Sports-weary Today show viewers have taken to social media to voice their dissatisfaction about the show being too focused on NSW’s State of Origin.
On Thursday’s episode of the hit Channel Nine breakfast show, co-hosts Karl Stefanovic, 49, and Sarah Abo, 38, sat behind an NRL-branded desk.
Karl openly gushed about the QLD Maroons victory against the NSW Blues, telling Sarah at the start of the show, ‘I’m not going to gloat, but let’s start with that blissful taste of victory.’
For the rest of the program many of the Today team, including Karl, Sarah and reporter Brooke Boney, continued to discuss the State of Origin match – which quickly ruffled the feathers of disinterested viewers.
Upset fans took to the Media Spy forums to voice their grievance with the Today show’s big focus on the NRL.
Sports-weary Today show viewers have taken to social media to voice their dissatisfaction about the show being too focused on Queensland’s State of Origin. On Thursday, co-hosts Karl Stefanovic (left), 49, and Sarah Abo (right), 38, sat behind an NRL-branded desk
‘I get it’s a one off but today’s show was way too Origin heavy. The rest of the country don’t care,’ one viewer sniped.
‘Report it of course but in my opinion it was overload. I wouldn’t be surprised if Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide viewers switched over.’
‘Why is the AFL guy in Melbourne talking about Origin?’ another viewer asked and a third chipped in: ‘They always have one NRL rep and one AFL rep. They talk both codes in that segment.’
Karl openly gushed about the QLD Maroons victory against the NSW Blues , telling Sarah at the start of the show, ‘I’m not going to gloat, but let’s start with that blissful taste of victory’
It comes after Peter FitzSimons called for the Australian national anthem to be changed after Dylan Wright’s performance at the State of Origin divided viewers on Wednesday.
The 2024 Australian Idol winner delivered a stripped-down, guitar-based rendition of Advance Australia Fair to a packed house at Accor Stadium in Sydney.
Following the performance, FitzSimons argued that the anthem should be changed after one viewer slammed the singer’s interpretation of the song.
For the rest of the program many of the Today team, including Karl, Sarah and sports reporter Alex Cullen (pictured), continued to discuss the State of Origin match – which quickly ruffled the feathers of disinterested viewers
‘I thought the rendition of our National Anthem was awful. Why not just stick to what it’s meant to sound like?’ the user wrote on X.
Peter reposted the comment and said: ‘Either that, or get a decent anthem to work with, and there can only be one choice: I am, you are, we are Australian.’
Other viewers also took umbrage with the singer’s ‘diabolical’, ‘hipster’ interpretation of the anthem written by Scottish-born Australian composer Peter Dodds.
However, other stars including Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson defended Dylan’s ‘remarkable’ performance.
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