Poll: Are You Happy with FSN’s Coverage of Indian Wells?
Posted by Aaress Lawless on Mar 20, 2008 | Print | Email | Bookmark
ESPN sent tennis fans reeling when they announced that they had canceled their coverage of the Pacific Life Open and Sony Ericsson Open to focus their attention on March Madness.
Picking up ESPN’s slack is Fox Sports Network, but as some fans have already discovered, finding the right station at the right time has not been easy.
How happy are you with FSN's coverage?
If you cannot view the poll below in your RSS reader, please click here.
You can leave a more detailed opinion in the comments below.
Ash | Mar 20, 2008 | Reply
I just don’t get it. Why didn’t a more major carrier pick up this tournament??!!! I mean wasn’t that the goal of Tennis Channel, at least? Really bothers me sometimes that many, many big ones aren’t picked up at all, let alone some get ****** coverage on peon networks. “***, larry david, ***!?”
Melodie Lukas | Mar 20, 2008 | Reply
Well, the reason I got the tennis channel was to watch current matches and see the Masters tournaments….that is not happening on TC….all you see is re-runs of Destinations, old timers playing and an occasional current match. I am sick of seeing Currior play MacEnroe, etc…they had their day.
FSN is broadcasting the Pacific Life, but only for 2 hours and not all matches of interest. Would someone get it right. If you are going to promote tennis, show the complete series not just here and there matches.
WILL.I.AM | Mar 20, 2008 | Reply
I think the matches they cover are okay. For me its all about the commentators. And while Justin Gimelstob can be annoying at times, I can manage. One thing that really annoyed me is that during the middle of match between Tsonga and Nadal, they cut it off due to time restraints. Tsonga was up 5-2 in the second and Nadal came back and won. I thought this is why they created the tennis channel?
Steve Pouliot | Mar 20, 2008 | Reply
I am disappointed in the short hours of coverage fox sports has had. With all those stations, I would think they could do better than 2 hour blocks that are different every day. I really would have enjoyed watching the Sharapova/Hantuchova match yesterday. I also thought they could have done alot better giving scores of the other matches.
Clint Miller | Mar 21, 2008 | Reply
Fox is doing a horrible job of covering the Pacific Life tournament. The announcing is anemic, the camera operators must be amateurs, and when the challenges are being shown, frequently we can’t see the ball. Lack of professionalism is apparent.
CLF | Mar 21, 2008 | Reply
If FSN isn’t going to provide fair, complete coverage — don’t bother with tennis. Put it on the tennis channel. Am totally disgusted with the “schedule” which rarely shows what is printed on the viewing guide.
Todd Blakely | Mar 21, 2008 | Reply
I must agree with all the above comments. FSN is doing a terrible job.
Fundi | Mar 21, 2008 | Reply
I agree that FSN is not doing a very good job, but some tennis is better than no tennis. I can’t afford the Tennis Channel, and I don’t understand ESPN’s decision - they are concentrating on March Madness, but CBS is telecasting the games??? Doesn’t make much sense to me, and I miss Patrick McEnroe and Cliff Drysdale (and Mary Jo, of course)!
Fundi | Mar 22, 2008 | Reply
After last night, I must add to my previous remarks - While watching the Ivanovic/Jankovic match, one of the commentators remarked that the winner would play Kuznetzova for the championship. The Sharapova/Kuznetzova match was scheduled to follow (on TV, but not in real time, apparently) the match I was watching. Not very professional of Fox to announce the winner of the upcoming match, to say the least. And I notice that ESPN, while supposedly concentrating on March Madness, is televising figure skating and lots of boxing!
Steve Pouliot | Mar 22, 2008 | Reply
I didn’t think fox could get worse but they did - twice. They cut off the Mardy Fish match in the third set and then to not show the Kuznetzova/Sharapove match live in inexcusable. fox executives must be a bunch of incompetent idiots.
Peg | Mar 22, 2008 | Reply
This coverage has been horrible. FSN allotted very little time for tennis coverage of the tournament and then,did not follow scheduling.
This is a great tournament and deserves better. Shame on everyone involved.
Sip | Mar 22, 2008 | Reply
I think Chandra Rubin has been great!!!
Debbie | Mar 23, 2008 | Reply
Where I live we were virtually blacked out of coverage of Indian Wells. FSN is not available on the major cable providers in my region. It’s hard to imagine a stupider move for a tournament which has struggled to stay afloat financially. How was this decision in any way good for the tournament and for the game of tennis?
Fundi | Mar 24, 2008 | Reply
After my previous criticisms I must be fair and say that I was happy with the final match coverages yesterday (Sunday). I’m not sure why we weren’t shown the mens trophy presentation, but other than that the coverage was pretty good. I think Justin Gimelstob is improving with time, and some of his insight is quite interesting. Chanda Rubin also appears to be learning as she goes and is certainly acceptable.
Nick | Mar 24, 2008 | Reply
If you have Verizon Fios cable like me, it seems the company that owns FSN is refusing to sign a contract with Verizon or something like that. Comcast is taking over the FSN channel in the area and as you can see, you only see Basketball and Hockey on that channel.
But there is always the internet to watch the matches like Eurosports or Star Channel.
Mat Delaney | Apr 5, 2008 | Reply
ESPN did a much better job than FSN. At least they had more extensive coverage and didn’t abruptly stop a broadcast in the middle of a match! FSN was the worst I’ve ever seen in terms of the amount of time devoted to their coverage, as well as airing tape-delayed matches during the finals! It’s an insult to tennis and tennis fans everywhere.