Sun Sports Fails To Air Part Of Heat Opener Due To Tech Issues

Sun Sports Did Not Broadcast First Quarter Of Heat Game Because An Encoder Was Missing

Sun Sports' telecast on Wednesday of the Heat's season-opening game against the Knicks at MSG, had technical problems that were "disrupting transmission" of the game, according to Barry Jackson of the MIAMI HERALD. Sun Sports Senior VP & GM Cathy Weeden noted that the net "should have superimposed a graphic that would have told viewers that technical problems were disrupting transmission." Instead, viewers saw a college football studio show between 7:30-7:45pm ET, "without any acknowledgment of the Heat." Just before tipoff, Heat play-by-play TV commentator Eric Reid "informed viewers of the technical problems and provided a radio-type call of the game ... before video was restored with 2:19 left in the first quarter." Weeden said that Sun Sports officials "knew long before the game that there was a problem because a piece of equipment called an encoder did not make it to Madison Square Garden." But Sun Sports "had another plan to televise the game ... and thought everything would be OK." Weeden said the net has "multiple backup systems," but added the "master control lost the signal five minutes before" airtime. Weeden said that Sun Sports "received 'more than dozens' of e-mails and calls from angry and confused viewers." Weeden: "It's the opening game of the season -- it's disappointing. Everything that could have gone wrong went wrong" (MIAMI HERALD, 10/31).