The Stanley Cup playoffs have just gotten underway and there are already a couple things I’m tired of. Things I just don’t want to see again.
The first would be the Leafs being horrible in the playoffs, although there is still hope that could change. And this has been a thing since 1967 (yes, I am that old) so I’ve gotten used to it.
But the gambling site ads are driving me nuts.
I am not against advertising. It has given me a living for most of my life, so I’m not against it. In fact I tend to notice ads m9re than many shows. I’ll pay attention to how ads are constructed. How they say things. The music they use. It’s not unusual for me to be looking up what song was used in an ad that just played and miss an important part of a show because of it. But there is a tipping point for me. And the gambling ads have pushed me over.
The first thing that occurred to me when these ads first started running was noticing they were using sports stars to promote gambling. It just seemed so close to what got Pete Rose a lifetime ban from baseball. The difference being now it’s legal, which I suppose is a big difference.
But it has become the frequency of them. They seem to be everywhere all the time. Not to mention the ads that pretend to be programming, breaking down the odds on various games that run during the game. Like this is a part of the game and you should be doing it.
I’m not against gambling, I just don’t do it often. I know I’m not very good at it, so I don’t. I also know the odds are not in your favour. These companies are not in business to help you make money. They’re in business to make themselves money and from the amount of advertising they are buying they seem to be making plenty.
I guess the real problem is it’s a product I have absolutely no interest in, and it is currently being advertised a lot. I know it’s a new business so from that standpoint it makes sense for them to get their product out there. But it is doing nothing to make me want to try their product. In fact, it’s doing the opposite.
I also think it’s a health hazard, at least to me. Since there are so many ads I don’t want to see, it gives me more chances to get up and go for snacks, which means I’ll eat more things that I shouldn’t be eating and put on too much weight, which will be bad for my health and I blame them.
Now that I’ve got that off my chest, anyone want to put money on how much weight I’ll gain?