‘Same Bar As Online Businesses’: Gymnastics World Left Distraught As FIG Baku World Cup Fails To Provide Broadcast Access to Fans

The 2024 FIG Apparatus World Cup series has ignited excitement among gymnastics fans, setting the standard high for the Olympic year. The competitions organized by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) consist of four artistic gymnastics events that will serve as Olympic qualification events for the 2024 Paris Olympics, held in four major cities: Cairo, Cottbus, Baku, and Doha. Each of these events offers gymnasts the opportunity to earn points towards Olympic qualification.

The best three points in the rankings count toward their final total. With two legs of the series completed, all eyes turn toward the Baku World Cup. However, amidst the mounting excitement for this crucial qualifier, gymnastics fans have voiced their discontent online with the federation’s handling of the event’s live streaming.

Excitement builds for the Baku World Cup

In a post by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG), the federation shared exciting news with gymnastics fans worldwide regarding the Baku World Cup. The post highlighted, “With Olympic qualification points up for grabs, the competition will be 🔥.” The Baku World Cup from March 7–10, 2024, is crucial for gymnastics Olympic qualification.

Many gymnasts have already earned maximum points in previous competitions in Cairo and Cottbus. Winning or being the highest-ranked gymnast in Baku would virtually guarantee their advancement to the Paris Olympics. Boasting a diverse field of over 250 gymnasts representing 69 nations, the Baku World Cup promises riveting matchups.

While the option to watch the event live is available in selected territories on figtv.sport, the surge in excitement for the sport has led fans to voice their concerns about the accessibility of the event’s broadcast on the federation’s social media platforms.

Gymnastics fan online share their disappointment regarding the live stream

Fans have taken to social media platforms like X and Instagram to express their disappointment with the accessibility of the upcoming Baku World Cup. One gymnastics enthusiast shared a screenshot on X, revealing that access to the event required the use of a voucher, yet no option to purchase access was available.

Another fan commented below another post on FIG’s X account, criticizing the lack of coverage for qualifications, which often showcase remarkable performances, in contrast to the high cost of access to the finals.

Additionally, a fan on Instagram highlighted the paradox of promoting a “win a free voucher” campaign, writing, “You know what, putting the sport behind a paywall and use social media tagging to give it back doesn’t make the sport more accessible or attract more viewers. It puts one of the biggest sports in the Olympics on the same bar of some online businesses who struggle to get customers.” 

With the competition mere days away, it’s clear that fans are growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of accessibility surrounding the event. What do you think about these updates? Comment below!

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