Players vanish in ad blooper

Sky TV copped a barrage of criticism online last night after the Japanese host broadcaster of the All Blacks and Wallabies test began digitally projecting ads on to the field.

Ad graphics for AIG Insurance and Canon temporarily appeared on the field during the first half of the final Bledisloe Cup test in Yokohama.

After an outcry from fans, Sky New Zealand tweeted: “The host broadcaster heard the fans’ feedback and turned them off. Hope you enjoy rest of the game. Go the ABs.”

Sky spokeswoman Chris Major told the Herald on Sunday the on-field production, including any advertising, was determined by the host broadcaster.

“In the first few minutes of the match there were some rather prominent on-field advertising graphics that we and our customers weren’t very happy with. We were pleased to see that the host broadcaster quickly responded to our concerns and removed the ads.”

However, the ads — which in some cases saw players almost vanish from the screen — were not removed before fans, and even Sky Sports commentators, expressed their distaste.

“Seriously those superimposed graphics make it almost unwatchable. Please switch them off until technology is good enough. I don’t pay for HD for that low quality picture,” one fan tweeted.

“Please turn it off Sky, it’s so distracting!” another viewer pleaded.

Sky TV Sports commentator Scotty Stevenson chimed in too.

“This ground signage needs to beat it,” Stevenson tweeted.

The host broadcaster of the All Blacks test is J Sports — a group of four sports satellite TV channels in Japan produced and broadcast by Jupiter Sports.

The “virtual advertising” has previously featured on our screens during local rugby broadcasts, but not to the same degree.