Originally Posted by bwfcol:
“Notts County/Grimsby as the featured game, how did they decide that?!”
I dunno, it was a bit odd, but I'm delighted they did because any extensive coverage of Notts County on television means an update for the brilliant Notts on the Box website!
http://carousel.royalwebhosting.net/utm/maggies03.html
Except he hasn't done it yet. Get a move on!
Originally Posted by The Scout:
“Why do Sky Sports think it's OK to interview managers of smaller clubs in the dugout during the match? I find it disrespectful, as if these games are of no consequence. David Craig interviewed one of the manager's during a League 1 game earlier. It reminded me that they did the same to "little old" Burton Albion in the Championship a couple of weeks ago. If I was the manager I'd tell them to sod off, there's a game going on here.”
Well, this is not unique to Sky, because of course BT do it during the Conference, and I for one am all for it. The fact is that for the vast majority of the audience these matches require the context otherwise they're two teams you don't know and the only audience you get is those who are happy to watch any balls being kicked regardless of who's kicking them. So you have to make it easier for the audience to understand who's involved and what's at stake. And it's a good advert for the competition and the teams.
It goes back to one of the things I dislike about Football on 5, you just see the goals which is alright if it's your team, but if it isn't, who cares? You're playing to hardcore fans and nobody else. Whereas if you had a feature or two like you used to have on the Beeb and ITV, you do at least get to know why it matters. If you're on television the whole point is to promote the league and the sport to a wider audience. Broadcasters are not charities, they buy the rights to get an audience.
There are plenty of lulls in these games anyway. My dad doesn't watch much football on TV as he doesn't have Sky or BT but when he came round to my house last season he watched a Wrexham match on BT and as a Wrexham fan found the coverage very interesting, because of all the access all areas business.
Originally Posted by Mark.:
“But then technically STV shouldn't have to. Shouldn't the network output cater to the whole country?”
Maybe they shouldn't have to, but there's no doubt they will, because it gives them another three hours of Scottish programming for them to put in the annual report and their staff something to do. As a Wales fan, I saw nothing wrong with Clive's commentary on England vs Wales a few seasons back.
Originally Posted by TheSubaru2012:
“This is must be a long time since George Gavin was doing EFL games.”
Indeed, I wonder when the last time he did one was. The last live game I remember him doing was in the Football League Trophy. What else does he do on Sky these days, apart from the League Cup draw?
Originally Posted by Tony Yeboah:
“Torquay v Lincoln- Matt Smith and Natalie Quirk there for BT. Steve Bower and Adam Virgo commentate.”
Interesting to see that Bower is still doing the Conference matches whenever he's available, I assumed given most of them are going to be on Saturdays he would have given them up, like Mark Clemmit has, and let Summerton take over full time. Fair play to him, I suppose.
I don't know who the pundits were, I've been at my parents' all weekend. If nobody else posts them before I get back and check my recording, I'll post them then.
I notice ITV were promoting highlights of Scotland and "some action" from Northern Ireland on their highlights show tonight.