Former Socceroo and outspoken football pundit Robbie Slater led a chorus of outraged fans who experienced issues with Optus Sport’s live stream of the Egypt v Uruguay match on Friday night.
Optus has the rights to several World Cup fixtures that are unavailable on free-to-air television.
Fans flocked to Twitter in droves to vent about constant buffering, audio issues and the fact they were forced to use Optus in the first place.
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Slater led the charge but, perhaps not surprisingly, soon found himself on the end of a barrage of abuse from passionate round-ball fans.
No game live and free tonight wow ! How did that happen ? Unbelievable
— Robbie Slater (@RobbieSlater17) June 15, 2018
The biggest show on earth #WorldCup18 and it’s not on free to air ! Shame
— Robbie Slater (@RobbieSlater17) June 15, 2018
Someone has betrayed you and you know who that is ! The government would they allow this for the Olympics ? It’s only SOCCER they would say !
— Robbie Slater (@RobbieSlater17) June 15, 2018
I hear the streaming is going well ! Absolute disgrace ! Long month ahead ! If you going to have it deliver it !
— Robbie Slater (@RobbieSlater17) June 15, 2018
Frustrated former A-League star Daniel McBreen shared this screenshot of the coverage:
Great start..... pic.twitter.com/OlW8MJXmBX
— Daniel McBreen (@djmcbreen) June 15, 2018
The criticism of Optus kept coming from underwhelmed subscribers:
My best on ground votes for #URUEGY
— Dylan Leach (@leachitup) June 15, 2018
3- Buffering
2 - spinning circle
1 - playback error
All thanks to Optus & SBS.#WorldCup
Absolute con of an organisation! World game my arse. Optus I want my money back 🙄
— simon steer (@simonsteer8) June 15, 2018
As funny as Robbie Slater’s melts about Optus having the World Cup are, their service is still utter shite. Constant buffering and stream interruptions. Thought they would have had their shit sorted by the time the World Cup rolled around.
— Red Crow (@redcrow_28) June 15, 2018
I’m assuming FIFA will move the #WorldCup final back to October. The group stage won’t be finished on #OptusSport until at least August.
— Richard Hinds (@rdhinds) June 15, 2018
Massively excited to announce I’m now a paid up member of that least exclusive club: people who pay for the #WorldCup via Optus, yet just stare at a buffering screen for most of the first half.
— Chris Danks (@DanksDiscussion) June 15, 2018
Great fun.
As usual, it didn’t take long for things to get nasty as Slater himself copped it from fired-up fans:
Working just fine for me go away and watch your one goal for Australia in replay again again hey would you seriously be complaining if foxtel was covering it 🤔🤔🤔🤔
— Ant 🐜🐜🐜 (@wildwestcoast) June 15, 2018
Give it a rest you bitter spanner
— Nick Meldrum (@nmeldy) June 15, 2018
You flog... I am watching @OptusSport #WorldCup2018 and it is perfect!!!
— Deplorable 😱 & over PC (@melbourneminker) June 15, 2018
No offence, but thier world cup and premier coverage has been better than any fox sports season I've ever watched. It's a shame that some people just love to complain.
— Ali Soufan (@asoufan96) June 15, 2018
robbie slater knob
— tyler howson (@tylerhowson) June 15, 2018
greg hayes knob
basil zempilas knob
TV Mute
Robbie Slater having the same panicky rant tonight that the rest of us had in 2016.
— No Nonsense Defender (@NoNonsenseDef) June 15, 2018
