Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Length of Highlights Packages

I'm frustrated with the length of the highlights packages that the sports channels offer. Cricket is the only sport I watch, by the way. On second thoughts, tennis too. But don't watch highlights of tennis matches. So, I eagerly tune into Star Cricket to watch the highlights of the first ODI between Australia and Pakistan. All I get is a 50 min package, with absolutely no signs of the twists in the game. Before I come to terms with the fact that Aussies have had a bad start to their innings, Cameron White has already hit Afridi for 3 successive sixes thus ensuring victory for the Aussies. No idea why the channel doesn't use the 60 mins available. The last 10 mins is invariably used to show Sachin's hundred against England at Edbagston 14 years ago or the century against Aussies at Melbourne 10 years back. And it only brings bad memories of the Sachin-only-scoring days of Indian Cricket. Sucks.

Less said about Neo Cricket and Ten Sports, the better. While Star Cricket deprives us, these two channels bore us to death with two hour highlights. I missed the Eng SA series and Ind SL tests because of this.

Interestingly, Star Cricket's programs like Australia Victorious are for 90 minutes. Wonder why highlights cannot be for 90 minutes. I think the solution lies in having a variable amount of time for highlights. For example, if a day's Test Cricket has around 270 runs scored and not many wickets taken, the highlights can be for 1 hour. If there is a lot of action, it can be extended to 90 minutes. And if the highlights is less than 90 minutes, Star Cricket can always play any of Sachin's or Lara's hundreds in the remaining time! The only aberration I can think of are matches like this, where the entire match is like highlights!

Let me know your thoughts on this.

3 comments:

Karthik said...

There are lot of things to worry about in this world and all you care is about the length of highlight package!!!

Gads said...

@Karhik: :D I worry about lots of things da.

Muralidharan K said...

Gadha.. It's been 2.5 years since your last post.. Enga da poite ??