- Share this article on Facebook
- Share this article on Twitter
- Share this article on Flipboard
- Share this article on Email
- Show additional share options
- Share this article on Linkedin
- Share this article on Pinit
- Share this article on Reddit
- Share this article on Tumblr
- Share this article on Whatsapp
- Share this article on Print
- Share this article on Comment
Some World Cup fans in areas of New York and Pennsylvania were irate at a local TV station Sunday for cutting into the last few minutes of the World Cup final to cover a tornado warning.
PHOTOS World Cup Final Highlights
WENY-TV, an ABC affiliate that reaches southern upstate New York and northern Pennsylvania, interrupted broadcast of the game at the 114-minute mark, when the match was in extra time and Germany was leading 1-0 over Argentina. (That also ended up as the final score.)
PHOTOS U.S. Soccer’s Tim Howard and 13 Other Athletes Who Suddenly Became Stars
According to Deadspin, the interruption lasted through the final six minutes of the game. Many viewers hit Twitter to complain:
Thanks @WENYTV for ruining the #WorldCupFinal. Couldn’t wait 5 mins? Pretty sure most of us can read & perceive a giant storm warning scroll
— Jessica Cramer (@TheLadyCramer) July 13, 2014
Thanks @WENYTV not trying to watch the World Cup Final or anything
— Eric Berglund (@eberglund10) July 13, 2014
Good thing @WENYTV ruined the World Cup final for everyone
— Jacob Carocci (@JCarocci11) July 13, 2014
Thanks for making us miss the end of the World Cup @WENYTV! If we didn’t hate local news before, we sure do now.
— Mack Schrock (@schrockmr) July 13, 2014
Still, WENY did have its defenders, who argued that viewers were over-reacting:
Abosulute display of idiocy & moronic behavior of some toward @WENYTV over severe wx coverage today for doing the right thing. #NYwx
— Mike Haggett (@WesternMEwx) July 14, 2014
It’s ridiculous that people are upset with @WENYTV because they were warning us of weather that could possibly harm us.
— Dani (@DanielleAlred) July 14, 2014
Um, instead of being all mad @WENYTV for cutting away from end of #worldcup, how about you be mad at tornado that made them do it?
— Erin Cassidy (@erinccpi) July 13, 2014
Still others made light of the situation:
I hope this weatherman has life insurance @wenytv
— JD Skidders (@dagonjr) July 13, 2014
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to WENY for comment.
THR Newsletters
Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day