Honda Clasic At Siam Old Course

[glanville63]

Does anyone know which chanel I can find The Honda Clasic from Siam Country Club Old Course please. Maybe it's not being broadcast this time but I'm sure I watched it on TV the last time it was played.

[Mobi]

Its on True Visions Thai Golf Channel number 158.

[glanville63]

Thanks Mobi. I did try 158 Thursday afternoon about 4pm but it wasn't on then. I'll take a look at their schedule for Friday and beyond.

Many thanks again.

[Mobi]

According to the True Visions website, it will be on tomorrow.

[glanville63]

Yes my new Truevision box lets me look into the future and tells me the LPGA from Siam starts at 12.30. Thanks. Do you play golf. I'm a member at Phoenix.

[Spaniel]

You can call True, 02 725-2525, click 9 for English, then 3 for help. I have called them before about programming. They will be able to tell you.

[longball53098]

I watched the LPGA Honda on free to air channel 7 both antenna and True dish and the commentators were English speakers. 1400-1700 today and I'm sure rounds 3 and 4 will also be on the same channel. I checked all the True sport channels including 158 Golf,,,no Honda golf

[chuckd]

The LPGA tournament on channel 158 was a replay from somewhere in the US.

I watched Thai channel 7 (Truevision channel 3) starting at 1400 until second round completion. Changing the language to English is possible.

Don't know where it will be tomorrow but my first bet is Thai channel 7.

[glanville63]

I called True Vision on a number posted here by Spaniel and they told me it's on chanel 2. I checked and it is on 2 and it's broadcast from 3pm until 5pm.

Thanks Spaniel.

[longball53098]

I just watched the Saturday round of the Classic on True channel 3 which is Thai Bangkok channel 7. It would seem this is the only local live broadcast.

Very disappointing that they only cover the end of the round from 1500 to 1700. Lets hope tomorrow it will be a few more hours as this should be a great finish day.

It would be nice if Channel 7 had better coverage times for the full match.

[longball53098]

For all English speakers the last 2 hours of the final round can be watched on Thai Channel 7 which is Channel 3 on the true system starting at 3Pm or 1500 zulu time.

I just can't believe that Channel 7 is the only live broadcast and the LPGA and Honda could not get them to give up more air time for this supposedly big time Thai golf match

Anyone in the US or Europe see this match on you're local TV? I bet not as the LPGA is hurting for viewership

[chuckd]

It's all over and Yani Tseng has just won another tournament at 15 under. Michelle Wei came in second at 10 under.

One observation I would like to make about Yani Tseng. After watching her for the past couple of LPGA tournaments at Siam CC and in New Zealand, I would place money on her short game, from 125 yards in, against the best pros that any of the tours could find to play against her.

She has a deadly wedge game and a nearly automatic putter from 15 feet.

Best I have ever seen at that part of the game.

[glanville63]

All in all a pretty piss poor coverage. Shame on you True Vision but it's what we've come to expect from you.

[longball53098]

Why blame True for the TV coverage,,,not their fault at all. If you want to blame someone blame the LPGA and the big sponsor Honda for not spending the bucks to contract Bangkok Channel 7 to give the game more air time. Channel 7 and not True had the exclusive rights to the broadcast.

[Mobi]

Why blame True for the TV coverage,,,not their fault at all. If you want to blame someone blame the LPGA and the big sponsor Honda for not spending the bucks to contract Bangkok Channel 7 to give the game more air time. Channel 7 and not True had the exclusive rights to the broadcast.

Erm.... I know nothing about this particular situation, but in general whenever a live sports event is held, anywhere in the world, TV companies bid for the broadcasting rights and the highest bidder normally wins.

The sports event organisers don't pay a TV company to broadcast the event - it is the other way round.

So I am assuming that channel 7 outbid True for the rights (True was obviously expecting to get the rights as they had advertised it in their programme schedules) and it was up to Ch 7, as the holder of the rights, how much air time they devoted to it. In the event they must have decided that it was not a big money maker for them (advertising revenue -wise), hence the poor coverage.

The same happened a few years ago with regard to Premier league's football rights. ESPN/Star Ports used to hold the rights, including Thailand, but then the Thai TV stations put in their own bid for the Thailand rights only and kicked ESPN out. Another example is when ESPN had the rights to the Ryder cup in Thailand and gave it extensive coverage which was carried by True.

It is usually to the audience's benefit when the rights are held by a 'free to air' TV company as it will reach a wider audience but obviously not in this case. My guess is that if ESPN had the Thai rights, we would have seen much more of the event on our TV's.

This sort of thing goes on between TV companies and sports event promoters all the time, all over the world and I have never heard of a situation when the sports promoter pays a TV company for the rights to cover an event.

Please tell me if I am wrong on this.

[glanville63]

Thanks for that explanation Mobi. It makes sense. I'm just a True Vision viewer and know very little about the internal politics of the broadcasting scene. It goes without saying that it was a shame so little coverage was given to this event for whatever reasons.