According to BBC Sport, Blackburn v Millwall replay is this Wednesday coming up.

England's shocking performance in the rugby is playing into BBC One's hands; if they had been out of sight by half time then people may have elected to switch to either the Premier League match on Sky or the FA Cup tie on ITV. As it is it's much closer than it should be.

Can't be the following Wednesday because that would be two days before international matches.

Incidentally - San Marino v England that Friday night gives ITV two spare Corries to schedule in other slots. Thursdays 8.30? Sundays?

Really? Oh, because internationals are the week after presumably. I'm sorry about that.

Hmm, tough one. I'm not sure what the football contract is. Due to the disruption caused to Coronation Street when it's building up to a big week I can't see them moving it for Blackburn v Millwall. But then again, the contract might state that the first choice replay has to be aired on ITV.

The FA Cup replay is this Wednesday, which is unusual because the police normally insist on 10 days notice for police leave, etc.
In this case however, it's already sorted. So clashing with the as-good-as-dead Champions League game between Bayern Munich vs Arsenal on Sky (Arsenal need 3 away goals).

http://mobile.millwallfc.co.uk/news/...85274450000000

They could keep Coro St as usual. With the FA Cup coverage starting at 8pm for a 8.05pm kick-off like they've had before. But would Blackburn v Millwall rate better than the 2.5m Lightfields and Fgf gets?

England rugby scrape over the line to set up a decider in Wales at 4.30pm this Saturday.
France vs Scotland on Saturday night is a dead match apart from deciding if France get the wooden spoon for finishing last.

I highly doubt it; not with Bayern v Arsenal on Sky (even that's seemingly a dead rubber). The demos might be decent, I guess, but the figure itself would be dire.

If Chelsea manage the unthinkable, where will their replay slot in? It can't be this Wednesday because of the Europa League.

The FA Cup figure will be butchered by the closeness of that match. I'll be surprised if it averaged 4m while the rugby match was on.

England made it through but it was a close match which is good for ratings

I agree. I'm surprised that ITV didn't ask the FA to delay kick off until 4.45pm so the rugby would be over but maybe, like most of the nation, they expected it to be plain sailing.

That's twice this weekend a match has worked against ITV - yesterday Everton's poor performance presumably led people switching to the Six Nations and today England's poor performance presumably led to people sticking with the Six Nations.

More reason for me to believe ITV should give up the FA Cup to the BBC and in four years time get this as the ratings and demos are excellent. 7 million mostly ABC1 viewers is something worth pursuing.
Another pro ITV post, I think I'm losing the hate, which is good.

Six Nations ratings are good at the moment but generally sports coverage seems to take something of a hit when switching from the BBC to ITV; partly because the BBC's coverage is held in better regard and partly because the BBC would put up tougher opposition against it than ITV do. In all probability the likes of Italy v France would only pull in about 3m viewers.

Anyone know who's presenting with who on comic relief

Mm how much better for the Beeb if England v Wales was the night game.

It's something for the future, but I haven't found ITV's coverage too bad and all that would happen is they'd buy in the BBC's names. It's something ITV should consider as this would be a real leap forward for their sports coverage.

Makes me laugh when people say BBC rugby coverage is wonderful. Yesterday the entire output mis named the player who broke his leg. Also the constant cuts to players wives in Dublin. If this was on itv there would be a 1000 page thread by now, istead nothing

Game on at Old Trafford. Big peak very likely.

Yes the flow of live games on ITV at the moment is amazing. Even with likely no home clubs in the Champions League, its offset a bit by the fact that clubs seem interested in the Europa League all of a sudden(which wasnt always the case for Channel 5). Added to FA Cup and associated replays and England games its quite a flood at the moment.

And with the Premiership dulled by Uniteds huge lead alot of interest is focusing on the cups.

Possible Chelsea v United replay for ITV. Something for them to put on against the final of The Voice as that appears to be the first date available for it. (Although, as my brother points out, United will have plenty of free midweeks over the next few months.)

Wouldn't RTE have been in charge of the feed in Dublin, rather than the BBC?

BBC used to direct all 6N games even in Rome amd Dublin - has this changed?

I thought the national broadcasters ran the feed, so the BBC are in charge of England, Scotland and Wales coverage; RTE host Irish matches etc. I could be wrong, though.

Yes three live matches this week and who knows if Newcastle and Tottenham can progress, the ratings will go up as the domestic interest in the ECL is over. I think the EL could be a sporting highlight for ITV if this happens.
Also ITV in general doesn't have the Jade Jones taekwondo strike of the olympics, the jubilee and BBC only matches in the Euros to worry about.

Panic at The Voice HQ as the football replay knightmare becomes a reality