Local TV coverage of the opening games of the World Cup yesterday was good . . . but was it good enough?

And will it continue in the same fashion?

It's a question that fans here in Bermuda will be asking. It's sure to spark plenty of debate.

Sadly, ZFB's showing of the Greatest Show on Earth can't compare with ESPN whose feed we were all hoping to receive.

Instead, we have to be content with a service provided by a Caribbean network which, as might have been expected, isn't quite up to par.

Yesterday's showing here of the historic opening game between Souh Africa and Mexico was preceded by a concert in the park in New York and a cooking show!

No build-up, no panel discussion, no information about the teams, nothing at all relevant to one of the biggest games in the last 100 years, a game when African football came of age – one of the most significant occasions in the nation's history.

Instead we got ZFB's regular morning progamming.

Eventually we saw the teams walking out on the pitch and even that was interrupted by a commercial.

Seconds after the kick-off we were treated to a 'Digicel football' flashing in the top left hand corner of the screen . . . and it continued at regular intervals throughout that match and the next.

On top of that distraction, a few minutes later the FIFA logo swept across the screen. And then irritating Digicel commercials appeared at the bottom of the TV.

It was difficult to keep track of the actual game.

Well done Digicel for sponsoring the local and Caribbean coverage. Now that we know you're putting up the necessary bucks, wouldn't it better if your ads were left until the half-time interval and the end of the game.

And talking of that interval, the commentator, who was superb in his presentation, was left alone to recap the first-half highlights. Again no panel discussion as was the case on ESPN who have employed some of football's current and past players to analyse the games

In terms of pre-match presentation, it was much better before the France versus Uruguay game. But again the show was interrupted by those annoying Digicel commercials.

Many will be asking why the ESPN coverage was blocked? After all, we're paying Cablevision to screen the best of worldwide sports, football included. Are we going to get our money back! Don't even ask.

ZFB are doing their best with limited facilities and a show that just can't compare with those offering football fans in the USA and much of the rest of the world. But then maybe we should be grateful that we are getting every single game 'live'. There can be no complaints on that score.

And for that, Digicel must be applauded. If only they could let football take the spotlight.

If the bars are packed to the rafters for the next four weeks with their satellite coverage, we'll all know why.