All England games - ITV
All Scotland, Wales, NI and ROI games - Sky (***)
(***) Subject to caveat below
Games not featuring a British country:
MD1 to MD8: 1st pick - ITV, all other games - Sky
MD9 and MD10: 1st pick - Sky, 2nd pick - ITV, all other games - Sky
If England drawn in same group as another British country:
England home leg - ITV only
England away leg - ITV and Sky simulcast
ITV and Sky can both show highlights of the other's live games.
Well, I'm calling GIBRALTAR a British country and so far their international games (albeit friendlies) have been webcasted live via GBC. Let's hope that continues and Sky/BT keep their greedy hands off, regardless of who they are playing. What price Gibraltar v Germany or Italy?
The only thing for sure is Gibraltar can't stuff Spain. Might have to wait until the finals for that little pleasure - if Spain make it.
The more I think about new format for qualifying and finals, the more ridiculous it seems from a broadcasting point of view and a sporting view.
I envisage it devaluing the tournament, which as someone already said is highly competitive at the moment due to the fact nearly all 16 teams competing are top teams. Why do UEFA feel the need to change everything all of the time?!
One reason - more MONEY coming their way!
They may come up with some reasons for the changes, but the real reason - like with most, if not all big organisations nowadays - MONEY!
They may come up with some reasons for the changes, but the real reason - like with most, if not all big organisations nowadays - MONEY!
In one way I agree that for the TV, it gets the big pulls into the finals (Holland, Italy etc) but it also gives the nations who rarely make it, and there are a lot of them, such as the Polands, Ukraines, Bulgarias of this world their chance in the sun.
But if it's 24 in the finals, then the qualifying rounds are a waste of time, simply have a home/away qualifier from the 48 conutries that remain after the lesser nations (such as Malta, Andorra, Liechtenstein, England) have played off for places.
In one way I agree that for the TV, it gets the big pulls into the finals (Holland, Italy etc) but it also gives the nations who rarely make it, and there are a lot of them, such as the Polands, Ukraines, Bulgarias of this world their chance in the sun.
But if it's 24 in the finals, then the qualifying rounds are a waste of time, simply have a home/away qualifier from the 48 conutries that remain after the lesser nations (such as Malta, Andorra, Liechtenstein, England) have played off for places.
(Only kidding)...(Liechtenstein)...:D
The last bits of your message made me have a little chuckle!
I agree, the new format would open the door for a few more teams to book their ticket to France for Euro 2016.
It could be a very interesting draw for all UK countries, next month.
All England games - ITV
All Scotland, Wales, NI and ROI games - Sky (***)
(***) Subject to caveat below
Games not featuring a British country:
MD1 to MD8: 1st pick - ITV, all other games - Sky
MD9 and MD10: 1st pick - Sky, 2nd pick - ITV, all other games - Sky
If England drawn in same group as another British country:
England home leg - ITV only
England away leg - ITV and Sky simulcast
ITV and Sky can both show highlights of the other's live games.
so will sky do it like there champions league match choice screening?
so will sky do it like there champions league match choice screening?
They probably won't need to.
If each set of matches is spread across three days, and there are multiple time slots each day, for example 6pm and 8pm on weekdays, and 12, 2, 4, 6 and 8pm at weekends that means you can show nine games on one channel.
There will only be 18 games per set of matches, which works out as two per time slot.
They probably won't need to.
If each set of matches is spread across three days, and there are multiple time slots each day, for example 6pm and 8pm on weekdays, and 12, 2, 4, 6 and 8pm at weekends that means you can show nine games on one channel.
There will only be 18 games per set of matches, which works out as two per time slot.
Could go even later as prime time kick off for home Spain and Portugal games is 10pm local in many instances.
I presume ITV will insist on England at 8pm on week nights or will it be like Europe League where UEFA make the teams rotate the early and late kick off slots.
Plus as these are international weeks I presume the Football League will be unable to blackout the Saturday afternoon when their games clash with internationals, although I guess when England play on a Saturday it will be 5pm or 6pm kick off.
It wouldn't make sense for ITV to choose a Wales game that would attract only a tiny amount of viewers compared to a game involving England, even if it was a game that Wales needed to win to qualify whilst England faced a team like the Faroe Islands.
BBC 1 did show a vital Wales qualifer against Russia a few years ago and it was national BBC 1 not BBC1 Wales
Going over old ground I know, but how can itv claim to be a UK (well English and Welsh at least) broadcaster by getting England rights only, rather than first pick of the Thurs - Sat or Sun - Tue (which would have allowed them to show say a crucial qualifier involving Wales, or potentially Scotland or NI).
As arius mentions, presumably ITV were only able to afford the rights to one nation and it makes sense for that to be the biggest. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have been on pay TV for, in some cases, over a decade so it's not like viewers in those nations are going to be completely disenfranchised, they're used to it.
BBC 1 did show a vital Wales qualifer against Russia a few years ago and it was national BBC 1 not BBC1 Wales
Rather different, though, because that was in the play-offs when England weren't playing a) a competitive match and b) on the same day. And in those days the Beeb had highlights to Wales home games and England friendlies were on Sky. And rights were a bit more flexible in those days.
same here, go back to the old way.. there was nothing wrong with it, so why change it
I prefer this way. As it currently stands it's only marginally more difficult to qualify for a World Cup than it is for European Championships. It's not as if the 8 teams added will be weak anyway.
So what that basically means is UEFA will choose the friendly matches France play rather than the French themselves?
Indeed they do - which means France may have to play friendlies against the likes of Azerbaijan and Wales rather than teams like Germany or the Netherlands.
Indeed they do - which means France may have to play friendlies against the likes of Azerbaijan and Wales rather than teams like Germany or the Netherlands.
Won't Germany and Holland be playing anyway in their own qualifiers at the same time? So France would not have been able to play a friendly against them even if they were not drawn in a Qualifying Group.
Won't Germany and Holland be playing anyway in their own qualifiers at the same time? So France would not have been able to play a friendly against them even if they were not drawn in a Qualifying Group.
It does. But it stops a friendly against Brazil or Argentina which is possible as most of their squads play in Europe. A friendly against either of those is much more attractive both to fans to turn up to a game and TV than some European minnow. There will be no options for European friendlies I believe on these weekends as each country plays twice. In some of the windows in previous years you only had one qualifier so could use the other for a friendly.
Won't Germany and Holland be playing anyway in their own qualifiers at the same time? So France would not have been able to play a friendly against them even if they were not drawn in a Qualifying Group.
Don't know the time, but I think I remember seeing my mate talking about the draw being on Sunday, so I'd guess at something like 4pm on Sunday maybe? More than likely will be on TV though.
Don't know the time, but I think I remember seeing my mate talking about the draw being on Sunday, so I'd guess at something like 4pm on Sunday maybe? More than likely will be on TV though.
Cant imagine them clashing the draw with the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics...
Comments
The only thing for sure is Gibraltar can't stuff Spain. Might have to wait until the finals for that little pleasure - if Spain make it.
One reason - more MONEY coming their way!
They may come up with some reasons for the changes, but the real reason - like with most, if not all big organisations nowadays - MONEY!
In one way I agree that for the TV, it gets the big pulls into the finals (Holland, Italy etc) but it also gives the nations who rarely make it, and there are a lot of them, such as the Polands, Ukraines, Bulgarias of this world their chance in the sun.
But if it's 24 in the finals, then the qualifying rounds are a waste of time, simply have a home/away qualifier from the 48 conutries that remain after the lesser nations (such as Malta, Andorra, Liechtenstein, England) have played off for places.
(Only kidding)...(Liechtenstein)...:D
I agree, the new format would open the door for a few more teams to book their ticket to France for Euro 2016.
It could be a very interesting draw for all UK countries, next month.
so will sky do it like there champions league match choice screening?
They probably won't need to.
If each set of matches is spread across three days, and there are multiple time slots each day, for example 6pm and 8pm on weekdays, and 12, 2, 4, 6 and 8pm at weekends that means you can show nine games on one channel.
There will only be 18 games per set of matches, which works out as two per time slot.
Could go even later as prime time kick off for home Spain and Portugal games is 10pm local in many instances.
I presume ITV will insist on England at 8pm on week nights or will it be like Europe League where UEFA make the teams rotate the early and late kick off slots.
Plus as these are international weeks I presume the Football League will be unable to blackout the Saturday afternoon when their games clash with internationals, although I guess when England play on a Saturday it will be 5pm or 6pm kick off.
Michel Platini's Euro 2016 qualification brainwave lacks common sense
BBC 1 did show a vital Wales qualifer against Russia a few years ago and it was national BBC 1 not BBC1 Wales
same here, go back to the old way.. there was nothing wrong with it, so why change it
As arius mentions, presumably ITV were only able to afford the rights to one nation and it makes sense for that to be the biggest. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have been on pay TV for, in some cases, over a decade so it's not like viewers in those nations are going to be completely disenfranchised, they're used to it.
Rather different, though, because that was in the play-offs when England weren't playing a) a competitive match and b) on the same day. And in those days the Beeb had highlights to Wales home games and England friendlies were on Sky. And rights were a bit more flexible in those days.
I prefer this way. As it currently stands it's only marginally more difficult to qualify for a World Cup than it is for European Championships. It's not as if the 8 teams added will be weak anyway.
England
Ireland
Norway
Scotland
N Ireland
Gibraltar
Bosnia
Croatia
Serbia
Montenegro
Macedonia
:eek:
Russia
Ukraine
Poland
Belarus
Georgia
Kazakhstan
Greece
Croatia
Turkey
Bulgaria
Cyprus
Malta
:cool:
Germany
Denmark
Norway
Finland
Iceland
Faroe
Indeed they do - which means France may have to play friendlies against the likes of Azerbaijan and Wales rather than teams like Germany or the Netherlands.
It does. But it stops a friendly against Brazil or Argentina which is possible as most of their squads play in Europe. A friendly against either of those is much more attractive both to fans to turn up to a game and TV than some European minnow. There will be no options for European friendlies I believe on these weekends as each country plays twice. In some of the windows in previous years you only had one qualifier so could use the other for a friendly.
This is how some World Cups were conducted back in the day before the expansion to 32 teams. I have little issue with it.
I'm sceptical that Sky will show all of their the games with commentary (if at all) due to the teams in pot 5 and 6.
Oh yeah, I missed that bit.
Cant imagine them clashing the draw with the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics...
Wouldn't know when that was on anyway to be honest.