Report: John Inverdale to host French Open tennis on ITV

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  • LOSGLOSG Posts: 2,724
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    Great to see ITV giving the tournament some great coverage. I often got the feeling the BBC didn't want it the way they covered it!
  • mersey70mersey70 Posts: 5,049
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    He used to work for BSB's sport channel and Sky Sports.

    That's right. I think that he, Sue Barker and Garry Richardson didn't stay at Sky for all that long after the merger with BSB. I think many people think Andy Gray was a Sky masterstroke but he was originally from BSB too as was Richard Keys and Martyn Tyler. Even James Richardson started the Italian Football coverage on BSB, they had a great team. Such a shame it went belly up.

    I like John Inverdale, makes the job look effortless.
  • smurfs5smurfs5 Posts: 580
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    Once I saw Mark Petchey's name mentioned, I got excited about ITV's coverage this year. For me, he is the best tennis commentator around and hopefully ITV will recruit some excellent co-commentators to make their coverage complete and watchable.
    I always enjoy Eurosport's tennis coverage, though, especially of Roland Garros and their commentary team of the fantastic Chris Bradnam, Simon Reed and David Mercer is unrivalled in my opinion.

    Does anyone know who else could potentially be part of ITV's coverage? Suggestions?
  • derek500derek500 Posts: 24,887
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    mersey70 wrote: »
    That's right. I think that he, Sue Barker and Garry Richardson didn't stay at Sky for all that long after the merger with BSB.

    I remember Sue Barker doing at least two or three US Opens, on site, for Sky Sports.
  • polanticpolantic Posts: 683
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    mersey70 wrote: »
    That's right. I think that he, Sue Barker and Garry Richardson didn't stay at Sky for all that long after the merger with BSB. I think many people think Andy Gray was a Sky masterstroke but he was originally from BSB too as was Richard Keys and Martyn Tyler. Even James Richardson started the Italian Football coverage on BSB, they had a great team. Such a shame it went belly up.

    I like John Inverdale, makes the job look effortless.
    Was James Richardson really on BSB? I don't remember him at all. From memory I recall Inverdale presented most of BSB's Italian games with Martin Tyler commentating off-tube. Alan Hansen and Ray Wilkins were regular studio guests.
  • derek500derek500 Posts: 24,887
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    polantic wrote: »
    From memory I recall Inverdale presented most of BSB's Italian games with Martin Tyler commentating off-tube. Alan Hansen and Ray Wilkins were regular studio guests.

    I bet he was getting more like 40 quid a show in those days, compared to the 'reported' 40 grand he gets for MOTD!!
  • nicktrownicktrow Posts: 869
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    smurfs5 wrote: »

    Does anyone know who else could potentially be part of ITV's coverage? Suggestions?
    Dare I mention *ndr*w C*stl*?
  • mersey70mersey70 Posts: 5,049
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    polantic wrote: »
    Was James Richardson really on BSB? I don't remember him at all. From memory I recall Inverdale presented most of BSB's Italian games with Martin Tyler commentating off-tube. Alan Hansen and Ray Wilkins were regular studio guests.

    As I recall I think he just did recorded reports from Italy, as you quite rightly say it was presented by John Inverdale.

    Maybe i'm getting mixed up, it was a long time ago!
  • mersey70mersey70 Posts: 5,049
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    derek500 wrote: »
    I remember Sue Barker doing at least two or three US Opens, on site, for Sky Sports.

    That's right, I think she stayed for no more than a couple of years but left for the BBC.
  • rfonzorfonzo Posts: 11,771
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    John Inverdale has been with BBC for ages. I remember that late night on Monday nights. It was like the one that Gabby Logan does now. He also did the Darts championsihp at Lakeside.
  • mersey70mersey70 Posts: 5,049
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    rfonzo wrote: »
    John Inverdale has been with BBC for ages. I remember that late night on Monday nights. It was like the one that Gabby Logan does now. He also did the Darts championsihp at Lakeside.

    Indeed, the other programmes from BSB/Sky we were discussing date back as far as 1990. I'm guessing it was no later than the mid 90's he left Sky, maybe even earlier.
  • mikwmikw Posts: 48,715
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    derek500 wrote: »
    I bet he was getting more like 40 quid a show in those days, compared to the 'reported' 40 grand he gets for MOTD!!

    You may be surprised on that one...
  • mersey70mersey70 Posts: 5,049
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    derek500 wrote: »
    I bet he was getting more like 40 quid a show in those days, compared to the 'reported' 40 grand he gets for MOTD!!

    BSB had a reputation for throwing money around like confetti so he was probably on a decent wage even then.

    But I suspect not £40,000 a show though, allegedly!
  • Alex2606Alex2606 Posts: 2,682
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    A few details coming out about the French Open coverage from Mike Dickson of the Daily Mail on Twitter

    John Inverdale will be hosting, Sam Smith and Jim Courier will be involved in the coverage and ITV will be showing approx 150 hours of coverage with about 5 days being shown on ITV1
  • henderohendero Posts: 11,773
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    Alex2606 wrote: »
    A few details coming out about the French Open coverage from Mike Dickson of the Daily Mail on Twitter

    John Inverdale will be hosting, Sam Smith and Jim Courier will be involved in the coverage and ITV will be showing approx 150 hours of coverage with about 5 days being shown on ITV1

    That's a pretty decent amount of coverage. I would imagine ITV will be praying Andy Murray makes it through to the semis, otherwise there will be very little British interest. Maybe it's part of a strategy to develop their tennis credentials with a view to bidding for Wimbledon when the BBC contract is up. I'm trying to figure out why else they would be bothering with the French Open. I suppose it's a good sport for showing adverts as the breaks during changeovers are long enough to drop in one or two, but not so long that viewers will switch over.
  • GeorgeSGeorgeS Posts: 20,039
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    hendero wrote: »
    Maybe it's part of a strategy to develop their tennis credentials with a view to bidding for Wimbledon when the BBC contract is up.

    It wasnt put to tender last time so you cant bid if there is no tendering process
  • bluesdiamondbluesdiamond Posts: 11,360
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    hendero wrote: »
    That's a pretty decent amount of coverage. I would imagine ITV will be praying Andy Murray makes it through to the semis, otherwise there will be very little British interest. Maybe it's part of a strategy to develop their tennis credentials with a view to bidding for Wimbledon when the BBC contract is up. I'm trying to figure out why else they would be bothering with the French Open. I suppose it's a good sport for showing adverts as the breaks during changeovers are long enough to drop in one or two, but not so long that viewers will switch over.
    Benefits of French Open to other events.
    Time zone, Paris is only +1 hours, unlike Australia or USA.
    For many it is the start of 5 weeks of FTA Tennis, so close to Wimbledon.
    Comes in just right after the IPL finishes,
    Fills a whole with Superbikes and BTCC not on live,
    Keeps ITV sport brand in mind with Euro 2012.
    And sits alongside the Tennis Masters in December which seemed to stand out in the ITV Portfolio

    27 May looks busy for ITV
    French Open Day 1
    Snetterton Super Bikes
    Final of IPL
    Highlights of Aviva Premiership Final (or maybe they will be on the 26th)

    Sport that ITV should consider,
    English T20 cricket (1 or 2 matches a week)
    Heineken Cup match per round/week similar to UEFA Champions League
    Wimbledon? Not sure about. Queens maybe or highlights from the European ATP 1000 events, before Paris?
  • henderohendero Posts: 11,773
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    GeorgeS wrote: »
    It wasnt put to tender last time so you cant bid if there is no tendering process

    Really? One the crown jewel sports events, which has to be on FTA TV (the finals anyway), wasn't put out to tender? The committee was happy with however much the BBC was offering, even though the Beeb (presumbly) knew there wasn't a bidding process?

    Seems very odd. I suppose Wimbledon always has been stuck in a time warp. And hard to argue with its success as an event.
  • ariusukariusuk Posts: 13,411
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    27 May looks busy for ITV
    French Open Day 1
    Snetterton Super Bikes
    Final of IPL
    Highlights of Aviva Premiership Final (or maybe they will be on the 26th)

    And there's also the IoM TT, and SoccerAid on the 27th, and Norway v England is the previous day.

    ...but the BSB highlights isn't shown until midweek, so there is room for everything.
  • coventrywooocoventrywooo Posts: 3,473
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    day 8 in some tv times saying itv1 9.30am to 5.30pm is this true, and the commertators itv are using very decent well done to itv for once!
    and are they on site or not does anyone know?
  • derek500derek500 Posts: 24,887
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    day 8 in some tv times saying itv1 9.30am to 5.30pm is this true, and the commertators itv are using very decent well done to itv for once!
    and are they on site or not does anyone know?

    Yes they are on site and the coverage is like this for next Monday

    ITV4/ITV4HD 9.30-8pm.

    Sky 3D 10-8pm.
  • coventrywooocoventrywooo Posts: 3,473
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    derek500 wrote: »
    Yes they are on site and the coverage is like this for next Monday

    ITV4/ITV4HD 9.30-8pm.

    Sky 3D 10-8pm.

    really good full day everyday, and hopefulyl all Andy's games they put on itv1....
  • mlt11mlt11 Posts: 21,065
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    hopefulyl all Andy's games they put on itv1....

    Will be interesting to see how they handle it.

    If they're going to put Murray on ITV1 it's going to have to be very short notice as they won't know when his match is going to start (unless he's first on court which is very unlikely).

    They only seem to be putting a bit on ITV 1 on Day 1 because the IPL is on ITV4.

    I'm a little suspicious ITV won't rip up ITV1 schedules at short notice but then BBC viewing figures have demonstrated it can pay big dividends to do so.

    We shall see ....
  • derek500derek500 Posts: 24,887
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    mlt11 wrote: »

    They only seem to be putting a bit on ITV 1 on Day 1 because the IPL is on ITV4.

    Digiguide show that, but not the Sky EPG.
  • Alex2606Alex2606 Posts: 2,682
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    mlt11 wrote: »
    Will be interesting to see how they handle it.

    If they're going to put Murray on ITV1 it's going to have to be very short notice as they won't know when his match is going to start (unless he's first on court which is very unlikely).

    They only seem to be putting a bit on ITV 1 on Day 1 because the IPL is on ITV4.

    I'm a little suspicious ITV won't rip up ITV1 schedules at short notice but then BBC viewing figures have demonstrated it can pay big dividends to do so.

    We shall see ....

    I wouldn't have thought they would. It helps for the BBC that they have the advantage of being able to put the interrupted programmes on BBC Two. ITV don't have that luxury (ITV2/3/4 are not comparable) and French Open matches are notorious for going on for 3/4+ hours
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