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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. those of you who think 9 has good wimbledon coverage are delerious- the commentators completey ruin winmbledon- we get newcombe, stolle and woodfore rabbiting on about the aussies and are so bias i cant stand it and we could be getting a live feed from BBC with mcenroe etc commentating -stolle is approaching 90 years old and makes so many mistakes because he cant see…and dont start me on woodfore The worst most cringworthy commentator on the planet- thank god for FOX….ps i would have rather been watching del potro v blake last night -best match of the tourny so far and not a squeek…

  2. Is the Seven Morning News before the Australian Open live across the country? I cross checked with the Sydney and Adelaide timetables and the news was on at 10am (Adelaide time) and 10.30 (Eastern time)

  3. Could i have clarification whether the tennis is HD on 70?

    In previous years, I believe they have never had HD.
    This year, 7HD says 7 Sports HD.
    I just found it odd that there would be no fan-fare whatsoever other than the tiny logo on 70.

  4. It is absolutely disgraceful that a tv station is allowed to treat national events like this, but it is worse that you guys have put up with it for so long!
    In the UK & Ireland the BBC has Wimbledon. You get no ads, it is live, you have a choice of matches through digital (4 years ago!!!) if you have a suitable tv, you can watch other matches on the web, they have matches on both BBC 1& 2 sometimes in the first week when all the good stuff is on.
    People are mature enough to understand that tennis doesn’t fit around schedules so they put up with some programming fluidity. But the BBC has the manners to tell you the new programming times in a rolling bar across the bottom.
    Come on. Boycott 7’s coverage and make them give it to the ABC.

  5. Really miss not having it on FOX Sports this year – had to go elsewhere for the excellent 5 set match between Blake & Del Potro last night

  7. @ dean – i agree Nine have done a very good job covering wimbledon for years and the commentators ,mostly newk and stolle ,are superb. The US open coverage was excellent as well.

  9. @Sgt. Senor: Don’t be silly, you’re making it sounds like as if 7 Network is not sucking any benefits out of showing the Australian Open. The only reason why an over-commercialized network such as Channel 7 is showing the Australian Open is because it can attract massive viewers and this is what the sponsors want.

    We, the viewers, are assets to Channel 7. If only the whiners such as us are not important to Channel 7, maybe Channel 7 can ignore our comments.

  14. The biggest problem with Channel 7 is this….

    – One sided match on Rod Laver Arena is finished
    – Ad Break
    – Super slo-mo/hot shots (instead of possible live action, promise to go to match shortly)
    – Ad Break
    – “News” with feature crap (instead of possible live action, promise to go to match shortly)
    – Ad Break
    – Crap on about some outside court results that we may/may not be able to see on multichannel, promote night matches/crappy new show (promise to go to match shortly)
    – Ad Break
    – Join Match with someone up a break in the 1st set.

  15. Now lets look at the problem.

    Currently, we have 2 great matches going now at Melbourne Park. Blake vs Del Potro and Henin vs Dementieva, however, most of the viewers in Australia are forced to watch the Henin vs Dementieva match, because Channel 7 is the sole broadcaster of the Australian Open (not to mention its actually delayed over here in QLD).

    Anyway, i think when this type of situation makes us appreciate when we do get multichannels covering a Grand Slam tournament. Sadly to say, but now we don’t have that privilege.

  16. I think Channel 7 is doing a pretty good job with the tennis. Nine did a crap job with their coverage of the other grand slams last year.
    I would prefer to watch tennis over any of the shows on tv right now but Channel 7 isn’t a sports channel and not everyone wants to watch tennis.
    Also, Jim Courier is a good tennis commentator.

  18. ch7 say that they have the choice of either showing it delayed or not showing the full game, and they chose delayed, which is probably what i would do if i were in charge. but since it causes them so much grief i’d like to see them atleast try going the other way ie. pickup live after TT in ade, bris, and per. they might miss the first set but atleast it’s live and see if there are less complaints. we might be surpised.

  19. Ok, i officially take back my initial compliment. It’s just 30 mins of extra tennis for people in QLD, then they cut it off for Deal or No Deal, what a joke.

    Come on man, if in NSW and Victoria, tennis can be shown till 6pm then move into news, why can’t they do it in other states as well. It’s not like the Australian Open doesn’t attract good ratings, in fact every year the telecast of Australian Open is one of the highest during the summer.

    Sighz, i should have expected that they won’t choose tennis over Deal or No Deal. Had my expectations too high.

    Shame on you Channel 7.

  20. @ sarah – that was the point where I turned over in disgust when I heard Bruce talking about Sunrise and it’s changes..yuk! I had the tennis on even if was just between games waffling/updates but that had me changing chs fast.

  21. I don’t mind Jim Courier, although it’s easy to sense his “americanization”.

    It’s funny when you see commentators being forced to do a part in promoting Seven’s coming shows. Can totally see that they’re forced to do so, because I guess an American like Jim Courier would have no idea what is this stupid coming “My Kitchen Rules”.

    And also the main issue is still with the delayed night session coverage for viewers from QLD, SA, and WA. This is a very serious issue, because sports coverage is meant to be live. It loses its meaning when it’s not live.

    But at least today 7 continues it’s coverage of Blake vs Del Potro at 5PM. Finally some breakthrough here. Last few days they cut off the coverage to show Hannah Montana and Home Improvement.. but today they stay on with the tennis match. Kudos!

  23. Seven deserve all the criticism they get. Every year it gets worse, and the cross promotion sinks to new depths. At least this year they have delayed Home and Away. The fact they spent 5 minutes this afternoon “interviewing” thier Sunrise stars about thier show instead of actually showing tennis says it all. Jim Courier is the only asset 7 has – at least he knows the game.

  24. Guy: If you’d seen tennis coverage in other coutries then you would realise how abysmal it really is. Plus the cross promotional stuff is plain embarassing and very annoying.

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