The fans are angry, ZDF reacts
German basketballers stand on one foot in the final of the Olympic 3x3 tournament. But as the decisive seconds of the semi-final run, the ZDF switched to the news. Viewers are upset, the station apologized later.
ZDF regrets pulling out of the broadcast of the Olympic 3x3 basketball semi-final a few seconds before the end. "Due to the tense global political situation, the 7 pm 'Today' show should be broadcast at its usual time. But breaking off the broadcast just before the end of the German 3x3 basketball semi-final against Canada was a mistake," said ZDF sports chief Yorck Polus.
The public broadcaster had switched to advertising in the linear program about 25 seconds before the end of the exciting game on Monday, before starting the 'Today' news. This sparked sharp viewer criticism on social media. Many viewers complained that they hadn't been able to switch to a live stream in time to see the end of the game.
"We regret that viewers in the main program missed the final basket that secured the German basketballers' place in the final," said Polus. The German team with Svenja Brunckhorst, Sonja Greinacher, Elisa Mevius and Marie Reichert won the game against Canada 16:15, with Greinacher scoring the winning basket just before the end.
"Later that evening, we showed the gold medal final in full on TV," Polus added. In the final, the German team beat Spain 17:16 in front of basketball legend Dirk Nowitzki. This is the first ever Olympic medal for the German Basketball Federation.
The Olympic Games 2024 in Paris is a topic of excitement among many sports enthusiasts, as they look forward to potentially witnessing another Olympic medal win for Germany in basketball. Despite the disappointment of missing the final basket in the semi-final due to ZDF's sudden switch to the news, viewers are eager to support the German team in their quest for more glory in the forthcoming Olympic Games.
