Monday, March 17, 2008 Internet gives fans option to view Pacquiao fight
WHO says watching a live, commercial-free Pacquiao fight needs to be expensive? Who says to watch a Pacquiao fight, you need to shell out a huge amount for pricey buffets and cinema tickets?
For Ann Cielo Colina, all she needed was an internet connection and the right software to enjoy a distraction-free viewing of the fight, right smack at the comforts of her own living room.
“I discovered that there is an inexpensive way to do it, so why not try it?” she said.
Colina downloaded a program from the internet that offered free video streaming for the fight, something most people had to pay for.
Colina also shrugged watching the match from the local channel that aired it because of the number of ads.
“The commercials are just too much. We waste like five hours just to watch the matches all the way through. To make things worse, they insert commercials at very inopportune time,” she said.
Colina added that hours after the fight, she watched the local broadcast and was dismayed.
“They had to play a five-minute long commercial after every national anthem. It was boring. No one would watch that especially since by that time people already knew that Pacquiao won. Before, we would just have complained about it but suck it up because we don’t have a choice. Now, we do and people should take advantage of this,” Colina said.
Colina admitted that while she loves sports, she was scared to watch the fight because the excitement made her sick.
“Half of the time my eyes were closed and the other half, I was screaming my heart out,” she said.
She downloaded the program because it brought her neighbors together, thanks to her widescreen monitor.
“Some of my cousins living nearby, my brothers’ friends and neighbors, came in to enjoy the fight with us. It was worth it because everyone had a great time,” she said.
Silent
The Colina living room shook when Pacquiao downed Marquez in the third round and fell silent when the decision was read. Pandemonium broke when Pacquiao was finally announced the victor.
The party ended with everyone sharing lunch with the elders reviewing the fight that was shown in the local channel.
Fans abroad also used the Mannypacquiao.ph webstie and forums to check on updates of the fight.
Dong Secuya, owner of the website said he had 60,000 unique visitors visited his site since Saturday, while another 5,000 were logged on during the time of the fight. (MCB)
