Simply,the lower leagues don't matter ?

[Elvis]

The BBC even had the Stevie G testimonial game as one of the main stories on their sport website yesterday.

You mean he's retiring? This is Stevie G's last season. Why haven't the BBC mentioned this before?

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Sky showed Fleetwood v Preston as a replacement for its usual Super Sunday.

One game over Friday Saturday and Sunday, they normally show 4/5

 

[Brovion]

One game over Friday Saturday and Sunday, they normally show 4/5

Yeah, but who the **** wants to watch 4 or 5 lower league games? As SAC says above, I wonder what the viewing figures were? I bet they weren't even a patch on a 3rd rate Prem game such as Stoke v Hull.

Face it, apart from a few anoraks no one gives a stuff about bog-standard lower-league football. People would rather watch top-flight Spanish or Italian football as opposed to Hartlepool v Grimsby.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Yeah, but who the **** wants to watch 4 or 5 lower league games? As SAC says above, I wonder what the viewing figures were? I bet they weren't even a patch on a 3rd rate Prem game such as Stoke v Hull.

Face it, apart from a few anoraks no one gives a stuff about bog-standard lower-league football. People would rather watch top-flight Spanish or Italian football as opposed to Hartlepool v Grimsby.

I'm not going to lie, I wouldn't unless it was a relegation or promotion 6 pointer/spurs player was involved.




My point was the opening poster is directing his anger at the wrong people.

 

[BBassic]

I'd definitely watch lower league football on the telly. But then I'll watch any football on the telly.

 

[World of Sport]

Hats off to BT Sport, showing North Ferriby v Wrexham at Wembley is the nearest thing to pub football that I'm going to see on telly this season.
Great match though.

 

[Brovion]

I'm not going to lie, I wouldn't unless it was a relegation or promotion 6 pointer/spurs player was involved.




My point was the opening poster is directing his anger at the wrong people.

Hmm. Certainly as far as broadcasting is concerned I think he's 'right' to blame the BBC as opposed to Sky. At least the BBC are supposed to produce programmes that are of minority interest (to justify their compulsory, legally-enforceable 'subscription fee') whereas Sky are unashamedly commercial and will only broadcast what people are prepared to pay to watch.

And Sky did actually broadcast at least one other non-league match - Scotland v Gibraltar!

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Hmm. Certainly as far as broadcasting is concerned I think he's 'right' to blame the BBC as opposed to Sky. At least the BBC are supposed to produce programmes that are of minority interest (to justify their compulsory, legally-enforceable 'subscription fee') whereas Sky are unashamedly commercial and will only broadcast what people are prepared to pay to watch.

And Sky did actually broadcast at least one other non-league match - Scotland v Gibraltar!

I would laugh massively if Scotland are the only home nation to get to the finals.

That's true, but surely when the purchased the rights they had a responsibility to show lower league games?

 

[father_and_son]

Yeah, but who the **** wants to watch 4 or 5 lower league games? As SAC says above, I wonder what the viewing figures were? I bet they weren't even a patch on a 3rd rate Prem game such as Stoke v Hull.

Face it, apart from a few anoraks no one gives a stuff about bog-standard lower-league football. People would rather watch top-flight Spanish or Italian football as opposed to Hartlepool v Grimsby.

Play some of the games involving play-off contenders and last year's relegated teams and you increase the interest to include fans of championship clubs ("oh.. how are so-and-so doing?", or "who are we playing next year?") and similarly for the L1/L2 cross over clubs.

No one is asking the Beeb to create a special programme, just run the show that airs every week normally. The FLS should appear on a non-international weekend because there are FL games played, albeit not the Championship ones.

 

[Easy 10]

Think Channel 5 should have a punt on it. It would probably pull in bigger audiences than they normally get. The BBC just take everything for granted.

Channel 5 have had more than a punt on it - they have bought the rights for the Football League highlights from next season for 3 years. They'll be putting out a 90 minute show at 9pm every Saturday night (so it'll be done and dusted just before MOTD starts).

Obviously this will be chock-full of ad breaks, and I can't see the 9pm prime-time timeslot being overly condusive to a harmonious evening with the missus. So most weeks I'll probably record it and watch it after MOTD whilst zipping through the ads and waffle. If I'm still conscious by then anyway.

 

[Brovion]

I would laugh massively if Scotland are the only home nation to get to the finals.

That's true, but surely when the purchased the rights they had a responsibility to show lower league games?

I don't think they have a 'responsibility', no. Like I say they're a commercial channel and they don't show that many for the reasons we both agree on. And last weekend football-wise their focus was on the Euro championships

Play some of the games involving play-off contenders and last year's relegated teams and you increase the interest to include fans of championship clubs ("oh.. how are so-and-so doing?", or "who are we playing next year?") and similarly for the L1/L2 cross over clubs.

No one is asking the Beeb to create a special programme, just run the show that airs every week normally. The FLS should appear on a non-international weekend because there are FL games played, albeit not the Championship ones.

With regard to your first point there's still the fact that Sky are a commercial channel and will broadcast what people want to watch. My view (and I have no information to back this up just a hunch) is that most people aren't interested in bog-standard lower league games, even given the reasons you've stated. Sky's focus over the weekend was on the Euro qualifiers, the Grand Prix and the cricket World Cup final. I would guess those events were of more interest to sports fans that fourth division football,


I agree with your second point, but that wasn't really what I was discussing with Kinky though.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I don't think they have a 'responsibility', no. Like I say they're a commercial channel and they don't show that many for the reasons we both agree on. And last weekend football-wise their focus was on the Euro championships




With regard to your first point there's still the fact that Sky are a commercial channel and will broadcast what people want to watch. My view (and I have no information to back this up just a hunch) is that most people aren't interested in bog-standard lower league games, even given the reasons you've stated. Sky's focus over the weekend was on the Euro qualifiers, the Grand Prix and the cricket World Cup final. I would guess those events were of more interest to sports fans that fourth division football,


I agree with your second point, but that wasn't really what I was discussing with Kinky though.

I know everything is ruled by money these days, but surely its then up to the League to make sure they get the best deal in terms of money and exposure?

As someone said, it would be good if another channel got some of the games, even if it was league 1/2 stuff only, people would watch it - it's football. I was dragged out bed shopping Saturday morning... I would watch anything to get out of that!

I don't think we are too far off having a separate deal for PL, Championship and then Lg1/2

 

[Sweeney Todd]

I went to the Oxford United v Carlisle United game on Saturday.

This Saturday, I’m going to watch Oxford City v Boston United (in the Conference North).

(On Friday, of course, I’ll be at the Amex.)

 

[Brovion]

I know everything is ruled by money these days, but surely its then up to the League to make sure they get the best deal in terms of money and exposure?

As someone said, it would be good if another channel got some of the games, even if it was league 1/2 stuff only, people would watch it - it's football. I was dragged out bed shopping Saturday morning... I would watch anything to get out of that!

I don't think we are too far off having a separate deal for PL, Championship and then Lg1/2

Agreed, and I would guess that the amount of F/L games Sky can show (or have to show might be a better way of putting it) has already been contractually fixed, like it used to be in the old days when MoTD showed a few games from outside the top flight. As you say they need to get the best price for their product. I wonder what the demand would be? Certainly the BBC don't seem to think people are interested unless they can tempt them in with the carrot of P/L games and then hope they forget to switch off when MoTD finishes.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Hats off to BT Sport, showing North Ferriby v Wrexham at Wembley is the nearest thing to pub football that I'm going to see on telly this season.
Great match though.

If you want 'pub' football try Sky134 S4C on a Sunday usally have a live game on and it's different,i ll give you that.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Channel 5 have had more than a punt on it - they have bought the rights for the Football League highlights from next season for 3 years. They'll be putting out a 90 minute show at 9pm every Saturday night (so it'll be done and dusted just before MOTD starts).

Obviously this will be chock-full of ad breaks, and I can't see the 9pm prime-time timeslot being overly condusive to a harmonious evening with the missus. So most weeks I'll probably record it and watch it after MOTD whilst zipping through the ads and waffle. If I'm still conscious by then anyway.

Therefore looks like C5 have repeated the trick as C4 did when 'stealing' cricket from the BBC ?

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Burton Albion v Stevenage is on Sky now.

 

[Hampster Gull]

Technically speaking they didn't. His contract was up in the next few months and they came out and said they were not renewing it. They also took the decision to cancel the rest of the series. I suppose to James May and Hammond, it would have been untenable to continue without the "star" of the show.

Still, get jody Kidd, Nigel mansell and nick knowles as the presenters and it will be ok!

Um, ok you're technically right. But he would have agreed a new contract, the last shows would have been broadcast, he would be doing the live roadshow etc. He was to all effects sacked.

 

[Easy 10]

Therefore looks like C5 have repeated the trick as C4 did when 'stealing' cricket from the BBC ?

I thought C4 did a decent job with the Ashes in 2005. I reckon 5 will be alright.