What's new

Sky’s coverage of football

Do you enjoy Sky’s coverage of football?


  • Total voters
    44

rightwayup

Well-Known Member
Jan 31, 2011
351
1,232
It was unbelievable 5 minutes from half time, when Tyler started wittering on how this result would start those questions about lost semi finals! Even Alan Smith went into embarrassed silence although he may have remembered his ill timed words as Danny Rose passed to N'Koudou against Fulham.
 

Bensonrecon

Well-Known Member
Apr 4, 2015
392
1,377
TBH I think people sometimes read way too much into it all. It obviously works for Sky otherwise the feedback they get would demand change and that isn't happening.


They don't need to care to be fair. People complain about Merson, for example not being able to pronounce players or being an 'expert' yet saying the game last night could go to extra time. Nothing the public can do if they refuse to change the line ups as there isn't direct competition showing the same game so they can shrug there shoulders and bask in the fact that no one who wants to watch the game will stop watching and every stupid comment gets social media exposure and more attention for the programming.

Same with the Beeb. Every time that pillock Lawro is on telly, especially commentary, social media etc is awash with complaints. They don't care they still keep using him and give him extra stuff like the predictions on a weekly basis. Only time things change is when they get someone doing a Trevor Sinclair or a Rodney Marsh or getting to the point of retiring like Motson. If broadcasting rights allowed two networks to air the same event at the same time we might see real change, beyond that we're lumped with the same old garbage until a higher up gets bored
 

tobi

Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose
Jun 10, 2003
17,445
11,563
I greatly prefer NBA and NFL coverage, they go into much greater detail (TV and podcasts), don't take themselves seriously and you can see who has the natural talent to be a commentator (My QB - Tony Romo) in comparison to those that got the job because of their name (Jason Witten) and not because of their ability to relate to the viewing audience.

Also 'Inside The NBA' is the greatest sports show ever.

Martin Tyler was at his best with Andy Gray, he's should have been (respectfully) replaced as the No.1 commentator by Sky years ago but they don't have the balls to do it.

Credit to Sky for giving Neville a chance, it's not a coincidence that MNF significantly improved when he joined. Carragher and Neville are a great pairing but I want more analysis, one day a week isn't enough. On the flip side, they tried to repeat it with Henry and failed spectacularly at the cost of £4 million a year.

Somehow BT are still worse and that's just pathetic. They initially tried to copy Sky, then they tried to differentiate themselves from Sky but they've still failed plus they employ Robbie Savage AND Chris Sutton.

Sky have the same tired 'Give a friend a job club' on Soccer Saturday but at least they're not used during live coverage.
 

Marty

Audere est farce
Mar 10, 2005
39,884
62,541
I work in television for the PL rights holders in Norway, so I feel like I'm well placed to answer a few things about this. And feel free to ask any more questions about anything broadcast related.

May not be just Sky, but something that really pisses me off, with the actual coverage of the game, especially sky. Is the need for a replay, even though the game is actually going on. Its got worse this season, and times when they've almost missed goals showing a pointless replay. Happens near on every game. What happened to waiting till the balls gone out of play, to show us a row Z shot 30 times.

Also quickly, constant camera panning on celebs and the like, for half the game - while the bloody games in play. Drives me mad.
Sky and BT are host broadcasters for the games they show, so what is shown during the live games is controlled by their match director. Matches that aren't shown live in England are directed by Premier League Productions' own staff, or in a few cases I know Sky Sports Ireland have done it.

Me and my colleagues have also noticed that this focusing on anything other than the actual game has become more and more prominent. The first leg of the Carabao semi at Wembley was the worst I've ever seen for it. It felt like they spent more time focusing on the benches than on the actual game, particularly Sarri and Zola. We have a line in to PLP as rights holders and do talk to and meet with them regularly but it's pointless for little us from a small country to try to influence Sky or BT's direction decisions.

On a more general note, I also (perhaps controversially) don't think that ex-players necessarily make the best pundits. Obviously there are some, Neville being the obvious example, who clearly put a lot of time and effort into their research and prepare for the shows properly so that they offer some real insight. But on the other hand you've got the majority of them who clearly just show up and wing it so they just regurgitate the same tired old cliches that are making up the headlines of the tabloids that day and nobody calls them out on it because they're all mates.
I've been banging this drum for years, as have my employers to be fair. And we demand that ex-footballers we employ do proper homework. We've been rights holders since 2010 and there have been a few examples (Norwegians on here with long memories may be able to guess who) of ex-pros who we've let go because they simply didn't do their job. On the other hand, I can't speak highly enough of Brede Hangeland, who joined us just after he retired from playing and has been a revelation similar to the way Neville was in the UK.

More than anything else it's so important to be able to rotate your cast. I'm amazed that Soccer Saturday often (always?) still has the exact same panel as when I last lived in England, and I've been gone 9 years. It's hopeless to ask for proper opinions and sensible discussions from people who are so clearly too comfortable in their position and never get any fresh blood that challenges them to evolve. If you insist on only employing ex-pros, those who retired recently can say so much more about today's dressing room culture and what football is today than people who stopped playing in 1995 can. It's a completely different game now, in almost all ways other than that it's still 11 v 11, a round ball and goals at either end. Some of the older ex-pros can and do adapt to this, others can't and/or won't and really should be let go.
 

rossdapep

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2011
21,904
78,638
I think it may be worth noting that those ex-pros who do have great insight and knowledge are rightfully using it on the training pitch as opposed to sitting in the comfort of the studio where it is essentially nothing but 'hot-air'. If I was an ex-pro who felt like I had something to offer I wouldn't get into punditry until I had gone down the coaching route as I'd want to make a difference and actually put my ideas to use. Which probably explains why a lot of pundits are lazy and clearly don't do research.
 

'O Zio

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2014
7,405
13,785
I work in television for the PL rights holders in Norway, so I feel like I'm well placed to answer a few things about this. And feel free to ask any more questions about anything broadcast related.


Sky and BT are host broadcasters for the games they show, so what is shown during the live games is controlled by their match director. Matches that aren't shown live in England are directed by Premier League Productions' own staff, or in a few cases I know Sky Sports Ireland have done it.

Me and my colleagues have also noticed that this focusing on anything other than the actual game has become more and more prominent. The first leg of the Carabao semi at Wembley was the worst I've ever seen for it. It felt like they spent more time focusing on the benches than on the actual game, particularly Sarri and Zola. We have a line in to PLP as rights holders and do talk to and meet with them regularly but it's pointless for little us from a small country to try to influence Sky or BT's direction decisions.


I've been banging this drum for years, as have my employers to be fair. And we demand that ex-footballers we employ do proper homework. We've been rights holders since 2010 and there have been a few examples (Norwegians on here with long memories may be able to guess who) of ex-pros who we've let go because they simply didn't do their job. On the other hand, I can't speak highly enough of Brede Hangeland, who joined us just after he retired from playing and has been a revelation similar to the way Neville was in the UK.

More than anything else it's so important to be able to rotate your cast. I'm amazed that Soccer Saturday often (always?) still has the exact same panel as when I last lived in England, and I've been gone 9 years. It's hopeless to ask for proper opinions and sensible discussions from people who are so clearly too comfortable in their position and never get any fresh blood that challenges them to evolve. If you insist on only employing ex-pros, those who retired recently can say so much more about today's dressing room culture and what football is today than people who stopped playing in 1995 can. It's a completely different game now, in almost all ways other than that it's still 11 v 11, a round ball and goals at either end. Some of the older ex-pros can and do adapt to this, others can't and/or won't and really should be let go.

Interesting stuff mate, thanks for sharing

You make an interesting point at the end too. I said in my last post that the one thing ex-players have over a dedicated journalist is that they have the "dressing room insight" or whatever you want to call it. However, as you quite rightly point out, some of them, especially the dinosaurs on Soccer Saturday, have no more idea what it's like to be a PL footballer in the modern game than you or I do. The game and lifestyle of players nowadays is a completely different world to what it was during the 80s when these guys were playing, so they can't even really give much insight in that regard either.
 

SE Spurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 12, 2018
2,669
4,760
I work in television for the PL rights holders in Norway, so I feel like I'm well placed to answer a few things about this. And feel free to ask any more questions about anything broadcast related.


Sky and BT are host broadcasters for the games they show, so what is shown during the live games is controlled by their match director. Matches that aren't shown live in England are directed by Premier League Productions' own staff, or in a few cases I know Sky Sports Ireland have done it.

Me and my colleagues have also noticed that this focusing on anything other than the actual game has become more and more prominent. The first leg of the Carabao semi at Wembley was the worst I've ever seen for it. It felt like they spent more time focusing on the benches than on the actual game, particularly Sarri and Zola. We have a line in to PLP as rights holders and do talk to and meet with them regularly but it's pointless for little us from a small country to try to influence Sky or BT's direction decisions.


I've been banging this drum for years, as have my employers to be fair. And we demand that ex-footballers we employ do proper homework. We've been rights holders since 2010 and there have been a few examples (Norwegians on here with long memories may be able to guess who) of ex-pros who we've let go because they simply didn't do their job. On the other hand, I can't speak highly enough of Brede Hangeland, who joined us just after he retired from playing and has been a revelation similar to the way Neville was in the UK.

More than anything else it's so important to be able to rotate your cast. I'm amazed that Soccer Saturday often (always?) still has the exact same panel as when I last lived in England, and I've been gone 9 years. It's hopeless to ask for proper opinions and sensible discussions from people who are so clearly too comfortable in their position and never get any fresh blood that challenges them to evolve. If you insist on only employing ex-pros, those who retired recently can say so much more about today's dressing room culture and what football is today than people who stopped playing in 1995 can. It's a completely different game now, in almost all ways other than that it's still 11 v 11, a round ball and goals at either end. Some of the older ex-pros can and do adapt to this, others can't and/or won't and really should be let go.


Good info. cheers.

Only thing I'd say about some ex pros, that have only just left the game. Some of em can have a problem being totally honest, in fear of upsetting clubs and players they played with. Henry a perfect example of someone who really struggled to say anything negative about the goons and Wenger. Totally pointless pundit for Gooner games, looked like someone was tearing a limb off, every time he had to explain a shocking performance.
 

Tucker

Shitehawk
Jul 15, 2013
31,127
146,000
Good info. cheers.

Only thing I'd say about some ex pros, that have only just left the game. Some of em can have a problem being totally honest, in fear of upsetting clubs and players they played with. Henry a perfect example of someone who really struggled to say anything negative about the goons and Wenger. Totally pointless pundit for Gooner games, looked like someone was tearing a limb off, every time he had to explain a shocking performance.

That’s another thing, they always seem to feel like they have to have an ex pro that has links to one of the clubs playing. Great example being last night when they had Joe Cole and Jamie Redknapp on. Someone in the match thread referred to them as “the Mensa twins.” Was about right.

How about having unbiased pundits for a change? It’s very rare that any of them can maintain objectivity when talking about their former team.
 

werty

Well-Known Member
Aug 8, 2005
25,074
26,310
I think the problem is people don't really want in-depth analysis. They say they do, but all they really want to hear is favourable things about their team and why their favourite player is playing so well or why it's not his fault for a bad game. That's why you usually get a former player from each team in the studio.
 

Tucker

Shitehawk
Jul 15, 2013
31,127
146,000
I think the problem is people don't really want in-depth analysis. They say they do, but all they really want to hear is favourable things about their team and why their favourite player is playing so well or why it's not his fault for a bad game. That's why you usually get a former player from each team in the studio.

The lack of in depth analysis isn’t a problem for me. The same cliched waffle and agenda driven guff is though. I get what you’re saying about people wanting to hear nice things about their favourites etc. But that doesn’t excuse Martin Tyler’s endless factoids, or his constipated screams of “And it’s live!” At the start of every game.
 

WalkerboyUK

Well-Known Member
Jun 8, 2009
21,658
23,476
I tend not to watch the pre/post match stuff and generally, if I can, I also avoid watching the Sky broadcast of a game.
Generally I go with the Bein or NBC coverage and commentary.
 

Ray Ray

Well-Known Member
Jan 15, 2018
548
2,240
I'm just back from 3 weeks in SA and they have a channel called supersport over there, literally has every single 3 o'clock kick off across there 7/8 channels. While here in the UK we end fucking paying for 2 sports channels (Sky and BT) and still don't get to choose which game you want to watch.

Does my tits in. Too much greed in Sky and BT.
 

spursfan77

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2005
46,679
104,956
Does anyone still watch Soccer Saturday? I thought it was one of those programmes like Soccer AM that had had its day and now everyone avoided.

I like the BT one better. They rotate the guests and although you have Sutton and Savage on it, its not really that bad. They definitely don't come across as anti us as the Sky old boys club. The only way soccer Saturday will change is if one of them blunders and comes out with something that is either homophobic, racist or sexist and even then I suspect it wont be cut and dried as to whether they will be sacked or not. Jamie Carragher spat at some other fans for crying out loud and he's still on tv there. That should have been curtains for his career.
 

Tucker

Shitehawk
Jul 15, 2013
31,127
146,000
Does anyone still watch Soccer Saturday? I thought it was one of those programmes like Soccer AM that had had its day and now everyone avoided.

I like the BT one better. They rotate the guests and although you have Sutton and Savage on it, its not really that bad. They definitely don't come across as anti us as the Sky old boys club. The only way soccer Saturday will change is if one of them blunders and comes out with something that is either homophobic, racist or sexist and even then I suspect it wont be cut and dried as to whether they will be sacked or not. Jamie Carragher spat at some other fans for crying out loud and he's still on tv there. That should have been curtains for his career.

Yeah the BT show is much better. I used to hate Savage being on anything, but he’s not so bad these days, he’s a bit of a wind up merchant, but you can tell it’s all just a bit of fun to him. It definitely helps that they rotate the guests too.
 

spursfan77

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2005
46,679
104,956
Yeah the BT show is much better. I used to hate Savage being on anything, but he’s not so bad these days, he’s a bit of a wind up merchant, but you can tell it’s all just a bit of fun to him. It definitely helps that they rotate the guests too.

He seems now to focus on winding up the other guests than saying things to wind up the fans.
 

werty

Well-Known Member
Aug 8, 2005
25,074
26,310
The lack of in depth analysis isn’t a problem for me. The same cliched waffle and agenda driven guff is though. I get what you’re saying about people wanting to hear nice things about their favourites etc. But that doesn’t excuse Martin Tyler’s endless factoids, or his constipated screams of “And it’s live!” At the start of every game.
Tyler is probably only doing what he's told when he shouts that. I like the factoids too. They're probably just there to make sure there's no dead air during boring part of matches. He's still the best play-by-play guy on English TV. There's another guy I like on Sky but I can't remember his name.
Does anyone still watch Soccer Saturday? I thought it was one of those programmes like Soccer AM that had had its day and now everyone avoided.

I like the BT one better. They rotate the guests and although you have Sutton and Savage on it, its not really that bad. They definitely don't come across as anti us as the Sky old boys club. The only way soccer Saturday will change is if one of them blunders and comes out with something that is either homophobic, racist or sexist and even then I suspect it wont be cut and dried as to whether they will be sacked or not. Jamie Carragher spat at some other fans for crying out loud and he's still on tv there. That should have been curtains for his career.
I watch Soccer Saturday when the games kick-off. I don't watch it for the pre-match stuff. I like Stelling and even though I don't particularly like any of the pundits, I find them and the people who are at the grounds way more entertaining and they build the drama way better than the BT sports guys without offering less insight. The BT don't really offer that much insight and throw out the same clichés and that fucking song they play going into and coming back from commercials is going to be on repeat if I end up in hell.
 

Tucker

Shitehawk
Jul 15, 2013
31,127
146,000
Tyler is probably only doing what he's told when he shouts that. I like the factoids too. They're probably just there to make sure there's no dead air during boring part of matches. He's still the best play-by-play guy on English TV. There's another guy I like on Sky but I can't remember his name.

I watch Soccer Saturday when the games kick-off. I don't watch it for the pre-match stuff. I like Stelling and even though I don't particularly like any of the pundits, I find them and the people who are at the grounds way more entertaining and they build the drama way better than the BT sports guys without offering less insight. The BT don't really offer that much insight and throw out the same clichés and that fucking song they play going into and coming back from commercials is going to be on repeat if I end up in hell.

We will have to disagree on that one I’m afraid. I think he’s truly awful, and far too pally with his co commentators. The endless little facts just wind me up, like “Spurs have never beaten Chelsea during a full moon in January” etc etc. It’s meaningless waffle. Let the game tell it’s own story.

But yes, I agree, he’s probably got a producer in his ear telling him to up the hype constantly. It I also think he’s all to desperate to make a comment that will go down in history like the “Aguerrrrrrooooooooo” moment.

He’s not on his own in this. Most, if not all commentators annoy me (and not just on Sky.)
 

thebenjamin

Well-Known Member
Jul 1, 2008
12,164
38,545
the problem with Martin Tyler is that he gives his opinion on the game, how teams are playing, whether their manager might leave for another club, etc. I don't know if somewhere along the line he's forgotten, or no one's pulled him into line for so long they let him get away with murder, but a commentator's job is not and never has been to give an opinion. What he thinks is worth nothing to anyone.
 

werty

Well-Known Member
Aug 8, 2005
25,074
26,310
We will have to disagree on that one I’m afraid. I think he’s truly awful, and far too pally with his co commentators. The endless little facts just wind me up, like “Spurs have never beaten Chelsea during a full moon in January” etc etc. It’s meaningless waffle. Let the game tell it’s own story.

But yes, I agree, he’s probably got a producer in his ear telling him to up the hype constantly. It I also think he’s all to desperate to make a comment that will go down in history like the “Aguerrrrrrooooooooo” moment.

He’s not on his own in this. Most, if not all commentators annoy me (and not just on Sky.)
Who do you think is better?

He made several great calls before the Aguero one. He's made it an art form to just shout someone's name that others have copy but can't get close to.
 

Tucker

Shitehawk
Jul 15, 2013
31,127
146,000
Who do you think is better?

He made several great calls before the Aguero one. He's made it an art form to just shout someone's name that others have copy but can't get close to.

Art is stretching the bounds of reality a bit I think.

As for who’s better, I would say they are all pretty bad, it’s just a matter of who’s more tolerable, and for that I would say most. Guy Mowbray for a start isn’t too bad, but then he’s not on live matches much anymore.
 
Top