The first Test began in the early hours of Friday morning, with Australia hosting England in Perth. TNT Sports faced heavy criticism for its broadcast, described by viewers as “a poor product” and “a travesty.”
England’s disappointing start to the Ashes mirrored discontent off the field as fans flooded social media with frustrations over the television experience. The team’s collapse to 172 all out on day one intensified the dissatisfaction with the coverage.
Many fans were shocked to hear commentators greet each other with “good morning” despite the match occurring in the Australian afternoon, fueling claims that key voices had not traveled to the venue. TNT Sports secures rights after Sky Sports chose not to bid, but the broadcast drew a furious backlash.
One viewer wrote: “Actually grateful that they’ve killed my enthusiasm this early. I can go back to pretending the series isn’t happening. Cricket on TNT Sports isn’t real, it can’t hurt you.”
Another added: “Just inexcusable coverage from TNT. The biggest cricket series in the world and you employ two non-cricket commentators, who aren’t even in Australia. Astonishing they thought this would go down well.”
Other complaints focused on production challenges rather than the pundits themselves.
Summary: The controversy surrounding TNT Sports’ Ashes coverage centers on perceived poor presentation, lack of on-site commentary, and production flaws amid England’s early struggles and Australia’s home advantage.
Author’s note: TNT Sports faced a widespread backlash from fans who felt the broadcast failed to meet expectations for cricket’s marquee series.