I'm sorry, but that particular notion is a load of rubbish - Rick quite clearly has a similar knowledge of the other three Welsh regions as he does the Blues, as well as the teams from lower down the WRU structure he covers for Radio Wales and the Sunday Scrum V show. He watches all four regions live at least once a month and clearly follows the form of the players as well as the topical issues surrounding the teams. He's a Blues fan but other than jokey references to this I don't get the impression he has any greater knowledge of or interest in them than any of the other three regions. For example you are more likely to hear him talk about playing in the same team as Joe Bearman of the Ospreys, formerly the Dragons, than you will hear him talk about something along those lines regarding the Blues.

Given the commentary roster Sky Sports already has, one would assume they will use Rick mostly on coverage of the Welsh regions and maybe other Pro 12 teams behind the red button during the group phase, which is no different to what he does now. I can't see the problem with this but clearly he's not someone you enjoy listening to.

On the note on Scrum V's red button coverage, while I'd like to the main English language feed to be available more often on Freeview, I can sympathise with BBC Wales as to why it isn't. You have to take into account that viewers in Wales get the same red button options on Freeview, so providing a main commentary stream ahead of Welsh or the RedZone would be duplication to them.

i thought DeGale was box nation person?

I must admit that I do enjoy the fanzone/redzone. When we first got freeview 3 years ago I watched it and enjoyed it and so did my dad, now I watch it every week there isn't an Ulster match on BBC Two NI and really like Rick O'Shea. I would like it if BBC NI did something similar for their coverage in NI

I wasn't sure of what redzone is/was till I asked here last year, now that i've seen it a couple times it is a huge waste of time.

Not quite in LOSG's camp but Rick O'Shea is very average IMO. Wouldn't say he knows nothing about the other welsh clubs, but he's still at times sounds not very prepared. I'd take him over Scott Hastings though anyday.

Friday 5th October - BBC Two Wales and BBCi

Scrum V Live: Scarlets v Newport Gwent Dragons

Ross Harries presenting from Parc y Scarlets alongside Lyn Jones and Gareth Thomas, with Sean Holley in the analysis truck

Commentators: Gareth Charles and Jonathan Davies

Red button commentaries: Rick O'Shea, Tom Shanklin and Paul Williams with the RedZone; Gareth Rhys Owen and Deiniol Jones in Welsh

Reporter: Phil Steele

The game is not on Freeview outside of Wales, with 301 viewers being treated to a Primal Scream gig instead.

Ulster v Connacht

Presenter: Stephen Watson
With: Andy Ward & Bryn Cunningham
Commentators: Jim Neilly & Ryan Constable
Reporter: Gavin Andrews

They'll be commentating amongst themsleves then, as this stream isn't an option via Satellite.

My 'normal routine' is to listen to a Pro 12 game yn gymraeg for the first half, then Redzone for the 2nd, today that isn't the case.


...and for a good 20 minutes or so, this stream 'did a runner' from Sport mulltiscreen as well. Selecting Option 2, for me, gets me redirected to sports text headlines.

Edit at 2022: Aha - It now works! Someone listening/watching the game via the redzone also texted in saying they were having trouble with the stream, now it's all resolved.

I thought Shanks was outstanding on the RedZone this evening. Not only were his anecdotes funny and entertaining, but when quizzed on more serious matters he wasn't afraid to talk offer some honest opinions on things like the unevenness of the qualification methods for the Heineken Cup, the quality of the Italian Pro12 teams and the less than brilliant standard of many Pro12 matches. It's the first time I can remember hearing him on the RedZone, I hope they have him back on it again.

I know there's baseball every day for months, but seeing as we're now in the play-offs...

National League Wildcard Play-off - St Louis Cardinals v Atlanta Braves (TBS)

Brian Anderson, with Ron Darling and Joe Saunders. Tom Verducci was reporting from the field.

American League Wildcard Play-off - Baltimore Orioles v Texas Rangers (TBS)

Ernie Johnson, with John Smoltz and Cal Ripken, Jr. Craig Sager was reporting from the field.

Super League XVII Grand Final-Warrington v Leeds (Sky Sports)
Commentators: Eddie Hemmings, Mike Stephenson, Phil Clarke and Brian Carney
Reporter: Rod Studd
3D Commentators: Bill Arthur, Barrie McDermott, Terry O'Connor and Shaun McRae
3D Reporter: Graham Beecroft
Analyst: Jon Wells

Super League XVII Grand Final-Warrington v Leeds (BBC)
Presenter: Clare Balding with Brian Noble
Commentators: Dave Woods and Jonathan Davies

Anyone got details of Skys World T20 final coverage? Were Sky onsite?

Ian Ward was onsite with David Lloyd and Michael Atherton.

Not sure who was all on commentary, I know Nasser Hussain was involved in it.

I've barely seen any of the tournament but I must say I'm surprised Bumble wasn't involved for ESPN star for the final. His Twitter feed suggests he felt underused throughout the tournament.

Boring techie point coming up here, but the last time I checked (about five years ago), the TV gantry at Old Trafford - which is fixed under the main stand roof - was only allowed a maximum of 21 people under health and safety rules.

With eight Sky commentators, two BBC commentators and various camera and production crew, they might have been getting quite close to the limit, so I wonder if one of the commentary teams had to sit in the stand?

(This does happen a fair bit at Champions League football games in this country, where the gantries at some grounds aren't big enough to take all the international TV commentators, and so an overspill area has to be set up in or near the press box.)

I did warn you this was a boring post.

He also had a bit of a moan on air after he got a bollocking from ESPN Star after shouting 'wallop' a few too many times after sixes were hit, although he did bring it out one last time in the semi final he did.

Women's final commentary was Nasser, Bumble, Alison Mitchell, Mel Jones and Ian Chappell, and the men's was Nasser, Tony Greig, Ian Bishop, Russell Arnold, Sanjay Manjrekar. I might have forgotten somebody on the men's one, but I think it was just the five.

Matt Floyd did one last report from that Sri Lankan beach on the morning of the final, while the Sky studio setup in the last week meant Bumble and Nasser must have gone through loads of shirt changes from the official gear to Sky stuff.


3D commentary was definitely done from there, as there are a few pics on Barrie McDermott's twitter showing how rammed it was up there. It's hard to tell who else is there, but I'd be very surprised if the main Sky commentary wasn't done on the gantry as well.

Sunday 14 October- GAA Beo on TV4

Micheál Ó Domhnaill introduces live and deferred coverage of GAA County Football and Hurling Finals. Commentary by Brian Tyers

Friday October 5th 2012

Fenerbatche Ulker vs, Boston Celtics (Comcast New England, NBA TV and ESPN UK)

Commentators- Mike Gorman and Brian Scalabrine

I may be wrong on this but I'm pretty sure Bumble was used for the men's final

Sunday 7th October

NBA Europe Live
Alba Berlin vs. Dallas Mavericks (TXA 21, NBA TV and ESPN UK)

Commentators- Mark Followhill and Derek Hayes

He wasn't, the team for mens final was

Tony Grieg, Russell Arnold, Sanjay Manjrekar, Ian Bishop and Nasser Hussain.

Just checked the highlights

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IS6tP3nc6DE

And while it looks like he wasn't used in the West Indies innings he definitely was in the Sril Lankan innings

My bad

He split from Frank Warren a while ago and is now under Mick Hennessey, who has a deal with Channel 5 for fights that he promotes.

IIRC when he was with Warren when Sky showed his fights he did bemoan his lack of exposure in the public psyche for someone of his pedigree (a former Olympic champion).

By reading through This thread it seems that Eurosport's contract with the WTA will come to an end for 2013, with them only being able to show the 'majors' live.

I was quite surprised at this but then when thinking about it I imagine the WTA Tour doesn't really fit Eurosport well these days.

Apart from a few weeks around the French Open the majority of the WTA events now are in Asia, Pacific or America and time wise don't fit well into the schedules

Judging by the deal they've agreed with the ATP to produce the tour event in Frankfurt I imagine they are looking at just picking up the odd tournament around the slams (Queens, Eastbourne etc) that fit well.