Should World Jai-alai Tolerate Players Ripping Refs on Live Stream?

Should World Jai-alai Tolerate Players Ripping Refs on Live Stream?

March 16, 2026:  At least on two occasions now, players have come on the live stream after winning the match and criticize how their referees are performing.

It happened during the last week on last season and recently happened again a couple of weeks ago.  Players come on the live broadcast – totally at the expense of World Jai-alai on their own “network” and rip the refs for the performance.  Missing calls happens in every sport, but when gambling is directly involved, things can get sticky.  Yes, football, baseball, basketball players complain all the time.  I remember a couple of guys in the 70s playing tennis that were famous for it.  It made it interesting, however.       

A question one must ask, with a sticky reputation in the past with strangers saying  “That game is rigged” which is often heard when the word “Jai-alai” is brought up, one must wonder how can this be allowed?  Should players be allowed to criticize the company they work for – on their platform and broadcast, to release their frustrations in such a manner?  Were the players fined at all?  Is World Jai-alai going to address it, or have they already?  Or do they accept it as “that’s the way it is today”.       

In the old days, you could not even talk to the players or anybody on the other side of the screen.  Frontons even had a guy from the state sit up in the broadcast booth area monitoring things.  Even at the grand opening at Calder Jai-alai, I was scolded for trying to talk to Brodie making his pro debut.  But he was gone after that performance and never seen again that I know of and has never appeared at Magic City during their 8–9-year run.

What are your thoughts?   I’ll start a thread on Tigers site after this story posts.  Look forward to hearing the comments.