Presumably ITV picked Zenit v Sevilla and are showing it on itv.com.
To remove any semblance of doubt, the first leg of Sevilla v Zenit Saint Petersburg was shown live on ITV.com and towards the end of Thursday's ITV4 Europa League coverage, it was announced that the second leg of the tie will be shown on ITV.com as well. I'm sure they have shown secondary Europa League ties on ITV.com in the past, so this is nothing new or particularly surprising. I understand ITV have both the first and second picks, which explains why the two weaker-looking ties are on the BT Sport channels.
I think what is really strange is that the Zenit game kicks off at 20.05 which I think is 23.05 local time. Of the game goes to extra-time on pens it's going to be past 02.00 am local time when that match finishes. That has to be some sort of record at least for a UEFA sanctioned tie (I seem to recall a Barca match kicking off at midnight once to make a point by the club). And in South America matches can kick off as late as 23.00 local time...but nevertheless beyond common sense...
My personal feeling is that it's a pity such a good game is being hidden away on an online basis only but then if ITV have the top 2 picks they aren't going to put one on ITV1 across prime-time...
I think what is really strange is that the Zenit game kicks off at 20.05 which I think is 23.05 local time. Of the game goes to extra-time on pens it's going to be past 02.00 am local time when that match finishes. That has to be some sort of record at least for a UEFA sanctioned tie (I seem to recall a Barca match kicking off at midnight once to make a point by the club). And in South America matches can kick off as late as 23.00 local time...but nevertheless beyond common sense...
My personal feeling is that it's a pity such a good game is being hidden away on an online basis only but then if ITV have the top 2 picks they aren't going to put one on ITV1 across prime-time...
The Man u v Chelsea champions league final which was played in Russia took place a strange time
I think what is really strange is that the Zenit game kicks off at 20.05 which I think is 23.05 local time.
No, Putin has abolished daylight saving time, so Russia (the Moscow & Petersburg zone) is now only 2 hours ahead of BST, i.e. the game kicks off at 22:05 local time. This is the same time zone that Ukraine, Turkey, and Greece are in.
This could mean that CL home matches of Russian clubs in September & October will kick off at 19:45 BST from next season.
No, Putin has abolished daylight saving time, so Russia (the Moscow & Petersburg zone) is now only 2 hours ahead of BST, i.e. the game kicks off at 22:05 local time. This is the same time zone that Ukraine, Turkey, and Greece are in.
This could mean that CL home matches of Russian clubs in September & October will kick off at 19:45 BST from next season.
I didn't know about that - it's still very late for a game to kick off but as someone else pointed out the final of the CL kicked off at that time more or less too - which I had forgotten!
I would be gutted if the Russian games moved to standard kick off time as their early kick offs mean you can sneak in extra CL games...
It's a situation that does nothing for fans of European football - it's a shambles and a joke
Realise there are more important things in life than the coverage of the Europa League on UK TV but this really annoys me. Mind you, anyone hoping to watch one live and then the other afterwards would probably be lieft frustrated as both channels (if for instance BT showed Dni-Nap) would do goal updates from the other game.
Here in the UK we must have the worst European football coverage in Europe. I guess we get what we deserve - thanks to the best league in the world (Trademark!) dominating coverage...
But they show lots of the earlier games, including Qualifying Rounds, where there is less interest, yet you get to the Semi Finals, and we only get one game.
Well it isnt really that strange, is it? Both matches kick off at the same time and none of them have any British interest, so what do you want ITV to do?
They arent going to put a match on ITV1/2/3/Encore/Be so the first person to suggest that idea isn't being realistic.
Well it isnt really that strange, is it? Both matches kick off at the same time and none of them have any British interest, so what do you want ITV to do?
They arent going to put a match on ITV1/2/3/Encore/Be so the first person to suggest that idea isn't being realistic.
I mean it being a strange decision that both ITV & BT dont share the Semis.
I think it's insane that BT and ITV can't share the two games, that somehow ITV took the two best games, so when there are just two games left they show them both on the medium they see fit to the exclusion of BT. I can't beleive they didn't have a caveat/clause for the semi finals.
To what extent the UK is out on a limb in terms of coverage is moot. If you check out liveonsat I can see...
Countries that have coverage of both games are: Ireland, Germany, Turkey, France, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Romania, South Africa
Countries that only show one or the other are: Britain, Poland, Austria, Ukraine, Belgium, Holland
But given we had two companies showing earlier rounds (whereas I don;t know about the other countries listed above) it seems bizarre that both games aren't being shown
I don't understand where the problem is. If you're posting here, you seem to have access to a computer thingy. You can watch one game on the telly and the other one on your computer thingy. Job done.
Countries that only show one or the other are: Britain, Poland, Austria, Ukraine, Belgium, Holland
Britain has both games (ITV 4 and ITV.com).
Austria has both games (ORF 1/Sky Sport 3 and Sky Sport 4).
Holland has both games (RTL 7 and Fox Sports 2).
Don't know about Poland and Ukraine.
I don't understand where the problem is. If you're posting here, you seem to have access to a computer thingy. You can watch one game on the telly and the other one on your computer thingy. Job done.
But having a whine and a moan on here is much more fun....
Well for me it is a question of convienience - I much prefer to watch games via the TV as I can record them on to my PVR etc.
I also get frustrated with the way the Europa League is broadcast with the channels constantly spoiling games with live goal updates and commentators refering to other fixtures they aren't showing. So whilst I would like both games to be on TV my chances of watching both games live or as live not knowing the score would be 0% anyway
P.S: I did think it was a bit strange some of those countries not showing both games so it looks like the UK is more out of step that I previously thought
This was discussed at length last year. Yes, it probably would be better for those who have BT on their TV to have the rights split that way, but that's the way that the rights have been sold and you can't blame ITV for buying those rights and showing the semis the way that they do.
Of course, there are more people who can access itv.com than who can get BT Sport - but I do, of course, understand the argument for convenience for fans who would have got BT on their TV, too.
Next year it won't be a problem. BT will show both semi finals across their channels.
Comments
All kick off at 20:05 in the UK
Wolfsburg v Napoli (not confirmed but must be ITV 4 as they choose 1st)
Dynamo Kiev v Fiorentina BT Sport 1
Club Brugge v Dnipro BT Sport 2
Not unless its a British team.
Id be surprised if they showed it on ITV.com
Europa League Quarter Final matches Chosen
All kick off at 20:05 in the UK
Fiorentina v Dynamo Kiev ( ITV 4 )
Napoli v Wolfsburg BT Sport
Dnipro v Club Brugge ESPN
What possible reason can BT have to pick a match that the home side is 4-1 ahead over
Zenit v Sevilla which is 2 1 to the away side ???
To remove any semblance of doubt, the first leg of Sevilla v Zenit Saint Petersburg was shown live on ITV.com and towards the end of Thursday's ITV4 Europa League coverage, it was announced that the second leg of the tie will be shown on ITV.com as well. I'm sure they have shown secondary Europa League ties on ITV.com in the past, so this is nothing new or particularly surprising. I understand ITV have both the first and second picks, which explains why the two weaker-looking ties are on the BT Sport channels.
My personal feeling is that it's a pity such a good game is being hidden away on an online basis only but then if ITV have the top 2 picks they aren't going to put one on ITV1 across prime-time...
The Man u v Chelsea champions league final which was played in Russia took place a strange time
This could mean that CL home matches of Russian clubs in September & October will kick off at 19:45 BST from next season.
I didn't know about that - it's still very late for a game to kick off but as someone else pointed out the final of the CL kicked off at that time more or less too - which I had forgotten!
I would be gutted if the Russian games moved to standard kick off time as their early kick offs mean you can sneak in extra CL games...
Surely ITV could do better and let BT show it ??????
Realise there are more important things in life than the coverage of the Europa League on UK TV but this really annoys me. Mind you, anyone hoping to watch one live and then the other afterwards would probably be lieft frustrated as both channels (if for instance BT showed Dni-Nap) would do goal updates from the other game.
Here in the UK we must have the worst European football coverage in Europe. I guess we get what we deserve - thanks to the best league in the world (Trademark!) dominating coverage...
We don't really want to know about the Europa league... so don't care how much coverage we give it.
Such a strange decision!!
They arent going to put a match on ITV1/2/3/Encore/Be so the first person to suggest that idea isn't being realistic.
I mean it being a strange decision that both ITV & BT dont share the Semis.
Depends how the rights are sold, I guess.
If there was an English or Scottish (stop laughing at the back there) team in the semi finals, the whole thing wouldnt be an issue.
To what extent the UK is out on a limb in terms of coverage is moot. If you check out liveonsat I can see...
Countries that have coverage of both games are: Ireland, Germany, Turkey, France, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Romania, South Africa
Countries that only show one or the other are: Britain, Poland, Austria, Ukraine, Belgium, Holland
But given we had two companies showing earlier rounds (whereas I don;t know about the other countries listed above) it seems bizarre that both games aren't being shown
Aye. Okay...
The rights are the rights. ITV have both semi's, no UK interest so online it is (whether you like it or not).
Austria has both games (ORF 1/Sky Sport 3 and Sky Sport 4).
Holland has both games (RTL 7 and Fox Sports 2).
Don't know about Poland and Ukraine.
But having a whine and a moan on here is much more fun....
I also get frustrated with the way the Europa League is broadcast with the channels constantly spoiling games with live goal updates and commentators refering to other fixtures they aren't showing. So whilst I would like both games to be on TV my chances of watching both games live or as live not knowing the score would be 0% anyway
P.S: I did think it was a bit strange some of those countries not showing both games so it looks like the UK is more out of step that I previously thought
Of course, there are more people who can access itv.com than who can get BT Sport - but I do, of course, understand the argument for convenience for fans who would have got BT on their TV, too.
Next year it won't be a problem. BT will show both semi finals across their channels.