This is just to update you on what has been going in twitter over the last week or so. The last few days Geoff has been having discussions with Alistair Durden from the BBC Points West and also discussions with the Football Conference - via twitter, regarding showing Rovers highlights on the local news. As you know, since our relegation BBC Points West and ITV Westcountry do not show Rovers goals and highlights anymore. This did obviously cheese a few of us off and I have read comments on twitter from fans and on other forums too where they have sent complaints to BBC & ITV. Finally after the Nuneaton game (game 10 into the season), Alistair Durden from BBC Points West made this comment on twitter... "Apologies to #BristolRovers & #FGR fans - we don't have access or rights at this point to show your goals." I replied back to him saying something along the lines that it was a shame that this wasnt explained at the start of the season & not 10 games in!! Would have saved a lot of complaints being made and although this is disappointing to us Gasheads, if you dont have the rights to show anything then its completely understandable. Well Geoff Dunford (who follows our twitter page) has now got in on the act and been talking to both BBC and the Football Conference. Here is the discussions to date.... Geoff to BBC: "Is it time to review your decision on not giving Bristol Rovers as much coverage and sponsorship/fees as you did in the FL? The number of people supporting the club including armchair fans has not changed. You are ignoring your customer base, surely it is the number of people interested in the club news and results, not which division it plays in?" Ali Durden to Geoff: "Hi Geoff. Fixtures/results are included in bulletins but sadly don't have access or rights at present to show conference goals. That may change but not in our hands. Also have done 5 feature/news items on Rovers since Aug, so still getting airtime." Geoff to Ali Durden: "Thanks Ali, I understand you cannot show the goals at the moment. Happy to see our results and discussion concerning games. Please ensure we are treated the same as FL clubs Hopefully Conference will allow goals to be shown soon, it will be good PR. Bristol Rugby didn't have less coverage when they were relegated to the Championship. Thanks for your reply Ali." So BBC has told us and told Geoff Dunford that they dont have rights to show any goals/highlights as we are now a non league club. Geoff gave his opinion to the BBC about this. He also then got in touch with the Football Conference (FC) about this. Geoff to FC: "Can you confirm that regional Tv can show goals from local teams free of charge? Good PR and advert for League and clubs" FC to Geoff: "Sorry for delay. Geoff this has been explained through BBC to BRFC. Sports reports not a problem unless it was a LIVE BTSport." Geoff to FC: "Is it Bt stopping goals being shown? A great shame when BT can take the credit as sky do when BBC show their coverage." FC to Geoff: "Think you misread the tweet Geoff. When BTSport screen a match it is their rights. BBC often reach agreement with them. When game is LIVE with them, other media streams have no access to film, so need to liaise to get footage. Not the case otherwise." So local news (BBC Points West & ITV Westcountry) can show goals/highlights after all. They just cant show any from games that was on BT sports with gaining permission etc from BT sports. About an hour ago Geoff sent this to FC: "Is there a cost to BBC for showing Conference goals? Or are they able to get them free of charge?" No reply yet. Looks like BBC were under the impression they are not allowed to show non league goals when they actually can. Did any of them actually look into this? Obviously not. This to me shows up the BBC! Geoff has taken this direct to the Football Conference who has confirmed the BBC can show goals/highlights. Geoff is getting all the facts and I have no doubts he will be passing it back to the BBC. As Geoff has taken it this far (and my personal opinion is fair shout to Geoff in doing this), I can see this ending in 2 ways. Either BBC will hold their hands up and apologise and start showing our goals/highlights in the near future OR the BBC will stick to their guns and carry on without showing clips and Geoff take offence to this and end up banning the BBC etc from the Memorial stadium. What do you think?
Thanks for pursuing this. The fan base and local interest is significant and the BBC should respond positively to this and show the goals.
Yes good on Geoff for pursuing this. I know at the end of the day the BBC and ITV local news only show about 10 seconds of highlights anyway and we get the clips on youtube which gets posted on here anyway but its the principle of it. Understandable if they cant show it if have no rights to do so but as rights aint an issue, moral fairness should be brought into question, is my opinion.
It deosnt really bother me that much as they only give all the teams about 30 seconds each! which is poor considering all the other **** they cram into the show. If some yob shat on queen square tomorrow I can garentee they would give them a 5 minute peice.
Sounds like the BBC just assumed BT had the rights for all Conference games, and would therefore have had to pay them a licence fee to use them. I work in a media-related Company, so know these things can get pretty involved - it will be interesting what the Conference comes back to Geoff Dunford with on the subject of fees - it all depends on who owns the rights.
With the new Bristol tv show coming up on the 8th of October I wonder how much they will be covering the football in Bristol
I used to have to go through the correct procedures to gain access to use International match footage even when the countries involved had no objection. The International bodies had 'intellectual rights' to the recordings of any matches played within their competitions and we had to obtain permission from that authority. Presumably the same rules apply to the FL and FC.
Bristol TV will be all arts and community. I doubt whether football will feature unless it gives an inclusive angle...
I'm surprised that Geoff has pursued this as he is no longer a director - fair play to him though. Thanks soooo much to the board and the BRFC hierarchy for pursuing this matter themselves on behalf of Gasheads - oh sorry, they didn't! I'm confused about the rights to show goals situation. Am I right in saying that there isn't a Conference 'highlights' programme on BT Sport? I've never seen one. If that's the case then they can't have any rights over match footage unless they're actually broadcasting a live match.
Another points west show then? My under standing was they just show every little thing thats happening in Bristol to fill the time slot, with a **** load of local adverts to cover there asses financialy.
He still holds a share in the club he just isn't doing the day to day running no more? I think it's a small thing that he should be doing as it only involves sitting down on his phone or laptop for 10 minutes.
BT sports dont have a highlights show. They just hold rights over live games on BT sports. For some reason BBC have been under the impression that either BT have rights to all conference games or someone else does. Or just simply using it as an excuse. Now Geoffs investigations are proving fruitful!
Amen to that. Despite what some of us think about GD when all is said and done he is a Gashead at heart.
I feel your pain bro..... If I only went for the highlights I'd have been at the Mem for approximately 1 hour in the last 5 ****ing years In fact thinking about it, including Twerton and Eastville, probably about one week in over 30 years
Thats 112 games which is nearly 5 full seasons. Having 5 highlight seasons in 30 years is not bad considering you have 23 other teams in the league fighting for the same prize. Yes i was that bored working the sums out. 1440 minutes in a day TIMES 7 days (a week as you say) = 10080 minutes 10080 DIVIDE by 90 (minutes per game) = 112 (90 minute games) 112 DIVIDE by 23 (games at the mem per season) = 4.87 (lots of 23 games) = nearly 5 full seasons. I did say I was bored!
actually we do have a film on. wife is watching karate kid on e4. im not. seen it before. i got the spurs/forest game on the laptop.
UPDATE: ITV West Country showed our goal last week vs Dartford. BBC Points West didnt. Seeing that the tweets at the start of this thread between Dunford and Alistair Durden (from BBC Points West) showed there was no actual reason why BBC couldnt show our goals, I was disappointed in them still not showing our goals. However I have just came across this on twitter from Alistair Durden.... "Good news Bristol Rovers & FGR fans! We finally have clearance from the Conference to show your goals on Points West for home games. Goals from away games will be at opposition club's discretion. Points West goals round-up is on our Sunday evening prog" On top of this, Rovers have tweeted the following... "BREAKING: The club have now received conformation from the Conference and will be producing a goals package for YouTube starting Saturday."
