Ricky Ponting move puts Channel 7 rivals to shame as cricket fans rip 'embarrassing' commentary farce

A leading media analyst has told Yahoo Sport Australia that Fox Cricket might start losing subscribers after Brendon Julian was unwittingly caught in an embarrassing moment while calling the BBL on Tuesday night. Fox Sports have made a noticeable decision to have their commentators calling from a studio off a screen rather than at the games in person this BBL season, but it backfired on Tuesday night and perfectly illustrated the pitfalls of not having commentators at the ground.

Julian was left completely in the dark about what eventuated when Mitch Marsh was struck on the pad and dismissed for a golden duck in the Perth Scorchers and Melbourne Renegades clash. Because the cameras followed the ball to the boundary after it deflected off Marsh's pad, the TV director missed the moment the umpire raised the finger to give him out.

Channel 7 viewers knew exactly what happened because commentator Alister Nicholson was at Optus Stadium in Perth, but those watching on Fox Cricket were unawares for a number seconds. Because Julian was only seeing what the TV cameras were showing, he missed the key moment the umpire raised the finger.

By the time the TV director switched back to show the umpire he'd already taken his arm down, and there was complete silence from Julian because he didn't actually know what had happened. It was only when the cameras showed the Renegades players celebrating and Marsh walking off the field that Julian was able to fill the audience in.

Journalist Tom Decent wrote on social media: "If this isn’t a reason to send cricket commentators to all matches, I don’t know what is. Happens in footy codes too." Others described it as "embarrassing" for the BBL, with one fan writing: "Every single ball hit for 6 the commentator is unsure whether or not its going for a catch or 6 until after they've seen it on the TV screen. Completely ruining the game."

Channel 7 explain decision to have commentators in person

The move to have commentators calling off a screen in a studio has become all-too common, with a number of networks doing it across different codes. It became an inevitable part of live sport during the Covid pandemic, but networks have continued the practice after seeing how much money it saves.

However Channel 7 have recognised the importance of having their callers at the ground, as we saw when Ricky Ponting was flown from the second Test against India in Brisbane over to Perth to call the BBL season opener last month. Cricket fans questioned why the Aussie legend wasn't being used on the Test coverage after the first day, but it showed the Seven Network wanted their best asset in the box at the ground as the BBL kicked off.

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Speaking to Yahoo Sport Australia on Wednesday morning, Seven Network Director of Sport Chris Jones said: “Being on-site for every remaining Big Bash League game, every WBBL match, every women’s International, and every men’s Test allows us to bring the energy and atmosphere of the stadiums directly to viewers at home, live and free on Seven and 7plus Sport.

“There’s nothing quite like calling the game live, in-stadia, where the passion of the fans, the tension of the moment, and the drama of every ball can be felt. It’s about delivering the most authentic and immersive experience possible, so our audiences can feel like they’re right there in the heart of the action, no matter where they’re watching from.

"Our commitment to calling games live from venues across the country will continue into the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season, where our team will be on site for every Seven broadcast match. Viewers can catch all the action live and free on Seven and 7plus.”

Media analyst says Fox Sports might lose subscribers

Yahoo Sport Australia has also contacted Fox Sports for comment, while leading media analyst Steve Allen of Pearman Media has called out how costly the move might be. Fox Cricket requires viewers to pay for a subscription, while Channel 7 is free.

"It's an action presumably decided on a cost basis. It's very dangerous and potentially explosive," Allen told Yahoo Sport Australia. "Once consumers notice, it will sap confidence and connection to any telecaster who does this. Trust and a feeling you are not being shortchanged is very important, especially for a subscription-based streamer. Why pay for second rate and incomplete coverage?"

An Australian sports caller, commenting under the condition of anonymity, told Yahoo Sport Australia: "Calling at the ground compared to calling from a studio is chalk and cheese. It's very hard to get a feel for a game and the vibe in the crowd when you're in a studio hundreds of kilometres from the action.

"With a sport like cricket, it's doubly hard because of the size of the ground. You are totally reliant on the camera shots to tell you the story. It's obviously done with budget in mind and I think the callers do a pretty good job considering the obvious restrictions and challenges."