How amazing would it be to see scenes such as this described over the airwaves? Northland's Tai Erceg-Gray flies over a wave. Photo / File
How amazing would it be to see scenes such as this described over the airwaves? Northland's Tai Erceg-Gray flies over a wave. Photo / File
It's a sad time for New Zealand cricket lovers like myself.
Radio Sport, owned by NZME like the Northern Advocate, announced it would not renew its rights to broadcast live commentary from next summer's New Zealand Cricket's domestic season.
Quoting lengthy discussions with New Zealand Cricket, NZME's Head of Talk Jason Winstanley said they "haven't been able to reach agreement on the rights" after years of running cricket coverage at a loss.
The decision leaves the fate of iconic cricket broadcasters like Bryan Waddle and Jeremy Coney up in the air.
New Zealand cricket broadcaster Jeremy Coney. Photo / Photosport
Coney, 67, hit headlines earlier this month when he took a shot at coach Gary Stead for taking a planned holiday just after the national men's cricket team seemed to be imploding after a dismal T20 series against India.
Ironically, the Black Caps went on to clean-sweep the three-game ODI series and will look to end the tour on a positive note in two remaining tests before aiming to earn back some respect from our cousins across the ditch in three ODIs and three T20s.
Black Caps coach Gary Stead. Photo / File
All in all, it is a sad to day to see Radio Sport end its association with live New Zealand cricket broadcasting.
I spent many hours in a tractor cab, paying little attention to the task at hand and focusing primarily on Waddle's immediate description of the unfolding play before Coney stepped in with a piece of measured yet witty commentary.
However, the pair seem too valuable an asset to New Zealand cricket and will hopefully feature again across the airwaves if whoever buys the rights has any sense about them.
Bryan Waddle (right) interviews Black Caps captain Kane Williamson. Photo / Photosport
Also part of NZME's announcement on Thursday was how the decision to abandon cricket was an opportunity to engage with Kiwi sports fans across a range of codes.
I do hope the bosses at Radio Sport put their heads together and find a fresh and innovative way to service other codes apart from the rugby and cricket content which floods the station.
The article included some pretty confronting figures regarding both students' and teachers' rising departure from sport, further proof this country has serious issues keeping teenagers in popular codes.
It also reflected a movement we've seen in sport at a regional level whereby sportspeople, young and old, are turning to the more niche sports.
While basketball would hardly be considered a minority sport globally, it has regularly played fifth fiddle to the likes of rugby, football, netball and cricket.
However, participation numbers here in Northland are exploding as the sport seems to be the main benefactor from the great exodus of teenage athletes from rugby, a sport which is hurriedly looking for way to slow the bleeding.
Other codes like waka ama and ki o rahi are also growing fast, harnessing what people miss most about sport these days - culture.
Ki o rahi is growing, especially in Northland. Photo / File
Both sports are rooted in culture and while old heads of rugby and football dream wistfully of the days when club loyalty drove local teams, waka ama and ki o rahi fully incorporate Māori culture in way which breeds loyalty and passion.
But before I demand Radio Sport live broadcast next year's waka ama nationals, let's return to surfing and skating.
Just imagine - it's a stunning day at Ocean Beach. The sand is packed with onlookers and the surf has come to the party as Northland's best wave riders do battle.
Tell me that wouldn't be a damn entertaining thing to hear over the airwaves as two surfing gurus dissect each wave with the gusto and passion of Waddle and Coney discuss cricket.
If these fringe sports continue to grow, inevitably institutions like Radio Sport will catch on and give these codes a higher profile.
Surfing's culture makes it an ideal sport to promote for the future. Photo / File
But now cricket is off their schedule, this is the time for New Zealand's top yarn spinners to carve a new path in live sport broadcasting which services the current trajectory of our sporting landscape.
