The heavily jeered $250m goldmine - are hydration break ads here to stay?
Broadcasters are using mandatory hydration breaks at the World Cup to insert lucrative advertising slots, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. This practice has drawn criticism from fans and players who feel the breaks disrupt the flow of the game.
Why it matters
It highlights the ongoing tension between sports integrity and the commercialization of major global events.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, World Cup hydration breaks are being treated as tactical timeouts by teams, and a money-making machine by some broadcasters
The article presents both the financial motivations of broadcasters and the criticisms from fans and players objectively.
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