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ITV4 Sport and Darts
Billy244
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Having followed darts on TV since it first began being broadcast years ago I have watched it on many different stations over the years and an excellent job they have always made of it. But did anyone see ITV4's coverage last week of the darts it was appalling?, the television camera crew and most significantly of all the director in charge of the cameras throughout the entire tournament were hopelessly out of sync with what was going on on the dartboard.
It was appalling throughout culminating with a near total disaster of the match between Adrian Lewis and Michael van Gerwin in a very important quarter final game. During this game I counted at least 20 missed trebles and doubles by the cameras it was very annoying missing all these important shots while we were left staring at the players faces hearing the crowd clapping and cheering at good shots we had completely missed seeing.
If ITV4 are to continue broadcasting darts in future then I really would hope they employ better more skilful personnel to cover darts, my irate complaint has gone in to the company this morning.
It was appalling throughout culminating with a near total disaster of the match between Adrian Lewis and Michael van Gerwin in a very important quarter final game. During this game I counted at least 20 missed trebles and doubles by the cameras it was very annoying missing all these important shots while we were left staring at the players faces hearing the crowd clapping and cheering at good shots we had completely missed seeing.
If ITV4 are to continue broadcasting darts in future then I really would hope they employ better more skilful personnel to cover darts, my irate complaint has gone in to the company this morning.
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It appears whoever is doing the spotting for ITV4 needs to up their game.
I keep asking this on the ratings thread with no reply, but does anyone know what ratings the final got at the weekend? Just interested to see how it does on ITV 4 nowadays.
Because the TV coverage was so extensive and with live snooker being available at the same time on the BBC I recorded every one of the darts broadcasts to watch in my own time so I could also see some of the snooker, in fact I'm only up to seeing the quarter finals completed and don't know any of the results from the semi finals or final because I have them still to watch.
SKY always do a great job and so do the BBC but ITV Sport as with the football so often has badly let us down again. I don't just blame the spotters for last weeks fiasco, it wasn't the spotters that were telling the cameramen to stay on the faces of the throwers as the darts were hitting the board, even without expert instruction in my view the director (who I hold chiefly responsible) should have panned to the board at the very least.
Did you see that particular sequence during one game, (can't remember now which match it was because there were that many I'm confused) ...
1. Never saw where the first dart landed in the board and camera stayed on face of player.
2. Never saw where the second dart had landed in the board and camera stayed on face of player. (still waiting now to see where they landed)
3. Missed the third dart landing by a fraction by staying on the face of the player and saw it in the board a fraction of a second after it had landed.
ITV Sport is an absolute joke.
In general though I think itv have done a great job of covering darts over the past few years, bringing the PDC starts to a wider audience, and giving the Grand Slam a really great neutral approach when they had it.
Don't get me wrong, sky have been and are great for darts, but let's face it their coverage has changed and been influenced by itv, since itv have come along.
ITV also uses Bristow and Deller as spotters - I believe they do all the PDC tournaments, regardless of who the broadcaster is.
750,000
I think you are right I too thought it must be the director mainly at fault he was absolutely terrible and I hope he's been told afterwards. I also agree with the posters who have said ITV are usually pretty good covering darts I watch it regularly and have never had a problem with them before it simply had to be the director this time.
For anyone who didn't see any of it you have to believe it was really bad even the main presenter Matt Smith made some veiled comment that "they couldn't keep up with it" after the Lewis v van Gerwen game.
I don't know about keeping up with Lewis v van Gerwen last weeks director would struggle with Pipe v Priestley.
Your right it's commentating without the SHOUTING with Warriner-Little and Mason unlike on Sky with Wayne Mardle. I love the Sky coverage but not when they go over the top dramatising it it doesn't need it.
Overall though it's all usually brilliant on all channels I'm sure last week's fiasco won't be allowed to happen again.
I've still got last weekend's semi finals and final to watch on the SkyPlus player and thankfully still don't know the results. (which is a miracle with coming on this here lol)
Expect Mr T triumphed again though. (but please don't answer that)
Watch it soon. Some really good darts played.
Last nights documentary was superb! There's a potential film in this
Have to say I missed both the darts documentaries which is a big disappointment because I really would have liked to have seen them both, I knew about the Bristow one was due but because I was watching a recording of one of the earlier darts rounds I completely forget it was on and the other one about the BDO and PDC I didn't even know was coming on so all I can do now is hope someone puts them on YouTube and I'll watch them from there.
I'd like to thank the people posting in here for not spoiling it for me by telling me the results of the semis and final beforehand. I thought someone might do so kept out of here since my last post when I said I didn't know these results, very fair guys thanks.
Now looking forward to Ally Pally and the worlds, maybe we can keep posting in here about it or start a new thread. :cool:
They will be on ITV Player
I guess what I meant Degs was he doesn't do a Wade and that's snatch a bitter flash of a second handshake and shoot straight off stage, he can still smile, congratulate his victor and generally act gentlemanly.