This will in no way prevent us from watching this final.
But there is reason to be surprised at the schedule of the match.
4:30 am in France, 11:30 am in Tokyo for an Olympic final like basketball… Hard to believe.
Especially since the other matches for gold in handball and volleyball are scheduled for the evening in the Japanese capital, respectively at 2 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. French time.
Special hours but easy to explain.
American fans in the sights
What should not be done to satisfy the United States? The game's times were simply decided to benefit the main broadcaster of the Olympics, NBC. A broadcaster… American of course. Thanks to this programming, the audiovisual giant will be able to offer the final of its national team, in prime time, around 10:30 p.m. on the other side of the Atlantic.
This mechanic has already occurred since the start of the Games.
As the clock master of the Olympics, NBC had relied on the greatest chances of American medals to influence the schedule of events.
Morning schedules, in the first week of the Olympics, looking like winning bets for the NBC: the 100m and 4 x 100m freestyle final (won by the Americans), and the 110m and 100m hurdles (two medals in the 'American money).
With the men's basketball final, there really wasn't much risk involved in scheduling it for prime time.
So why does NBC decide everything in Tokyo?
It must be said that the $ 7.75 billion, spent to secure broadcasting rights until the 2032 Summer Games, must have weighed in the balance.
"A shitty schedule"
“We will not have to change to put on horseback riding” had chambered Evan Fournier at the microphone of France TV.
The rear tricolor does not think so well.
To beat the Americans, arch-favorites to their own succession, it will take remote support from French fans, even at this time.
On the Tokyo side, the programming is also controversial.
"It's disturbing knowing that the Americans are five minutes from the room and we are one hour in the village," said the new Knicks player.
In addition to an advantageous location, the United States will benefit from a few extra hours of rest compared to the France team.
Team USA having played their semi-final earlier this Thursday.
The Blues came for the gold 🥇
After defeating a very good Slovenian team, they will face Team USA in the final on Saturday at 4:30 am!
And we will be there @EvanFourmizz the message has passed 😉🇫🇷🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/N7EPf46RY7
- francetvsport (@francetvsport) August 5, 2021
Nothing to worry about the coach of the Blues: "it's less embarrassing than playing at 10 am", in reference to the match played against Iran even earlier.
Vincent Collet all the same ended up recalling the powerlessness of the teams to influence the schedules unlike the television rights.
Schedules that do not necessarily disturb the main players in the final including Nicolas Batum: “I do not care about the schedule of this match. We could play at 6 o'clock it would be the same: all I want is to play this game. »If the hero of the semi-final could do it again with his victorious counter at the last second. Even at 4:30 am, we don't say no.
