scrolling. Way to go guys.
Mustard
Bionic Poster
McEnroe never does that when he works for the BBC. On US TV, talking through the points seems to be encouraged more.
Tanya
Hall of Fame
Go soak your head.
djokovicgonzalez2010
G.O.A.T.
Added one for ya
jamesblakefan#1
G.O.A.T.
TC showing WS doubles over Sod/Cilic match. I don't care if it's Borg/Mac playing doubles, a 3R doubles match should never take priority over a 4R singles match.
THUNDERVOLLEY
G.O.A.T.
With the rare exception of a few, most men's 5-set matches are hardly "epics," but textbook examples of grinding players incapable of getting the job done in 3 (for any number of reasons--none of them good). It is of little wonder why ESPN only broadcasts the last few games of such sleep-inducers.
This.
And they showed multiple games from the Soderling Cilic match, so it is likely not a broadcast rights issue.
Maybe someone at the Tennis Channel enjoys other people's frustration. Either way, whomever made this decision should be fired and banned from the industry. This is just absurd.
You better be glad Agassi has retired, remember those day??
If not, let me refresh your memory...
It's the round of 16 and there is an epic match going on between say.....Corretja and Enqvist...
Instead they replay Agassi's first round loss for the 8th or 9th time in the past week......while you are missing the live 5 set match.....
Of course, I would rather watch the Agassi replay than live women's doubles....for crying out loud.
If not, let me refresh your memory...
It's the round of 16 and there is an epic match going on between say.....Corretja and Enqvist...
Instead they replay Agassi's first round loss for the 8th or 9th time in the past week......while you are missing the live 5 set match.....
Of course, I would rather watch the Agassi replay than live women's doubles....for crying out loud.
Shaolin
Talk Tennis Guru
:roll: Whatever. Go watch Serena and Venus for 7 hours then.
Nice job missing the point anyway. Regardless of match quality (which you seem to fail to grasp--it takes a lot of work to win points on clay nowadays), the coverage of matches is so lopsided its a joke. I guess it will continue that way since there are so many people like you that dont seem to care.
sillymonkey
Hall of Fame
Don't you with the crummy TV execs and programmers would read these boards?
I can understand them showing Venus/Serena 10 years ago but Venus is old and not that good anymore and watching them on clay is horribly boring. Any men's match is better (and I'm a female).
To top it off, I am completely disgusted by Venus's outfit. I really feel sick when I look at it. It's disgusting and offensive and I would prefer to watch no tennis (and I'm a huge fan) than to see something like that. Is Serena still in? I hope she loses her next match and retires.
To top it off, I am completely disgusted by Venus's outfit. I really feel sick when I look at it. It's disgusting and offensive and I would prefer to watch no tennis (and I'm a huge fan) than to see something like that. Is Serena still in? I hope she loses her next match and retires.
Last edited:
I remember USA playing men's matches deep into the night. Usually epic matches with Sampras ill on the backcourt. Oh those were the days. This coverage is TRAGIC and how can a casual fan even know what channel stuff is on? I'm a big follower and even I get confused on what time everything is on (ESPN, TC, and NBC). I really don't think the audience is big enough for tennis channel yet. I think they should have marketed more on a non-pay channel (or at least regular cable like ESPN) before trying to make it a niche thing. How are people going to learn to love it if it's hidden on a pay channel they've never heard of? SO STUPID.
backhander
Rookie
I agree, USA had the best coverage for US Open and French Open, it's a shame they no longer have the rights. They also allowed the viewers to see more matches by different players. ESPN is doing a bad job.
BreakPoint
Bionic Poster
Unbelievable! ESPN has 6 1/2 hours of coverage today, yet they choose to show a taped Djokovic/Ginepri match now over a live Verdasco/Almagro match? What the heck is wrong with ESPN????? Seriously, what are they smoking?
Why not only show the taped matches AFTER all the live matches are over? They have plenty of time later this afternoon to do so. What, they're afraid that their tapes will self-destruct in a couple of hours unless they show them now?
Why not only show the taped matches AFTER all the live matches are over? They have plenty of time later this afternoon to do so. What, they're afraid that their tapes will self-destruct in a couple of hours unless they show them now?
fedfan08
Professional
Yeah with all that coverage time they could show the end of the Verdasco match and Jankovic and then still have enough time to show a good portion of all the completed matches. I mean really we don't need to see the complete Ginepri match as the last couple sets weren't that competitive. Neither was Serena's but no doubt we'll see every single point of it.
fundrazer
G.O.A.T.
Lame coverage today. I also find it funny how ESPN likes to pretend they're showing live coverage. They'll show their tape delayed matches then jump to other courts. What was funny today, they showed Nadal walking on court then jumped to Stosur Henin till the end of the 2nd. After commercial they looped this same segment of Nadal and Stosur v Henin.
Basically, they screw up the coverage by showing tape delayed matches...then they screw up the tape delayed coverage...epic fail from ESPN.
Basically, they screw up the coverage by showing tape delayed matches...then they screw up the tape delayed coverage...epic fail from ESPN.
Similar threads
- Poll
