the control media companies have over live sports events is bananas.

im not a sports guy, so i was able to "cut the cord" before that was even a phrase. but if you look at the demos of people who still pay for cable subscriptions, it's guys who watch the shit out of live sports events.

a few huge streaming companies have managed to negotiate some rights and i think amazon has been aggressive, but it's still a cluster fuck of local market blackouts, pay per view, and "season passes" or going to somebody's house or a bar that "has the game".

and many still get all the TV ad breaks and bullshit "sponsored by crypto & pampers" pseudo commentary, the constant ads overlayed during the game. it's an insane user experience to witness, objectively.

and then some non event interrupts some shit they are gambling on (because remember, online sports gambling is backstopping all this) to say nothing happened.

and remember, because their access to the live feed is so tightly controlled, they often lack the ability or even potential to be watching on some direct/uninterrupted feed not subject to the parent company's desire to gin up controversy for some national non-event.

watching that old guy in a clip keep eating during the hoopla captured the real vibe so much more than all the c-list celebs and influencers trying to have their "i almost got shot in my tuxedo" moment taking crouched down selfie clips and hoping to sell the footage to some outlet and jumpstart their career as a brave culture war correspondent.