Am I the only one watching Final Score because I fell across it after Point of View. Always fun watching a show about 3 blokes watching matches that you can't see!


Don't tell Glenn, 'tired old' DOND and Peter Andre/Katie Price in the same place!

full programme of games at 3pm so presume the Saturday rights limitations apply today in terms of the earliest BBC can screen highlights

As I said this morning, madness to have it so late, it could of had massive ratings.

10pm I think, so why not stick it on then?

Do you mean since the Premier League started in 1992? In the olden days I am confident MOTD has rated 10m+, but in the recent era maybe 5.0m? 10.25pm start tonight, maybe a 50% audience share?

Probably - you cant have Sky Sports News, although Jeff was pissing me off with his Man City cursed routine.

I don't think it's that late. It's pretty standard.

BGT's final semi-final was free of anyone under 16 so in theory they could have done Sun & Tue-Thu from 8-10pm and Mon 8.30-10.30pm, and possibly rejigged things around to get a second semi-final without any kids if they needed to go later than 10pm - although of course they can quite comfortably air 8-10pm even when EE is at 8pm as it gives them nothing really to worry about.


Will be interesting to see Sky's figures - anyone know the highest combined SS1 & SS2 figure as I think that might be broken. Wouldn't be surprised too if the Man Utd match rated higher, then City getting a massive peak for the last five minutes (though did SS2 switch to the game?)

I screamed the house down when that last goal was scored. So so happy

I am not sure about in terms of people watching (as it's early), but the peak share % of the last 10 mins of the match must be HUGE for SS1.

For a Saturday night showing but this is slightly different.

It usually pulled in 10 million in the seventies as it was the only national football show on the television. Also they used to re run the Grand National.

I don't think they had many options. It's not a bad slot - the 2 main games everyone is tuning in for will be done by 11pm.

I think they could've aired a half hour filler at 9pm and then the news to start Match of the Day at 10pm. It's not as if they have a massive ratings evening lined up.

Highest Match of the Day ratings since rights returned from ITV was December 29 2007 - 4.8m. I;m not 100% sure if thats overnights or officials though.

Ah yeah, hadn't thought about that. Probably best to just compare with the modern "post ITV" era. I'm going for a 5.8m 15minute peak and 4.6m average.

The goals will be on Sky News in the next 30 minutes (and presumably BBC News & ITV News too) so that might dent MOTD a bit

Of course it is a terrible slot - its Sunday night and it finishes at midnight. Put it on at 10 - Mrs Brown and News before. If contract allows put it at 9. But instead they put a drama repeat which will get 3m. MOTD at 9 would of got 7 million minimum. At 10 it would get 5m min. Last season on the last day it got 4m at 10.25 with relegation at stake so it should still be higher tonight.

They knew it was going to be an exciting finish 2 weeks ago, but they failed with the scheduling.

Good old BBC - the presentation of the trophy is the closest thing to live club football they've now got, so rather than hang on 5 minutes they cut away on BBC1 and throw it over to the red button just as the presentation begins.

I might be wrong but I think even on a regular Sunday the BBC can't show highlights now until 10pm. Unlike Saturdays I think MOTD2 would probably do rather well in a 7pm slot on BBC2 on Sundays.

I don't think this will happen after the disaster of the Premiership on ITV but I think as part of the rights deal the BBC are not allowed to show highlights before 10pm but I am not 100% sure about that

I agree, I think it's timed after 10 pm for men in pubs or returning from the pub. The Premiership was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

With the tight schedule TV starts at 7:25pm, EM starts at 7:30pm - it is vital TV gets a ratings head start is desperately needs.

They're getting desperate if they're cutting away from the trophy presentation (the final sign off of the season) just so a recorded results show can start at the proper time.

The rights have chnged. You now have the time delayed Fottball First on SS2 from 8.30 to 10pm preventing terrestial highlights before that finishes. That didnt exist when ITV showed the premiership highlights at 7pm.

I could understand the logic of airing The Premiership at 7pm but it didn't pay off at all. Too many football fans were still in pubs/trying to get home from games at that time.

ITV's coverage at the time was also terrible. It flopped from the off. I remember how cocky Des Lynam was over the whole thing. He certainly ended up eating his own words!! It was a total sham. Everything from the crap theme tune to the presenting was flat and lifeless. The fan backlash was also pretty big even after they moved it to 10.30pm. The FA were happy to sell the rights back to the BBC as soon as they could.