Why is ESPN and TC coverage of slams and Master’s tourneys so bad?

PhxRacket

PhxRacket

Hall of Fame
I had to turn off the “coverage” of the US Open. ESPN has managed to reduce coverage of an athletic spectacle to banter amongst commentators, and limited coverage of the “top matches.” Why? There were compelling matches that they could have broadcast, but instead...talking. It is very disappointing. So now I am heading to the gym. Coverage of Cincinnati was better. When tennis dies, as a thread here has discussed, big media helped push it over a cliff.
 
I also have a hard time watching their coverage. They just want to hear themselves talk and show Serena/Fed/Nadal/Djok and any other "story" they can think of. There's been way too many times that there's a good match going on and they forego it for a garbage interview and star speculation. It's just the media in general today. So easy to fill time with very little content with a talk show format. TC is just as bad.
 
I think a large part of the problem is that both of them push some of the more intriguing matches onto channels that are part of their extra subscription services (ESPN + and TC+). This leaves the main channels with boring matches, blowouts and commentator fluff that they insist on sticking with bc they want you to shell out extra money for the other channels.
 
Run by people who are trying to appeal to the masses. They know they have the big fans like the posters on this board watching no matter what - of course big fans watch slam coverage. So they are catering to the fringe fans with sh.it coverage and angering the big fans in the process.
 
weakera said:
Run by people who are trying to appeal to the masses. They know they have the big fans like the posters on this board watching no matter what - of course big fans watch slam coverage. So they are catering to the fringe fans with sh.it coverage and angering the big fans in the process.
Click to expand...
And trying to be P.C. by showing women's matches when many tennis fans will not watch WTA. They turned away from Fab-Opelka today to show two no name female players screaming, grunting and being hellishly intolerable.
 
Last edited:
SportTV baby !!! They showed all matches especially euro and brazilian players if they were in action. They'll switch courts when a big 3 men or women player is in action.
 
It's pretty weird how much time they spend "setting up" and "recapping" matches. First off, ESPN starts their coverage an hour after the matches start. Instead of jumping into the action, they have to get Evert and the McEnroe brothers to yap for the first 45 minutes. We had Barty getting thrashed in the 1st today, but instead we get John McEnroe yelling at Carlos Moya from the practice court about the Mallorca Open. They have live matches going on and they'll spend 30 minutes recapping ones from earlier in the day. They don't even do much actual analysis during these parts.
 
Lozo1016 said:
It's pretty weird how much time they spend "setting up" and "recapping" matches. First off, ESPN starts their coverage an hour after the matches start. Instead of jumping into the action, they have to get Evert and the McEnroe brothers to yap for the first 45 minutes. We had Barty getting thrashed in the 1st today, but instead we get John McEnroe yelling at Carlos Moya from the practice court about the Mallorca Open. They have live matches going on and they'll spend 30 minutes recapping ones from earlier in the day. They don't even do much actual analysis during these parts.
Click to expand...
Sports action has been lessened over the years as the announcers promote themselves more. Worse, they may split the screen and show a commercial during live play. Not a smart move. NBA does coach interviews for 1-2 minutes (cuts away from action) at start of 2nd quarter when the ball is in play.
 
Honestly I don't get what the heck you guys are complaining about. ESPN gives you the ability to watch six matches at once. At least with the package I have. You don't have to listen to anything they say. Get a better cable company.
 
Espn needs to learn we tune in to watch sports, not the personalities. Showing that wacko baldwin while the match is in split screen was it for me.

Thanks god for tsn4, they have the match with commentators who talk about the match. Tsn1 has the espn feed eww
 
I thought Chris Evert and a couple of the others were bad on ESPN but now there's Alexandra whatshername! OMG!! It's a new low and total amateur hour. I hope it's both the beginning and the end with her because you can even tell the other commentators are like WTF. I think Chris Evert wanted to choke her.
 
Well they are showing Federer mauling Goffin right now, when I'd rather be watching the Rafa practice session. But they are obligated to show Federer whenever they can.
 
PhxRacket said:
I had to turn off the “coverage” of the US Open. ESPN has managed to reduce coverage of an athletic spectacle to banter amongst commentators, and limited coverage of the “top matches.” Why? There were compelling matches that they could have broadcast, but instead...talking. It is very disappointing. So now I am heading to the gym. Coverage of Cincinnati was better. When tennis dies, as a thread here has discussed, big media helped push it over a cliff.
Click to expand...
Poor performance on the men's side has killed tennis. It does not matter what the commentators say or cover if the quality of tennis is poor, so tune out and stay away.
 
ihitlikeagirl said:
I thought Chris Evert and a couple of the others were bad on ESPN but now there's Alexandra whatshername! OMG!! It's a new low and total amateur hour. I hope it's both the beginning and the end with her because you can even tell the other commentators are like WTF. I think Chris Evert wanted to choke her.
Click to expand...

She sounds like she's ********. It just gets worse and worse. I may have to shell out the 5 clams for ESPN streaming.
 
PhxRacket said:
I had to turn off the “coverage” of the US Open. ESPN has managed to reduce coverage of an athletic spectacle to banter amongst commentators, and limited coverage of the “top matches.” Why? There were compelling matches that they could have broadcast, but instead...talking. It is very disappointing. So now I am heading to the gym. Coverage of Cincinnati was better. When tennis dies, as a thread here has discussed, big media helped push it over a cliff.
Click to expand...
Because it’s a bunch of feel good story tellers and pro corn hole announcers trying to pump tires of anyone to get “the story”. They have zero clue
 
ihitlikeagirl said:
I thought Chris Evert and a couple of the others were bad on ESPN but now there's Alexandra whatshername! OMG!! It's a new low and total amateur hour. I hope it's both the beginning and the end with her because you can even tell the other commentators are like WTF. I think Chris Evert wanted to choke her.
Click to expand...
During the Wang/Barty match yesterday I heard her say "Everyone who plays tennis knows that the game at 4-3 is very important, especially in womens tennis."

That person is getting paid to talk about tennis :oops:
 
evertt is awful. Babos is hitting 118mph serves and she is talking about cocos 113 like it’s the fastest but Serena’s on tour. She talks up and makes excuses for US players like she is hoping the other player is listening and it gets in their head. No Chrissie we know you are s horrible homer
 
Last edited:
Nah we dont wanna watch a mens match. I love hearing people talk about themselves...
 
ESPN is trying to attract casual fans.They know die hards gonna watch regardless.We may complain bit but eventually we will be back watching
 
ESPN+ has been worth it. It's only $5 per month, online, and you can cancel whenever you want.
It does not carry the French however.
 
Cupcake said:
ESPN+ has been worth it. It's only $5 per month, online, and you can cancel whenever you want.
It does not carry the French however.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but I'd rather not support this company anymore. It's crazy that we pay an already high rate for cable, and they want us to pay for subscriptions on top of that for stuff that should be covered by the network anyway. No thanks.
 
I bought and immediately cancelled ESPN+. $5 isn't too terrible for one month for the Slams. Plus, you can watch completed matches you may have missed. It's not a bad deal.
 
Complaining about the amount and quality of commentary is one thing but actively deriding a network for showing women’s matches is something else. I hope we see more joint tournaments and increased women’s (non-outfit related) coverage. They might even get really crazy and start showing a lot of women’s doubles. Absolutely cracks me up when 3.5 dudes start complaining about the “quality” of women’s matches as if it’s somehow not good enough for them to relate to.
 
PhxRacket said:
I had to turn off the “coverage” of the US Open. ESPN has managed to reduce coverage of an athletic spectacle to banter amongst commentators, and limited coverage of the “top matches.” Why? There were compelling matches that they could have broadcast, but instead...talking. It is very disappointing. So now I am heading to the gym. Coverage of Cincinnati was better. When tennis dies, as a thread here has discussed, big media helped push it over a cliff.
Click to expand...
It's HORRIBLE. I won't argue with their choice of which matches to show, although my picks would be different, but they interrupt a great match to chat with a player for a long time and you miss that part of the match. Sometimes they don't even comment on great points while they are mindlessly chatting. I hate it.
 
BeatlesFan said:
And trying to be P.C. by showing women's matches which many tennis fans will not watch WTA. They turned away from Fab-Opelka today to show two no name female players screaming, grunting and being hellishly intolerable.
Click to expand...
Who likes those matches? Do people really interest themselves in those matches?!?
 
Gary Duane said:
It's HORRIBLE. I won't argue with their choice of which matches to show, although my picks would be different, but they interrupt a great match to chat with a player for a long time and you miss that part of the match. Sometimes they don't even comment on great points while they are mindlessly chatting. I hate it.
Click to expand...
I think this year is worse than ever in terms of how frequently they’re showing talking heads instead of matches. It’s so clear when they’re just fIlling time in between big name matches. And now that they have paid streaming services to push its more incentive to not show matches and tell people they’re available on ESPN+. Tennis Channel did that like crazy during the French.
 
fedfan08 said:
I think this year is worse than ever in terms of how frequently they’re showing talking heads instead of matches. It’s so clear when they’re just fIlling time in between big name matches. And now that they have paid streaming services to push its more incentive to not show matches and tell people they’re available on ESPN+. Tennis Channel did that like crazy during the French.
Click to expand...
Yup. But I already pay for TC and ESPN as part of my cable bundle, so I'm not going to shell out more.
 
JeffG said:
Complaining about the amount and quality of commentary is one thing but actively deriding a network for showing women’s matches is something else. I hope we see more joint tournaments and increased women’s (non-outfit related) coverage. They might even get really crazy and start showing a lot of women’s doubles. Absolutely cracks me up when 3.5 dudes start complaining about the “quality” of women’s matches as if it’s somehow not good enough for them to relate to.
Click to expand...
It feels like this tournament they've stuck with more women's matches than men's matches in terms of coverage. Not that it matters, but I played college tennis and even a few futures before calling it quits to just enjoy tennis casually. I enjoy watching the highest level players playing the highest quality tennis rather than unforced error-fests and women's doubles. It's probably because they're being PC, but the level of tennis being shown overall is of lower quality because of it. Not to mention the cutting away to talk for extended periods that others here have mentioned. It's just too much.
 
The fact that multiple men here actually think that showing an equal number of (or OMG! maybe even more) women’s matches equates to some sort of PC political conspiracy only further reveals the real need for an actual, similar “conspiracy” to occur. What do you guys think women think when they constantly read crap like this? Is this the sort of language and analysis you’re going to use with your daughters? Are your son’s matches always going to be more important (even if theiy’re error-prone slug fests rife with emotional breakdowns a la Fognini) because they’re boys? “Nice that you want to play and all, honey, but you know your brother’s matches are inherently of a higher quality so I’m going to that one. Maybe if you add 10 more MPH to your serve we can do it differemtly next time.”
 
Last edited:
JeffG said:
The fact that multiple men here actually think that showing an equal number of (or OMG! maybe even more) women’s matches equates to some sort of PC political conspiracy only further reveals the real need for an actual, similar “conspiracy” to occur. What do you guys think women think when they constantly read crap like this?
Click to expand...

Thank god we have a cuck like jeff to stick up for us
 
i think it's bad that they don't focus on the most competitive match. Rather boring to show a name (male or female) blow out a qualifier just to show a top name. This practice is are part of the reason interest in tennis is declining IMO.
 
ESPN coverage of tennis is truly atrocious. In some weird play to American short-attention spans they can't stay on one match in-full or avoid doing that ****ed up split screen thing showing multipe matches. Worse, they constantly start matches when a couple of games has already been played or return to them a few points into the next game. It's insanely dumb, dumber even than the incessant, long UFC promos they run in every single ad-break which delay returning to the tennis.

Every day they're like... "It's 4-all 30-all in this match between *top player*... let's head over to another court where X and Y are currently warming up" before returning to the first match and the set is over. Every. ****ing. Day.
 
PhxRacket said:
I had to turn off the “coverage” of the US Open. ESPN has managed to reduce coverage of an athletic spectacle to banter amongst commentators, and limited coverage of the “top matches.” Why? There were compelling matches that they could have broadcast, but instead...talking. It is very disappointing. So now I am heading to the gym. Coverage of Cincinnati was better. When tennis dies, as a thread here has discussed, big media helped push it over a cliff.
Click to expand...

The US Open on USA was the best tennis coverage. They had a post tournament wrap up that I looked forward to every year that was often heartwarming. The commentary and match coverage was also much better. I can't stand Brad Gilbert
 
insideguy said:
No really. The womens matches may not be "better" as far as actual tennis. But they are way more unpredictable and dramatic. They are. Mens tennis is horrible.
Click to expand...

Feliciano vs medvedev and monfils/shap were some of the best matches ive watched this year.

First two sets of stan/djok were good as well
 
Chadalina said:
Feliciano vs medvedev and monfils/shap were some of the best matches ive watched this year.

First two sets of stan/djok were good as well
Click to expand...
I am not saying there are not good matches. But most are not. I wish they were, but the facts are most of tv watching audience does not want to watch boring 3 or 4 set matches that are not competitive. Look at the women scores in many of them even in straight setters, its 7-5 or 6-4 sets. The serve is breakable so something different can happen. Thats just the truth.
 
insideguy said:
No really. The womens matches may not be "better" as far as actual tennis. But they are way more unpredictable and dramatic. They are.
Click to expand...

Very often true. As some of us have been discussing in another thread, there’s a lot of parity within the WTA right now. More younger players have made breakthroughs and the variety of playing styles is increasing, arguably greater differences than the ATP. To completely write it off really isn’t a matter of competitiveness or “quality”.
 
SumYungGai said:
The choking is awfully predictable.
Click to expand...
The choking is probably predictable. But you don't know who is going to choke. Which makes it interesting. Not better tennis but better TV. I can barely watch a mens match. I honestly don't care, because its gonna be Nadal or Fed or Novak, or Stan of some other guy over 33. The rest are just window dressing. They are. They mean nothing. In the ladies game who knows who is going to win.
 
Cupcake said:
ESPN+ has been worth it. It's only $5 per month, online, and you can cancel whenever you want.
It does not carry the French however.
Click to expand...

Can you watch any US Open match live on ESPN+. For example, if ESPN is showing the Osaka/Coco match, are you able to watch Monfils/Shapo live?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

T
Lack of Early Round Coverage of Montreal and Cincinnati
Replies
8
Views
998
LeftyServe
L
weakera
If the ATP is generating more revenue than ever, why does it also feel like it's less popular than ever?
Replies
34
Views
1K
tsp_207
T
Back
Top