The biggest yearly game in soccer, the Champions League Final, took place on Saturday.  Barcelona defeated Manchester United 3-1 in a remarkable performance at London’s Wembley Stadium.  Lionel Messi scored the game winning goal in the second half.  However, viewers in Minneapolis weren’t treated to the call of the action, but a tiny split screen of the game and “breaking” weather coverage.  I understand the need to inform viewers, but nothing makes me more upset as a sports fan than news stations that are obsessed with weather coverage above and beyond the basic details while I’m trying to watch a game.  Correction, nothing makes me more upset than a station that totally preempts a game for unending weather coverage.  Why a station feels the need to go the “weather porn” route vs sensible updates every 10-15 minutes is beyond me.

I’m sure many people contacted the Fox station with the hopes of actually watching the Champions League Final and getting their weather news elsewhere, or at least, less often.  Minneapolis anchor Tim Blotz heard the complaints and decided he was AS MAD AS HELL, AND NOT GONNA TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=SjK-vH7xu4o?hd=1

Here’s the quotes from EPL Talk

“I know a lot of you are calling the studios right now. Folks, I’m going to tell you, it does no good to call us. We’re going to continue with our weather coverage, ALRIGHT? So I’m going to end the debate RIGHT there.”

“So don’t call us. Don’t write to us on Facebook and cheese us off because, you know what, we’re sticking with this no matter what you say, we’re going to continue to keep our viewers safe.”

Don’t cheese us off or else we’ll make this storm come and get you interested European soccer fan!  I wonder if he would warn Vikings fans, NBA fans, or college football fans to not “cheese us off.”  I’ve never seen an anchor arrogantly dismiss a viewing audience like that, that takes some serious marbles.  It’s also the first time I’ve heard “cheese us off” since 1945.  (By the way, Fox’s national pregame coverage was equally embarrassing – feeling the need to tell us that soccer has 11 players just like football.  Thanks Michael Strahan!!)  

EPL Talk has further details about how the Fox station in the Twin Cities went well overboard with their weather coverage, even possibly misleading viewers on their “duty” to bring the non-stop news.  Thankfully, no reports of damage came with the storm… just hurt feelings by those sports fans who received a timeout in the corner from Blotz.  I only hope the Minneapolis Fox team celebrated in this fashion with Blotz getting slide tackled in the face.

[H/T EPL Talk]
 

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