FIFA/UEFA have been trying for a while to remove the World Cup/Euros from the 'Listed Sporting Events', which would allow Sky (and now BT) to show these events exclusively and in return give FIFA/UEFA more money. Especially as BBC and ITV happily bid together and pay as little each as possible. However, Sky could show the World Cup if they showed it for free, i.e on their PICK TV channel or whatever. All sporting events which have to be on free-to-air TV: FIFA World Cup finals (all matches) [ITV/BBC] UEFA Euro finals (all matches) [ITV/BBC] FA Cup Final [Now BBC/BT Sport] Scottish Cup Final (Scotland only) [BBC/SKY] Grand National [C4] Epsom Derby [C4] Rugby league Challenge Cup final [BBC] Rugby union World Cup final [BBC] Wimbledon Championships men's and women's finals [BBC] Olympic Games (both summer and winter) [BBC] Paralympic Games (both summer and winter) [C4] However, Sky/BT could technically share coverage with BBC/ITV like they have done with the Champions League. Cost or low viewing figures may be the reason why they aren't. Not entirely sure though. For anybody that didn't know, ITV were close to bidding exclusively for this World Cup (and the last Euros), effectively taking all coverage and pushing BBC out. Imagine all the games being on their channel.
ITV Football Coverage: The Calamity That Keeps On Giving. Written by @AStedman1 Adrian Chiles, why? With exactly a week to go until the World Cup gets underway in Brazil, last night provided a timely reminder of what ITV viewers have in store for them over the next month â during the biggest tournament in world football. The stage was set, England had flown to Miami amidst unrelenting media coverage. Scripts had been rehearsed, a nation had tuned in to see how their heroes were preparing, step forward Adrian Chiles. âWelcome to Rio.â Yesterdayâs game against Ecuador was in Miami, 4,000 miles from Rio â the venue of the World Cup final on the 13th July. But to be honest that sort of basic error is something England fans will have to get used to â with ITV showing each and every friendly match and qualifier of the team. Andy Townsend was given the role of summariser during last nightâs game, my personal favourite line was: âThese guys hit the ball so hard and so true at International level.â Sorry, what? So youâre telling me at club level⦠never mind. Cast your minds back to October last year â England had just convincingly beaten Montenegro 4-1. Looking ahead to the next fixture against Poland, the presenter (to use the term loosely) announced: âThere will be 15,000 Poles in here; itâll be like a home game.â After pundit Lee Dixon remarked: âLetâs hope theyâre crying at the end.â Chiles had the stupidity and audacity to state: âLetâs hope not, I have some building work being done, be careful.â The fact that Chiles gets the privilege of being flown tens of thousands of miles around the world, covering top class football is an insult to every one of us trying so desperately hard to make a living out of the media within the sport â the truth hurts. Chiles has gone from the âThe One Showâ to International and European top class football, via Daybreak. His dry and cringe worthy sense of humour surely canât last much longer, can it? The blame has to lie in part with ITV. The incident that sticks out in my mind was back in 2009. It was Everton vs Liverpool, one of the great rivalries of English football in the most romantic competition of them all. After having to endure nearly two hours of nil-nil, finally a goal. Everton teenager Dan Gosling was the hero, rifling in a late winner in front of the raucous Goodison Park crowd â except ITV didnât show that moment. Instead they showed this: (LINK HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qUx3RPdlcM) Unfortunately for us, ITV are set to show Englandâs group games against Uruguay and Costa Rica over the coming weeks. You can therefore be sure that Luis Suarez will feature heavily in Adrianâs script, and that him and Cavani will be the only two men Chiles talks about. The Costa Rica encounter will probably contain some awful clichés about we should be beating teams like the South American side, and if, God forbid, weâre already out of the competition by the time of the game, I dread to think of the gags Chiles will try and cheer us up with, probably something along the lines of âWe were never going to win anyway.â Sadly, the tone seems to be set for the pre and post-match repertoire from ITV, if you want to watch the matches, it seems you have no choice. I recommend the âmuteâ button to make it bearable, the commentary improves no end. The real question is how much longer can this farcical presenting combination go on for? How many more startlingly obvious mistakes or racist remarks does it take before someone above gives the mumbling moron the boot that TV audiences are so desperately hoping for? http://fourfourtweet.co.uk/itv-football-coverage-the-calamity-that-keeps-on-giving/
