On the contrary, I think doing Everton v Blues commentary is a really shrewd move by talkSPORT.

The Tottenham game is live on terrestrial TV, so most listeners interested in that match will be able to watch it, and with it being on 5 Live as well had they gone with commentary on that game you'd have had the usual fragmented audience that you get on Champions League nights.

Another factor here is that talkSPORT don't have a commentary rights deal for Tottenham's European games, so would have had to buy rights on an individual basis as they did last night. Why do this when you can do an exclusive commentary on a match involving a team in Everton who have a similar sized fanbase to Spurs without having to spend any extra money on further rights?

Everton have a large fanbase, including their fair share of supporters living outside Merseyside, so there will be an audience for this game on national radio considering it isn't being carried on British TV.

In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if exclusive commentary on Everton v Blues can draw talkSPORT a larger audience than non-exclusive commentary on Spurs v Milan would, and at a lower cost too.

Personally, I'm interested in both of tonight's games so will be watching ITV1 with talkSPORT on in the background.

I think that the local supporters of Everton v Birmingham will choose from BBC Merseyside, Radio City, BBC WM and BRMB.

BBC London has Nick Godwin and Bradley Allen commentating on Tottenham v AC Milan this evening.

But for fans of those clubs outside of the West Midlands and Merseyside, they are only able to listen to this game on talkSPORT.

Those fans wouldn't be able to see/hear this game had talkSPORT spent money on duplicating what ITV1 and Radio 5 Live are doing tonight. There's an audience for this match, so it's a smart move to go with it on talkSPORT's part.

I think that talkSPORT has exclusive rights to Wednesday Premier League matches so it makes some sense not to waste the money it spent on acquiring the rights. It would certainly lose heavily in any head-to-head battle with BBC Five Live.

I think Talksport have gone for the cheaper option knowing that audience figures wont be affected, as although the Everton v Birmingham game clearly wont get them a large audience share, they'd have very few listeners competing with 5live for a game thats on itv1.

I agree that it is a better move than buying Spurs CL rights, then getting a trouncing head-to-head against 5L.

However, I am pretty sure that they would rather have had a live Wednesday night PL commentary that did not clash with, what most people would agree to be, a bigger draw on a rival channel.

That is all I was saying.

On a side issue, if the Everton v Birmingham had played on the original date would TS have finished one match short of their quota?

BBC Radio Five Live
Host Mark Pougatch at Tottenham
Tottenham v AC Milan Alan Green, Mike Ingham and David Pleat (commentary)
Everton v Birmingham Ian Brown

I think it's more a case of not wasting money on an individual game when they can already do a commentary for no extra cost on what they have already spent on rights before the start of the season, rather than not wasting what they already have. But then in my view that the PL game is "the cheaper option" is only half the story here.

I think it's as much a case that the Spurs game is on ITV1 that is the problem here, rather than it being on any rival station (doing the same game as 5 Live has never stopped talkSPORT in the past), but with Everton v Blues not being on any other national TV or radio station tonight I think it makes sense to go with it as I'd imagine there is an audience for coverage of the game, albeit a niche one.

If anything, talkSPORT deserve applause for doing a different match to what is already out there, and I don't think many would be decrying their decision should Milan have ran up a hatful of early goals at the Lane.


That's a bold statement but one that's difficult to prove either way, as although overall 5 Live has more than twice the audience that talkSPORT do (although talkSPORT have "caught up" considerably), we don't have the individual listening figures to compare and contrast Matchday Live, Sunday Exclusive or Kick-Off with their 5 Live counterparts.

What I do know is that there will always be a constituency of listeners who want to follow live football games on the radio but would rather do so without having to put up with Alan Green, and so will appreciate an alternative to 5 Live if there's one on the dial.

If competing with 5 Live didn't work for talkSPORT, then they would have given up on covering the Champions League, League Cup and Play-Offs long ago.

I'm fairly sure they'll be able to make their 32 match Saturday/Wednesday quota hit or even exceed its total one way or another.

As it stands, I think talkSPORT are on pace to go slightly over both their Sat/Wed and Sunday quotas.

BBC Radio Scotland - Thursday 10th March 2011

Sportsound presented by Richard Gordon and Gordon Smith at Pacific Quay.

Europa League: PSV Eindhoven v. Rangers (18:00, Digital, 810MW) - David Begg & Billy Dodds with Chick Young pitchside.
SPL: Dundee United v. Hamilton (19:45, Digital, Online, 810MW) - Rob MacLean & Allan Preston with Jim Spence pitchside.

Thursday 10th March - talkSPORT

Drive Time with Adrian Durham and Darren Gough, followed by Jason Cundy presenting Kick-Off alongside Steve Lomas

UEFA Europa League Round of 16 First Leg
PSV Eindhoven v Rangers - Peter Martin
Sporting Braga v Liverpool - Graham Beecroft
Dynamo Kiev v Manchester City - Dom McGuinness

Are the reporters actually at the games or are they watching from the comfort of an armchair/studio?

Wednesday 9th March 2011

Everton v Birmingham
BBC Merseyside: Mike Hughes & Ronnie Goodlass
Radio City 96.7: Alan Irwin & Graeme Sharp

Thursday 10th March 2011

Europa League Round of 16 1st Leg

Sporting Braga v Liverpool (6pm)
BBC Merseyside: Gary Flintoff (Commentary with LFC Fans Danny Norton & Graham Agg summarising from Studio)

Dynamo Kiev v Manchester City (8:05pm)
BBC Manchester: Ian Cheeseman (Commentary with Fred Eyre summarising from Studio)

Pretty sure some forum members know of him, but ex-BBC Radio Sheffield man Luke Wileman is pairing with Jason DeVos as commentators on Canadian-teams in the MLS.

http://www.tsn.ca/soccer/story/?id=357397

Wileman I think did some radio work (don't know if BBC or CBC) for the 2007 U-20 World Cup.

The latter

So what if it's the latter? I really don't see the problem with doing off-tube reports on games like those played last night. Consider the finances involved.

At least talkSPORT always bother to cover these these kind of matches with updates, unlike a certain other national radio station I could mention.

Another BBC broadcaster is moving to North America to cover Major League Soccer.

Callum Williams, who is probably best known for covering Chesterfield matches on BBC Radio Derby and BBC Radio Sheffield (but has worked on various other BBC locals as well), has been signed up by Sporting Kansas City to be their home and away match commentator on their new TV partner KSMO-TV.

http://www.thesportingway.com/2011/0...-williams.html

It appears that he's moving out there in time for the start of the 2011 MLS season next week. Bit of a shame that he won't be seeing out what looks to be a League Two winning season for Chesterfield, but I'm sure he'll be leaving his work with the Spirities on a happy note.

Good luck to Cal in KC, I look forward to hearing him on the Watch&Bet websites in the future no doubt.

Saturday 12 March

BBC Radio Cumbria Sport 2.00-6.00pm Presented by Paul Newton (studio)

FM
League One Peterborough United v Carlisle United - James Phillips & Chris Lumsdon (commentary)

AM & Online http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/bbc_radio_cumbria
Blue Square Premier Forest Green Rovers v Barrow - Andy Wood & Russell Dodd (commentary)
Blue Square North Workington Reds v Droylsden - John Walsh
Evo-Stik Premier Kendal Town v Matlock Town - Garry Woodworth
National Two North (RU) Kendal v Preston Grasshoppers - John Gibson

SAVE BBC LOCAL RADIO!

BBC Radio 5 Live

Mark Pougatch presenting 5 Live Sport from Loftus Road, followed by 606 with Darren Fletcher and Robbie Savage.

FA Cup: Quarter Finals
Birmingham v Bolton - John Motson, Alistair Bruce-Ball and Craig Burley (12:45 commentary)
Manchester United v Arsenal - Mike Ingham, Alan Green and Mark Lawrenson (17:15 commentary)

Championship
Burnley v Millwall - Juliette Ferrington
Coventry v Hull - Mike Sewell
Derby v Swansea - Darren Fletcher
Leeds v Ipswich - Jonathan Legard
Nottingham Forest v Doncaster - Pat Murphy
Portsmouth v Middlesbrough - Jonathan Overend
Scunthorpe v Leicester - Peter Slater
QPR v Crystal Palace - John Murray and Dean Kiely (15:00 commentary)
Watford v Sheffield United - David Oates

League One
Bournemouth v Southampton - Andy Gillies
Brighton v Tranmere - Nigel Adderley

League Two
Rotherham v Bury - Steve May

Scottish Cup: Quarter Finals
Brechin v St Johnstone - Brian McLaughlan
St Mirren v Aberdeen - Iain Turner

BBC Radio Scotland - Saturday 12th March 2011

Sportsound presented by Richard Gordon

Commentaries
St Mirren v. Aberdeen (12:15PM) - John Barnes & Gordon Smith with Chick Young pitchside.
Brechin City v. St Johnstone (3:00PM) - Paul Mitchell & Allan Preston with Jim Spence pitchside

BBC Bristol and BBC Zummerzet

Bristol City not in action till Monday

Host Geoff Twentyman

Rovers v Huddersfield Ali Durdain and Keith Brookman

Yeovil v Walsall Pete Simson and Chris Spittles

BBC Swindon and Wiltshire

Swindon v Dagenham

Host Ian Longdon

Vic Morgan and Phil Hunt

BBC Radio Derby

Colin Gibson presenting Sportscene live from Pride Park.

Championship
Derby v Swansea - Colin Bloomfield and Roger Davies (FM commentary)

League Two
Crewe v Chesterfield - Callum Williams
Stockport v Burton - Charles Collins and Tony Bentley (AM commentary)

Conference North
Alfreton v Corby - Dean Cornish


BBC Radio Leicester

Charles Dagnall presenting BBC Radio Leicester Sport.

Championship
Scunthorpe v Leicester City - Ian Stringer and Alan Young (commentary)

Conference North
Stalybridge v Hinckley United - Andy Gibbs

Is anybody else getting spurious ads appearing over some of the postings?

BBC London
Host Phil Parry at QPR
Burnley v Millwall Andrea Warth
QPR v Crystal Palace PP and Clive Walker (FM commentary)
Watford v Sheffield United Emma Jones
Charlton v Brentford Nick Godwin and Bradley Allen (DAB commentary)
Leyton Orient v Oldham Dave Victor
Swindon v Dagenham and Redbridge Stewart Smith
Hereford v Barnet Roger Hughes
FA Cup: Man Utd v Arsenal (1715) Andy Rowley and tbc (commentary)
R/U: Harlequins v Newcastle (on Friday Evening) Sara Orchard
R/L: St Helens v London Harlequins (on Friday evening) Mark Wilson

Who so defensive? He was just asking.

Saturday 12th March - talkSPORT

Adrian Durham presenting Matchday Live alongside Ray Parlour, followed by Call Danter

FA Cup Sixth Round
Birmingham City v Bolton Wanderers - Sam Matterface and Ray Houghton*
Manchester United v Arsenal - Dom McGuinness

Championship
Burnley v Millwall - Graham Beecroft
Coventry City v Hull City - Dave Rowe
Derby County v Swansea City - Nigel Pearson
Leeds United v Ipswich Town - Graham Courtney
Nottingham Forest v Doncaster Rovers - Kev Lawrence
Queens Park Rangers v Crystal Palace - Tony Incenzo and Marc Bircham
Scunthorpe United v Leicester City - John Temple
Watford v Sheffield United - Ian Abrahams
Preview - Geoff Peters

Rugby Union: Six Nations
Italy v France - David Brady
Wales v Ireland - Hamish Stuart

Horse Racing: Imperial Cup
Sandown Park - Rupert Bell

* Sam mentioned in one of his previews that Ian Danter was due to be talkSPORT's reporter at Birmingham, but instead Dants is heading into London to cover Call Collymore. Today's show is a three-hour special to accommodate post-Manchester United v Arsenal calls, with Full Contact going out between 8-9pm.


BBC WM

Jimmy Franks followed by WM Sport with Paul Franks from the Mailbox

FA Cup Sixth Round
Birmingham City v Bolton Wanderers - Richard Wilford, with Jane France interviewing the fans outside St Andrew's

League One
Yeovil Town v Walsall - Mike Taylor and Rob Gurney (commentary), with Mick Kearns offering pre-match, half-time and full-time analysis

Today's game is WM's first Walsall commentary of the season I believe. Well done WM.

The reason why Mick Kearns is not doing co-commentary as he would have done in seasons gone by is because he is summarising for Walsall's official website's Saddlers Player commentary service alongside Beacon Radio's Steve Hermon.

For the second round running, there's no commentary on Birmingham in the FA Cup. Wilf was providing updates during Jimmy Franks' pre-match music and chat show that is usually broadcast on Saturdays without early kick-offs involving the West Midlands clubs.


BRMB and Mercia

Tom Ross presenting The Goalzone from St Andrew's

FA Cup Sixth Round
Birmingham City v Bolton Wanderers - Tom Ross and Jon McCarthy (12.45pm BRMB commentary)

Championship
Coventry City v Hull City - Joe Holt and Dave Bennett (3pm Mercia commentary)