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Viewers hit tennis volleys at Seven

Just 3 days in and Tennis fans around the country are already making their feelings known about Seven's coverage of the Australian Open.

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Last year viewers outside of Sydney and Melbourne were slamming Channel Seven for their coverage of the Australian Open, notably for delaying evening sessions to fit with its evening schedules.

Just 3 days into the 2010 tournament and the complaints have already started.

On Yahoo messageboards there is feedback (and that’s about the nicest thing you can call it) with posts on:

– Why is the Open not live tonight in Qld?
– Channel 7 has 0 idea how to show tennis.
– Get rid of Courier.
– Who do we complain too about 7?
– Delaying a National Sporting Event.
– Why doesn’t Seven show more live Tennis?
– Sack Jim Courier And Tracey Austin.
– Criticise 7 and risk being banned.
– Unacceptable Advertising.
– Too much tennis ! Stop now !

Additional messages have begun on Seven’s messageboard.

It isn’t a landslide yet, but Seven will be fortunate if it doesn’t gather momentum across the Open.

One viewer generously offered a thread: “Excellent Coverage- Thankyou Channel 7.”

TV Tonight has also been receiving complaints and questions, mostly regarding delayed broadcasts. They are particularly frustrated that there are viewers overseas watching the matches live when they are up to 3 hours late in Perth.

The issue of not using 7TWO for additional coverage relates to the limitations of the Anti-Siphoning List. It is currently under review by the government.

In 2009 SCTV in Darwin finally buckled to angry viewers and abolished its 1.5hr delay in the closing days of the tournament. At the time Seven declined to start evening sessions earlier in some states because it would be interrupted by Seven News, Today Tonight and Home and Away. “Because our viewers want to watch the entire match. That’s the reason why we do it like that. That’s what the feedback tells us,” a spokesperson said last year.

Current scheduling would suggest it hasn’t wavered from that position 12 months on.

FOX Sports advised TV Tonight it was unable to come to terms with Seven on an agreement to share the 2010 rights this year.

88 Responses

  1. Channel 7 is all about Greed Power& more Greed. They show those stupid irritating 7 jingles that all lies…they couldn’t care two hoots about thier audiences wishes. Please ‘ABC’ pick up the Tennis for next year. Then most probably Ozzie tennis fans will be able to watch it Live & free from annoying repetative ads

  2. Can we please get Toad Woodbridge off the commentary team? His sycophantic commentary and second hand opinions are turning me off. I’ve started muting in between points whenever he’s calling the match.

  3. I thought finally people had made a stink about it… then i find im reading last years comments.. another year, same crap… watching sport on delay is pointless.

  4. I love watching the tennis tooo but Ch7’s coverage is driving me nuts if i see one more promo for MKR or Cougar Town i will kill. I also have a massive dislike for most of the commentators they are totally irritating … they are always supporting the more popular/higher ranked player to the hilt and rarely give their opponent kudos….. Ch7 need to learn this is one of the world’s major sporting events only 4 countries have grandslams and treat it with the respect it deserves…. its nto just a vehicle to promote new TV shows with.

  5. I look forward to January every year, the tennis and the cricket, ah summer in Australia. I’m over Jim Courier, Darren Cahill is great and the guest commentating by Henri LaConte is as exhilberating as his tennis. Perhaps Channel 7 could give Courier a miss, too stilted and confidentaly overfamiliar and give these other guys more of a go. I think JA, Fitzy and Woody have been great.

  6. actually the biggest joke this year has been the scheduling of matches. What is wrong with the previous format of the Ladies match first and the Mens match second? It has worked well in previous years. Personally, i’d rather stay up late to watch a mens match go the distance, not a one-sided women’s match.

  7. Love the tennis too and can never have enough tennis. But channel 7’s coverage, or should I say non coverage is shocking. Cutting off matches for old sitcoms like Home Improvement game show Deal or No Deal is a joke. A programming decision was Channel 7 Qld’s reply.

    But the biggest issue is the 1 hour delay for big time night matches (even more delayed in other states). Yes people overseas can watch it live but all of Australia cannot. Just not good enough.

    Tennis on the Anti-Siphoning List needs adjustments.

  12. There is an article of p89 of today’s Herald Sun which explains why Fox Sports did not show Australian Open this year. In short, Fox Sports bought the pay-TV rights directly from Tennis Australia (which runs the tournament) until Seven bought the component as part of its new broadcast deal with TA, and that Seven would not have known what Fox Sports had paid TA for the rights.

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