Why is 'Life's A Pitch' only one twice a week now?
Probably because they'd still have to pay Des Kelly (and maybe even some of the more regularly-appearing pundits) for the rest of the football season even if they didn't show it at all so they might as well do a couple of shows a week for the (very) few thousand dullards still keen on watching it.
Whoever thought either the format or the presenter were strong enough to keep it interesting nearly every weeknight all year wants their head testing.
What's even more boneheaded is that because BT swept up the British version of ESPN, they could easily have continued the British version of USA-ESPN's flagship half-hour weekday sportschat Pardon The Interruption or launched the British version of USA-ESPN's Around The Horn (which is the tv-format of Radio-5's Fighting Talk).
Stateside, ATH & PTI have been shown back-to-back between 5.00 & 6.00 Eastern-time Monday-to-Friday nearly all-year-round since 2003 ... I'm not sure there's enough demand over here for that amount of either show but I reckon having British versions on alternate nights at 10pm on BT (eg, ATH Mon/Wed, PTI Tue/Thu) would've been far better than trudging through Life's A Pitch every night.
Probably because they'd still have to pay Des Kelly (and maybe even some of the more regularly-appearing pundits) for the rest of the football season even if they didn't show it at all so they might as well do a couple of shows a week for the (very) few thousand dullards still keen on watching it.
Whoever thought either the format or the presenter were strong enough to keep it interesting nearly every weeknight all year wants their head testing.
That's a shame. I actually quite liked it to be honest. Two episodes a week seems a little low.
May be of interest to some on here, I've heard that BT are after la Liga rights to add to their European Coverage.
From a reliable source, Sky wanted to renew their contract early but were told other parties had already been trying to negotiate a deal.
It is arguably the best foreign league in the world but BT shouldn't mind too much if they miss out on it. They already have three foreign leagues. I do happen to quite like watching Serie A on Sunday nights, provided it is backed up by the EFS.
May be of interest to some on here, I've heard that BT are after la Liga rights to add to their European Coverage.
From a reliable source, Sky wanted to renew their contract early but were told other parties had already been trying to negotiate a deal.
That would make the European Football Show even better, but I do wonder where they would fit all the football in! They already have to shift some games online as it is.
Although La Liga is probably the biggest league outside the Premier League on TV here, so I'm sure BT are interested. I wonder if Sky renewing those other deals early has made BT more determined to try and secure whatever content they can?
That would make the European Football Show even better, but I do wonder where they would fit all the football in! They already have to shift some games online as it is.
Although La Liga is probably the biggest league outside the Premier League on TV here, so I'm sure BT are interested. I wonder if Sky renewing those other deals early has made BT more determined to try and secure whatever content they can?
Some substantial content (in terms of live hours) with just over a year left on existing deals with SKY are La Liga (end of 2014-15), NFL (end of 2014-15), SANZAR (end 2015) and IRB W7s (end 2015).
But if BT add something which clashes with what they have then what gives? How was their interest in US PGA Tour golf* going to work out? Drop football, rugby or NBA across and through Thu/Fri-Sun evenings or add another channel (which could lie barren all week and add to cost)? *the golf wouldn't cause that problem until 2017 earliest of course so plenty of time to change things!
I'm intrigued to find out what SKY will schedule on their Sports channels on the Champions League nights in 18 months time particularly the group stages in the autumn.
Some substantial content (in terms of live hours) with just over a year left on existing deals with SKY are La Liga (end of 2014-15), NFL (end of 2014-15), SANZAR (end 2015) and IRB W7s (end 2015).
But if BT add something which clashes with what they have then what gives? How was their interest in US PGA Tour golf* going to work out? Drop football, rugby or NBA across and through Thu/Fri-Sun evenings or add another channel (which could lie barren all week and add to cost)? *the golf wouldn't cause that problem until 2017 earliest of course so plenty of time to change things!
I'm intrigued to find out what SKY will schedule on their Sports channels on the Champions League nights in 18 months time particularly the group stages in the autumn.
I think BT would just add another channel if necessary.
It's all about securing as strong a portfolio of content as possible (at the right price) and BT are not going to be constrained by channel capacity.
The US golf (from 2018) would have filled masses of time from Thur to Sun all year round - if it had needed a channel which was then blank from Mon to Wed then never mind (and the Sun final round could easily be replayed on Mon). Setanta had a separate 24 hour golf channel for US golf.
In addition to your list I think the rights to particularly look out for in the near future are:
RFU England (from Aug 2015)
ICC cricket (from 2016)
US Masters golf (from 2015)
US Open golf (from 2015)
...... though in terms of "filling channels" none of the above are that significant as they don't occupy large amounts of time. Rather, they are important as very high profile, marquee events.
Morning Advertiser Freetrade outlets that stock Carlsberg UK products and those that sign up to BT Sport will be entitled to a 50% discount on a BT Sport subscription under a new deal agreed between the companies.
Reputedly similar to Sky's deal with Molson Coors. I wonder if BT will do a similar deal with AB Inbev as they own Budweiser, sponsors of the FA Cup?
Interesting piece from the independent from a week ago regarding Andy Gray,
Expect Andy Gray's second guest appearance as a co-commentator on BT Sport – he has been invited back for today's FA Cup match between Arsenal and Liverpool – to become a more permanent fixture.
Aware that their team will need to be strengthened following their £897 million acquisition of the Champions' League and Europa Cup from next season, I understand BT executives see Gray, still regarded by many in TV as the best analyst in the business, as a key player in their future football coverage.
It was strange, watching the Chelsea game I did wonder if Andy Gray may play a important role in BT's coverage in a few years time and then I came across the above.
Interesting piece from the independent from a week ago regarding Andy Gray,
Expect Andy Gray's second guest appearance as a co-commentator on BT Sport – he has been invited back for today's FA Cup match between Arsenal and Liverpool – to become a more permanent fixture.
Aware that their team will need to be strengthened following their £897 million acquisition of the Champions' League and Europa Cup from next season, I understand BT executives see Gray, still regarded by many in TV as the best analyst in the business, as a key player in their future football coverage.
Indie a bit ahead of themselves. Next season CL still with ITV/Sky.
I'm intrigued to find out what SKY will schedule on their Sports channels on the Champions League nights in 18 months time particularly the group stages in the autumn.
It's widely expected they'll have a live game from the Football League on most of the Champions League Tues/Wed group nights, perhaps shifting some of their current Friday-night and Saturday-lunch Football League games into those newly-empty midweek nights if that helps create some useful spare capacity for other deals that are more weekend-based.
Either the Championship or Leagues-1-&-2 (sometimes the whole lot) have a midweek round of fixtures already scheduled in most of the Champions League group midweeks so they won't have to change much to fill a lot of Sky's new gaps.
It's widely expected they'll have a live game from the Football League on most of the Champions League Tues/Wed group nights, perhaps shifting some of their current Friday-night and Saturday-lunch Football League games into those newly-empty midweek nights if that helps create some useful spare capacity for other deals that are more weekend-based.
Either the Championship or Leagues-1-&-2 (sometimes the whole lot) have a midweek round of fixtures already scheduled in most of the Champions League group midweeks so they won't have to change much to fill a lot of Sky's new gaps.
Does UEFA's (stupid) rule that no live matches can be shown on Champions League or Europa League nights only apply to the top league in each country?
BT Sport Football @btsportfootball 4m BT Sport wins another two years of exclusive Bundesliga live rights, extending deal to 2017.http://bit.ly/1kmg9Zr pic.twitter.com/GFFLDNw5FB
BT Sport has won another two years of exclusive live rights to the German Bundesliga in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, extending its contract until 2017.
Some 115 live matches a season will be shown, which is around 15 more than the current deal, while BT Sport will also have the rights to the annual DFL Supercup matches, plus preview and highlights shows.
As Bayern Munich continue to sweep all before them, the UK audience for the Bundesliga on BT Sport this season is up 70 per cent from last season’s audience figure.
The Bundesliga is just one of the European leagues available on BT Sport, with regular live matches also shown from France’s Ligue 1 and Italy’s Serie A.
Simon Green, the head of BT Sport, said: “We are really thrilled that we will continue to be the home of Bundesliga for the next three seasons until 2017.
“Combined with our incredible line-up of exclusively live matches from the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League, the Bundesliga takes its place in our schedule as one of the premium European league competitions, having provided both finalists at Wembley last season.
“Our viewers have loved the opportunity to watch live matches involving some of the most outstanding teams in Europe and pitting charismatic managers like Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp against each other.
“I am delighted that the Bundesliga recognised that BT Sport has made a big commitment to German football and will continue to promote and foster the league for UK sports lovers in the future.”
It's widely expected they'll have a live game from the Football League on most of the Champions League Tues/Wed group nights, perhaps shifting some of their current Friday-night and Saturday-lunch Football League games into those newly-empty midweek nights if that helps create some useful spare capacity for other deals that are more weekend-based.
Either the Championship or Leagues-1-&-2 (sometimes the whole lot) have a midweek round of fixtures already scheduled in most of the Champions League group midweeks so they won't have to change much to fill a lot of Sky's new gaps.
Sky wouldn't need to shift any FL games as from 2015/16 they will have 37 extra FL regular season games.
Sky currently shows 75 regular season FL games (55 Championship + 20 L1/2) + play-offs.
From 2015/16 Sky will show 112 regular season FL games (split unknown) + play-offs.
Of course if Sky loses some PL games from 2016/17 then some FL games would then move into existing PL slots.
But for the season 2015/16 at least, Sky has 37 extra FL games to fit in over and above its current PL/FL schedule.
I was just looking ahead to April, and noticed that Sky has The Masters golf down for Sky Sports 4. While this fits with what they've done with all golf coverage so far this year, would it trigger anything with Ofcom in terms of taking significant content off SS!/2?
Now, it's only four days of the year, but it is one of the four major tournaments and, if using SS4 for golf continues, the US Open and USPGA Championship won't be available on BT TV either.
Perhaps a feeling of fatigue as BT have well and truly been pulled back by Sky in terms of televised fixtures for April.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/10665861/Sky-Sports-freezes-BT-Sport-out-of-Premier-League-title-race-climax.html
Sky Sports
Chelsea v Stoke City Saturday 5 April 5.30pm
Everton v Arsenal Sunday 6 April 1.30pm
West Ham United v Liverpool Sunday 6 April 4.00pm
Tottenham Hotspur v Sunderland Monday 7 April 8.00pm
Arsenal v West Ham United Sunday 13 April 12.00pm
Liverpool v Manchester City Sunday 13 April 2.05pm
Swansea City v Chelsea Sunday 13 April 4.10pm
Hull City v Arsenal Saturday 19 April 5.30pm
Norwich City v Liverpool Sunday 20 April 12.00pm
Chelsea v Sunderland Sunday 20 April 2.05pm
Everton v Manchester United Sunday 20 April 4.10pm
Manchester City v West Bromwich Albion Monday 21 April 8.00pm
Manchester United v Norwich City Saturday 26 April 5.30pm
Sunderland v Cardiff City Sunday 27 April 12.00pm
Liverpool v Chelsea Sunday 27 April 2.05pm
Crystal Palace v Manchester City Sunday 27 April 4.10pm
Arsenal v Newcastle United Monday 28 April 8.00pm
BT Sport
Manchester City v Southampton Saturday 5 April 12.45pm
Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham Saturday 19April 12.45pm
Southampton v Everton Saturday 26 April 12.45pm
Southampton's trip to City could be certainly significant, as the Saints try and close down Man United while City will be praying for maximum points as they bid to win the title. This was a good first pick for BT considering their limited options with a number of teams having been "maxed out". Tottenham v Fulham is quite obviously a fourth pick option but could be significant for Fulham is they wish to avoid relegation, or Spurs if they can be within touching distance of Liverpool. Had this been in the opening stages of the season, Saints v Everton could have been a top game in prospect but with both teams' seasons' appearing to fizzle out, it may be a game where nothing really matters.
I was just looking ahead to April, and noticed that Sky has The Masters golf down for Sky Sports 4. While this fits with what they've done with all golf coverage so far this year, would it trigger anything with Ofcom in terms of taking significant content off SS!/2?
Now, it's only four days of the year, but it is one of the four major tournaments and, if using SS4 for golf continues, the US Open and USPGA Championship won't be available on BT TV either.
Also, could the Ryder Cup be on SS4?
Out of interest where does it state that the Masters is on SS4?
I would assume that it is an error - I would be very, very surprised if the Masters was actually on SS4 - not because of OFCOM but because it's an absolutely marquee event which I would not expect Sky to put on SS4.
I doubt OFCOM would intervene - they could do but they've said they would only extend the compulsory regulated wholesale to SS3/4 if Sky moved a material amount of content from SS1/2 - I very much doubt just moving the Masters would be enough to trigger that - especially as Days 3 and 4 are also on BBC.
Great news on keeping the Bundesliga, I had a feeling those rights may have been sought after elsewhere.
I see even the Monday night edition of Life's a Pitch is absent for the next couple of weeks (at least) which is a shame. They went all out early season with 3 hour long shows and a 90min Thursday edition but gradually cut back more and more. I thought they had the balance just right with a half hour Monday and hour long Tues-Thurs. Hopefully it's just temporarily absent.
Does UEFA's (stupid) rule that no live matches can be shown on Champions League or Europa League nights only apply to the top league in each country?
Its a sizable misconception that UEFA ban all broadcasting of live football against UEFA content, but they don't.
They ask that you don't put anything up against it, but they cannot force a broadcaster to.
They tried to have a go at ESPN (I think it was) a few years back and they had no grounds to do anything and it died off into the distance.
Sky can show what they like.
Its a sizable misconception that UEFA ban all broadcasting of live football against UEFA content, but they don't.
They ask that you don't put anything up against it, but they cannot force a broadcaster to.
They tried to have a go at ESPN (I think it was) a few years back and they had no grounds to do anything and it died off into the distance.
Sky can show what they like.
Whilst that is strictly true, wasn't it posted recently, perhaps in the FA Cup thread, that the PL have lost money from UEFA as a direct result of allowing live games to go up against UCL games? Can't remember the details but it was as pathetic and political as you would expect.
Comments
Probably because they'd still have to pay Des Kelly (and maybe even some of the more regularly-appearing pundits) for the rest of the football season even if they didn't show it at all so they might as well do a couple of shows a week for the (very) few thousand dullards still keen on watching it.
Whoever thought either the format or the presenter were strong enough to keep it interesting nearly every weeknight all year wants their head testing.
What's even more boneheaded is that because BT swept up the British version of ESPN, they could easily have continued the British version of USA-ESPN's flagship half-hour weekday sportschat Pardon The Interruption or launched the British version of USA-ESPN's Around The Horn (which is the tv-format of Radio-5's Fighting Talk).
Stateside, ATH & PTI have been shown back-to-back between 5.00 & 6.00 Eastern-time Monday-to-Friday nearly all-year-round since 2003 ... I'm not sure there's enough demand over here for that amount of either show but I reckon having British versions on alternate nights at 10pm on BT (eg, ATH Mon/Wed, PTI Tue/Thu) would've been far better than trudging through Life's A Pitch every night.
From a reliable source, Sky wanted to renew their contract early but were told other parties had already been trying to negotiate a deal.
It is arguably the best foreign league in the world but BT shouldn't mind too much if they miss out on it. They already have three foreign leagues. I do happen to quite like watching Serie A on Sunday nights, provided it is backed up by the EFS.
Although La Liga is probably the biggest league outside the Premier League on TV here, so I'm sure BT are interested. I wonder if Sky renewing those other deals early has made BT more determined to try and secure whatever content they can?
Some substantial content (in terms of live hours) with just over a year left on existing deals with SKY are La Liga (end of 2014-15), NFL (end of 2014-15), SANZAR (end 2015) and IRB W7s (end 2015).
But if BT add something which clashes with what they have then what gives? How was their interest in US PGA Tour golf* going to work out? Drop football, rugby or NBA across and through Thu/Fri-Sun evenings or add another channel (which could lie barren all week and add to cost)? *the golf wouldn't cause that problem until 2017 earliest of course so plenty of time to change things!
I'm intrigued to find out what SKY will schedule on their Sports channels on the Champions League nights in 18 months time particularly the group stages in the autumn.
I think BT would just add another channel if necessary.
It's all about securing as strong a portfolio of content as possible (at the right price) and BT are not going to be constrained by channel capacity.
The US golf (from 2018) would have filled masses of time from Thur to Sun all year round - if it had needed a channel which was then blank from Mon to Wed then never mind (and the Sun final round could easily be replayed on Mon). Setanta had a separate 24 hour golf channel for US golf.
In addition to your list I think the rights to particularly look out for in the near future are:
RFU England (from Aug 2015)
ICC cricket (from 2016)
US Masters golf (from 2015)
US Open golf (from 2015)
...... though in terms of "filling channels" none of the above are that significant as they don't occupy large amounts of time. Rather, they are important as very high profile, marquee events.
Reputedly similar to Sky's deal with Molson Coors. I wonder if BT will do a similar deal with AB Inbev as they own Budweiser, sponsors of the FA Cup?
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/General-News/BT-and-Carlsberg-UK-agree-sports-discount-deal
Expect Andy Gray's second guest appearance as a co-commentator on BT Sport – he has been invited back for today's FA Cup match between Arsenal and Liverpool – to become a more permanent fixture.
Aware that their team will need to be strengthened following their £897 million acquisition of the Champions' League and Europa Cup from next season, I understand BT executives see Gray, still regarded by many in TV as the best analyst in the business, as a key player in their future football coverage.
It was strange, watching the Chelsea game I did wonder if Andy Gray may play a important role in BT's coverage in a few years time and then I came across the above.
Budweiser have dropped their sponsorship of the FA Cup.
Indie a bit ahead of themselves. Next season CL still with ITV/Sky.
It's widely expected they'll have a live game from the Football League on most of the Champions League Tues/Wed group nights, perhaps shifting some of their current Friday-night and Saturday-lunch Football League games into those newly-empty midweek nights if that helps create some useful spare capacity for other deals that are more weekend-based.
Either the Championship or Leagues-1-&-2 (sometimes the whole lot) have a midweek round of fixtures already scheduled in most of the Champions League group midweeks so they won't have to change much to fill a lot of Sky's new gaps.
BT Sport wins another two years of exclusive Bundesliga live rights, extending deal to 2017. http://bit.ly/1kmg9Zr pic.twitter.com/GFFLDNw5FB
Sky wouldn't need to shift any FL games as from 2015/16 they will have 37 extra FL regular season games.
Sky currently shows 75 regular season FL games (55 Championship + 20 L1/2) + play-offs.
From 2015/16 Sky will show 112 regular season FL games (split unknown) + play-offs.
Of course if Sky loses some PL games from 2016/17 then some FL games would then move into existing PL slots.
But for the season 2015/16 at least, Sky has 37 extra FL games to fit in over and above its current PL/FL schedule.
Now, it's only four days of the year, but it is one of the four major tournaments and, if using SS4 for golf continues, the US Open and USPGA Championship won't be available on BT TV either.
Also, could the Ryder Cup be on SS4?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/10665861/Sky-Sports-freezes-BT-Sport-out-of-Premier-League-title-race-climax.html
Sky Sports
Chelsea v Stoke City Saturday 5 April 5.30pm
Everton v Arsenal Sunday 6 April 1.30pm
West Ham United v Liverpool Sunday 6 April 4.00pm
Tottenham Hotspur v Sunderland Monday 7 April 8.00pm
Arsenal v West Ham United Sunday 13 April 12.00pm
Liverpool v Manchester City Sunday 13 April 2.05pm
Swansea City v Chelsea Sunday 13 April 4.10pm
Hull City v Arsenal Saturday 19 April 5.30pm
Norwich City v Liverpool Sunday 20 April 12.00pm
Chelsea v Sunderland Sunday 20 April 2.05pm
Everton v Manchester United Sunday 20 April 4.10pm
Manchester City v West Bromwich Albion Monday 21 April 8.00pm
Manchester United v Norwich City Saturday 26 April 5.30pm
Sunderland v Cardiff City Sunday 27 April 12.00pm
Liverpool v Chelsea Sunday 27 April 2.05pm
Crystal Palace v Manchester City Sunday 27 April 4.10pm
Arsenal v Newcastle United Monday 28 April 8.00pm
BT Sport
Manchester City v Southampton Saturday 5 April 12.45pm
Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham Saturday 19April 12.45pm
Southampton v Everton Saturday 26 April 12.45pm
Southampton's trip to City could be certainly significant, as the Saints try and close down Man United while City will be praying for maximum points as they bid to win the title. This was a good first pick for BT considering their limited options with a number of teams having been "maxed out". Tottenham v Fulham is quite obviously a fourth pick option but could be significant for Fulham is they wish to avoid relegation, or Spurs if they can be within touching distance of Liverpool. Had this been in the opening stages of the season, Saints v Everton could have been a top game in prospect but with both teams' seasons' appearing to fizzle out, it may be a game where nothing really matters.
Out of interest where does it state that the Masters is on SS4?
I would assume that it is an error - I would be very, very surprised if the Masters was actually on SS4 - not because of OFCOM but because it's an absolutely marquee event which I would not expect Sky to put on SS4.
I doubt OFCOM would intervene - they could do but they've said they would only extend the compulsory regulated wholesale to SS3/4 if Sky moved a material amount of content from SS1/2 - I very much doubt just moving the Masters would be enough to trigger that - especially as Days 3 and 4 are also on BBC.
I see even the Monday night edition of Life's a Pitch is absent for the next couple of weeks (at least) which is a shame. They went all out early season with 3 hour long shows and a 90min Thursday edition but gradually cut back more and more. I thought they had the balance just right with a half hour Monday and hour long Tues-Thurs. Hopefully it's just temporarily absent.
Its a sizable misconception that UEFA ban all broadcasting of live football against UEFA content, but they don't.
They ask that you don't put anything up against it, but they cannot force a broadcaster to.
They tried to have a go at ESPN (I think it was) a few years back and they had no grounds to do anything and it died off into the distance.
Sky can show what they like.
Whilst that is strictly true, wasn't it posted recently, perhaps in the FA Cup thread, that the PL have lost money from UEFA as a direct result of allowing live games to go up against UCL games? Can't remember the details but it was as pathetic and political as you would expect.