World’s to stream again while more Scottish games under water

BBC Scotland officially announced what most of the piping and drumming world assumed or already knew, while at least two more Highland  games in Scotland said they have been forced to cancel due to horrendous, record-setting wet weather.

The Loch Lomond Highland Games at Balloch, Scotland, originally scheduled for July 14th, pulled the plug on the event until September 22nd, and the annual Stonehaven Highland Games near Aberdeen also cancelled its scheduled July 15th competition. Both cited waterlogged parks, flooding and potential danger to attendees as the reasons.

Scotland has suffered from record-setting levels of rain in April and May, and a near-record in June. The month of July has so far continued the trend.

Meanwhile, there is no sign that the World Pipe Band Championships at Glasgow Green in Glasgow on August 11th will be cancelled or moved. BBC Scotland has confirmed that the Grade 1 competitions will be again broadcast live on the Internet via video streaming.

According to a recent pipes|drums Poll, at least 35 per cent of the competitive piping and drumming world does not plan to attend the World Championships, making a ready-made enthusiastic worldwide audience for the online event.

BBC television personality Jackie Bird will once again join PPBSO and RSPBA adjudicator Bob Worrall on the broadcast, which will be repackaged for a BBC television special on the weekend following the competition. There is no indication that the network TV show will be made available to non-UK audiences.

The commercial-free BBC is supported by UK residents  taxpayers who pay a tax license every year that is put towards television, radio and Internet broadcasting.