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You cannot be serious – fury as BBC dumps tennis

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Published Date: 09 March 2009
TENNIS fans were up in arms yesterday after the BBC pulled coverage of the Davis Cup match in Glasgow because Britain could not win.
The BBC said the decision was made, with the backing of the International Tennis Federation, after the British doubles pairing of Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins lost to their Ukrainian rivals on Saturday in the Euro/Africa Zone Group One tie, leaving Sunday's final two matches "dead rubbers".

The corporation also said it made financial sense, as live tennis was expensive to broadcast.

The match was held in front of sell-out crowds at Braehead Arena, with extra tickets having to be added last month to meet demand. But coverage of yesterday's play was not even available on the BBC's "on demand" service, leaving some fans fuming.

One told The Scotsman: "It's a case of sing when you're winning. Does that mean if we get knocked out of Wimbledon in the first week, like we usually do, that the BBC will not show the rest of the tournament?

"We are supposed to be promoting tennis in Scotland. If we cannot be bothered showing it because we are losing, then that's not saying much for the BBC."



The full article contains 209 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 08 March 2009 9:31 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: The BBC , Davis Cup
 
1

RufusT-Firefly,

08/03/2009 23:03:26
Oh dear, another Anti-Scottish conspiracy.

An SNP Spokesman coming your way soon.............
2

Longdirk Maceth,

NZ 09/03/2009 06:56:03
No 1 but it's pathetic of the EBC, you anti Scottish English prat.
Meanwhile why don't you comment on the folllowing?

1. On economics, despite a veneer of business respectability (tax bribes) the Labour Party is even more of a tax-and-spend party than SNP, as clearly shown by its colossal £4.54 billion/year manifesto pledges.
2. The very fact Labour wont entertain a referendum on the future of Scotland, either more power for Hollyrood or Independence shows just how divorced the Labour Party is from the people it purports to represent.
3. You can’t trust the Labour Party. Their oil fund calculations are wrong. They’re wrong on oil production, price, even Scotland’s share. They’ve been flip-flopping for votes. Then there is Iraq, cash for honours etc etc. Need I say more!
4. The Labour Parties council tax penalise working people, the aged and families. Even the “idle rich” pay less. If council tax is the question, income tax is the answer, much fairer all round.
5. Socialism doesn’t work.
6. The Labour Parties crime proposals are a joke. They talk tough (it’s popular) but in reality have a hand-wringing attitude.
7. The Labour Party has a disgraceful policy that Iraqi civilians and other coalition troops to needless additional risk just by being there!
8. Perhaps most worryingly, is the Labour Party authoritarian and totalitarian tendencies. It attempts to store the DNA of every crime suspect. It seeks to smear its opponents at every opportunity using words like “liar”, “discredited” and “cowardly”. The separatist parties are thought of as “anti-British”, “enemies of England” and “traitors”.
9. Ruined private pension schemes by introducing 40% tax on the dividends earned by Pension Funds
10. Came into power promising a Whiter Than White approach to sleaze. You judge whether they have managed to maintain that high standard !
11. Trident replacement to be located in Scotland at an estimated cost of 50 billion.
12. National ID cards scheme being railro
3

Longdirk Maceth,

NZ 09/03/2009 06:56:48
con't

12. National ID cards scheme being railroaded through parliament at a massive cost of more billions.
12. Total inability to control illegal immigration.
13. Flawed anti-terrorism policy makes UK more of a target than ever.
14. Billions spent on the NHS but disappears into a bottomless pit of admin and bureaucracy with no tangible improvement in patient services to speak of. Programme of closing local hospitals continues unabated.
15. Law and order policies in total disarray with record numbers in prison while young neds terrorise towns and villages up and down the country. Local policing now a thing of the past.
16. Stealth Tax policies result in overall tax burden rising for most tax payers.
17. Educational fiascos with three separate inquiries into the problems at SQA.
18. Holyrood building fiasco. What was the final cost? 500, 600 million?
So many scandals So little time.
4

carrottop,

Dumfries 09/03/2009 08:08:12

How can you promote tennis by watching your team get gubbed by a bunch of also rans?
5

Calum Crubag,

09/03/2009 08:14:54
1 - no, it's a British team. The BBC are obviously anti-British and the headline is right - i am furious.

Well, maybe not. Britain, like 'their' tennis team is a dead concept.
6

Calum Crubag,

09/03/2009 08:16:00
I'm Rufus will support me in saying that the Beeb should pull the plug on Wimbledon too.
7

The Ayrshire Bard,

09/03/2009 10:37:19
#2 What on earth does your rant have to do with tennis?
8

Longdirk Maceth,

NZ 09/03/2009 11:18:45
Why don't you ask 1?
9

Kenny,,

Glasgow 09/03/2009 12:46:50
I'm just wondering what connection comment #1 has with the story.
10

Americanbob,

09/03/2009 13:53:09
#9, Kenny, Roughar*e @ #1 always likes to comment first on his own stories, check out the time, some 8 hours before anybody else gets a chance!
11

Tartan Viking,

09/03/2009 14:09:52
#10 That's because the e*rse is an insider. A Unionist plant from the Hootsmon. Not a very clever one mind.
12

Tartan Viking,

09/03/2009 14:11:15
#9. There is no connection. This e*rse makes an anti-SNP comment on every story he/she/it can, irrespective if it is relevant or even sensible.
13

Tartan Viking,

09/03/2009 14:25:32
And another thing. Notice that when you post something he doesn't like he takes the huff and gets it deleted pretty sharpish. He must be an insider to get this done so quickly. When I tried to get a comment deleted months ago it took much longer then this.
14

krusty the klown,

09/03/2009 23:50:56
#1,2,3 interesting. And, I expect that the evidence to support you speculation is at www.x-files/truth.is.out.there/man.com
15

SkeptikScot,

16/03/2009 18:26:58
Don't worry, I've just read the news. The BBC are to be punished for this shocking action by having the licence fee frozen for one year. That'll show them!
16

SkeptikScot,

16/03/2009 18:29:01
I've just noticed that half the comments on here have nothing to do with the article! (inc. this one, oops).
17

Raganzi,

12/07/2009 17:40:58
The BBC has lost the plot some time ago.
18

Unbiased Observer,

13/07/2009 07:27:14
Dump the boss and appoint a new one immediately.

 

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