Right at about 10:20am eastern standard time, I got about seven or eight emails asking me what channel the USA-Argentina game was on. I replied that it should be on both the HD Basketball channel and NBC. A few more messages trickled in and I immediately knew what had happened.
NBC has once again decided to not air an event live anywhere but the East Coast and the rest of the Country has to sit through three hours of the Today Show before getting to watch the game.
NBC has already started to receive praise from major media outlets (of course on the East Coast) for their coverage of the Game, but I really wish that some of the bigger papers rethink their position. Just because they covered Michael Phelps for five or six days, and he broke a record, is no reason to ignore everything else. If anyone from the West Coast wants to chime in, I’ll add your comments below. We know NBC is reading now, don’t we?
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Via BF- “Once again NBC decides to fuck more then half the nation in the ass by not televising the USA vs Argentina basketball game live to anyone except the EST. You know the Today Show is so damn important. God, does NBC suck!”
Via JT- “I cannot believe they did this again, and without warning.”
Via JS- “Unfreakingbelievable.”
illini81887– Game is going to be tape delayed here as well in the Midwest. What a freaking joke, just show it on USA or MSNBC.”
Mike- “I’m in Chicago and it’s tape delayed as well. Just appalling.”
KB- “I’m in Chicago. I’m so sick of NBC’s crap coverage, I hate to say it, but it might be a plus if ABC/ESPN took over the coverage. Per NBC “We are just about ready for the Tip Off of the Argentina/Redeem Team game”. What crap.”
Tyler- “I just read over on Sports Media Watch that Denver (mountain time zone) has had the highest Olympic ratings of any of the major US cities. Imagine what those ratings would be if NBC would show those of us in the west some live (actually live–not just “was live EDT”). In this day and age and with the amount of money they are spending on these Olympics, there is no excuse to not show major events live in all time zones.”
Brent- “This is such a joke. I’m at work anyway, but the game should be available to those who want it. NBC has seriously dropped the ball here, and has really decided to screw half a continent. I just don’t get it.”
Anon- “This is embarrassing. The whole world is watching this event LIVE and half of America has it on a %^&$# tape delayed. Who are the direct people responsible for this decision? What would the outcry be if this happ’d on the West Coast.”
TZ- “It should also be noted again that unless you’re with one of the huge cable companies like Comcast or Time Warner, you have to lie about your provider and zip code to watch the game live on NBCOlympics.com.”
Daniel- “The only common-sense thing to do is to tape-delay it to tonight in primetime. But no, NBC decided to punish the 97% of those who would want to watch this game but have a job. What does NBC have against employment? Are they secretly pandering to the blogging crowd, noted for being jobless?”
Anon- “Couldn’t they show it live for the people that want to watch it live. Then show it on tape delay on USA or CNBC instead of whatever crap they are running during the day on those channels? Or just the opposite. They could show it live on USA or CNBC or MSNBC and then show it on tape delay on NBC. Why wouldn’t that make sense?”
Dan- “hear that peacock? i’m not watching anything you broadcast AND i’m going to your your competitors and thanking them for coverage YOU purchased. Oh yeah, when it comes to the closing ceremonies, i’m going to grab them off bittorrent on monday. how’s that taste?”
Joseph- “Living in SoCal what I find ironic is that I’m currently watching MSNBC’s post-game coverage of the game (highlights, interviews, analysis) before the game has even come on the air on our NBC affiliate!”
Ken B.- “How about the fact that we have to sit through at 15 minute “halftime” that could be easily fast forwarded since its on a tape delay.”
David T.- “The sad thing is that this is NBC’s MO. They do this for Wimbledon and the French Open in the summer. They “play” it as though it is live but it’s obviously not. So I not really suprised to hear they are doing it to the rest of the country.”
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P.S.- Man, I feel so bad for everyone. I’m not going to do a live-blog or provide any updates so you people that want to watch it live can. Keep the emails and comments coming.
Update: I just remembered that reader Brent L. sent an email to NBC during the Phelps nonsense and thought I’d share the email addy he used….
Brian Walker- NBC Olympics spokesman in Beijing
brian.walker@nbcuni.com
NBC Prepares To Screw West Coast Viewers The Rest Of The Olympics (Awful Announcing)
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