--Patti, commenting on PBA website
I wasn't able to watch yesterday's PBA title match live the way I usually do. But I recorded it with my DVR and watched it soon afterward. The final game finished later than it was supposed to, I set my DVR to record for only the 90 minutes for which the show was scheduled, and so I missed the very end of the tournament.
But I've since read that, because the program ran over its allotted time, ESPN didn't show the final frame or allow fans to see Brian Kretzer react to his victory. A lot of people on the PBA website and presumably elsewhere are angry about that. Here's what one disgruntled person named Michael wrote:
"Both ESPN and the PBA need to decide once and for all what they want to do. They run over so much so often - it is ridiculous. However so does Monday Night RAW for WWE. What does USA do? They show it til the end. 11:05, 11:06, 11:10pm, doesn't matter. We see the main event in full and that is for wrestling. Bowling seems to get disrespected because even the network doesn't respect it. If the PBA doesn't have an 'over-run' clause in their contract with ESPN, I'd say ditch ESPN and put the PBA on Spike or USA or something.
ESPN is a disgrace and the PBA should sue them if possible for damaging the PBA product week-in and week-out."
I agree with Patti and Michael that ESPN sure doesn't seem to give bowling the respect it gives other sports it carries and that this can't be good for the PBA. However, I'm not sure the PBA could find any other network to carry it and do a better job with it than ESPN does.
Would USA take it on, or Spike? And if either of them would, would they attract more viewers than THE sports network, ESPN? What do you think?
