Anyone who screwed up like this in the world of broadcast television would certainly be fired. I am actually etremely impressed by the new products (in a way I didn't expect to be), but this webcast failure tarnishes the launch and will directly impact their bottom line in the short term.
It gives the press an unflattering story to run with besides "OMG new shiny", diluating Apple's carefully prepared marketing push. That's why it has impact beyond just Apple fans.
