To all those upset with German TV (ZDF)

I can understand that you are upset.
Matches shown in tape-delay while other are going on, cutting off matches in the third set, the final in a delayed summary.

However, the problem is NOT that the people are just too dumb.

The problem is that no one wants to see tennis.

Here in Germany, we are back at the state of the 70s, when Wimbledon's final coverage ended because of the 'Sendung mit der Maus' (a children's program - it's great BTW, but still ...).

Ratings for yesterday's semis were below one million and at around 7 % which is truly horrible. So when coverage of Berlin starts on wednesday (ARD), we can expect similar things.

There are probably several reasons for that:

Too much tennis in TV durings the 90s.
No Germans at the top (although it's the same for the men who at least have Tommy Haas).
Bad coverage which leads to less interest which leas to even worse coverage etc.

People are still playing tennis here (although club member numbers are decreasing), and the tournaments are well-visited.

So it's a bit strange. Maybe it needs a German reaching a GS final, but that may take quite a few years.

Sendung mit der Maus... I think I know this programme, I watch sometimes the children's programmes on German TV to improve my German.
Der Maus ist super!

I think tennis in germany is to much Boris and Steffi, maybe in 20 years that will change but probarly not sooner! I am still glad about all the coverage in the ninties even if some thought it was too much, I enjoyed it ! :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

Hagar, it's 'Sendung mit DER Maus' (feminine dative), but it's 'DIE Maus' (feminine nominative). ;) I admit that's it's difficult.

isn't Berlin on ARD ???

still can't see it though either :mad:

No excuses!
The coverage sucked, that's it!

Thank you, GoDominique. Well, Dativ, Akkusativ, etc... German is so damn difficult. I'll keep trying!

indeed, the covarage sucked! If they give life tennis instead of delays the rates would be (a bit) higher... Who wants to watch a match where they already know the score from??? (except a real tennisfan :) )

I wonder what the ratings were for the final???

Hagar: yeah, it's hard. Even most Germans can't write properly (let alone speak). ;)

arn: I can tell you tomorrow, but it won't be good news, although it was great sport. :(

Seems like a precarious situation for German tennis. As I understand it, ZDF plans to slash coverage of this tournament next year. And ARD is not getting involved either. That's equivalent to a deatch sentence.

ZDF only joined Rothenbaum on Thursday this year. And they didn't care about finishing matches - or going the extra mile in their coverage. Or even an extra inch.

The ratings are poor, and the costs are high. So it's no surprise they are getting disinterested.

If tennis doesn't appeal, they will show another sport that does. Or they will simply broadcast their normal programs.

Germans are used to success in sports. They are used to seeing their own athletes excel Especially in tennis. The Graf era was unprecedented. Huber drew some interest as well. But at the moment it's looking bleak with no one even in the top 40.

Imagine if the United States were without a single top 20 player. If they didn't have as much as one serious threat in the Slams.

The general public simply wouldn't care much about the sport.

The DTB is starving to get a top female player. It wouldn't make all the difference, but it would matter greatly.

It's understandable really. Here in Belgium we didn't get coverage of tennis at all until recently. With Sabine and Dominique interest certainly increased but we had to wait for the rise of Kim and Justine before we could have some live coverage. Still the coverage can always be improved. ;)

Now that Germany has no stars in the game anymore, ratings are bound to be dropping even more. I hope a new German talent will emerge quickly cause I've always enjoyed tennis coverage on ZDF and ARD over the past years. It would be sad if those channels would stop showing tennis altogether! :mad: