ITV Finally Admit Defeat at Euro 2008

June 27th, 2008 | by: Daryl |

For UK viewers, one traditional aspect of Euros and World Cups is the television ratings battle between BBC and ITV. I say battle, it’s a bit one-sided, because every two years, the BBC gives ITV a severe beating. The Beeb’s commercial rival just can’t compete.

The way it usually goes is that the two broadcasters split the games evenly until the final. Then they both (pointlessly) broadcast the final simultaneously and the next day we read about how five times as many people tuned into the BBC.

It’s depressingly predictable, especially if you’re an ITV suit.

But this year things will be different. Why? Because ITV have finally admitted defeat. They’ve decided to pull the plug and let the Beeb broadcast the final uncontested.

How to explain BBC’s consistent ratings victories? It’s not like their coverage is perfect. We’re talking about the TV station that once paid Peter Schmeichel for his misguided opinions. Never has one pundit been so wrong about so many things.

I suspect BBC’s dominance it’s mostly because there’s something traditional and communal about watching on Britain’s oldest station that adds to the event, while ITV are hindered by commercial breaks which leave little time for meaningful pre/post game or half-time analysis.

Though ITV are claiming that the uncontested final is “purely for this tournament” I can’t help seeing this as a major sea change in UK football-watching. ITV are either going to re-think things and come up with something spectacular, or accept a permanent position as second best.

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Comments

By martin | June 27th, 2008 at 4:35 am

If you describe BBC’s coverage as ‘not perfect’, surely ITV’s must be described as ‘awful’? Its not just the ad breaks, its the pundits and commentators too. When was the last time you heard a pundit on ITV make a valid or interesting point?

By Rob | June 27th, 2008 at 6:37 am

I don’t think there’s ever been alot in it to be honest. BBC is incredibly smug these days, with Lineker, Shearer and Hanson all giving it the “oh back in my day Dalglish/Cruyff/Shankly wouldn’t have put up with that. Meanwhile, ITV suffer from having Andy “not good enough for England” Townsend and company.

John Motson, meanwhile continues to get more and more ridiculous with every game he commentates on, just annoyingly becoming the English eccentric charachter he so wants to be. He used to be alright, but i can’t bear him anymore. He’s backed up be Johnathon “Robotwars” Pearce. Meanwhile, all ITV’s commentators sound roughly the same. Clive Tydlsedly is ok, but he’s always looking for his “they think its all over” moment (which incedently, he’s already had in the 1999 CL Final) which gets sort of annoying.

Adverts, I don’t mind really. The BBC fill the gap with nonsense anyway.

Posted from United Kingdom

By Daryl | June 27th, 2008 at 10:16 am

I’ll say this though Rob, Martin O’Neill’s been excellent on the BBC. He’s absolutely unafraid of calling our his co-pundits when he thinks they’re wrong.

Posted from United Kingdom

By Ak | June 27th, 2008 at 10:54 am

martin: Andy Townsend is great though: he actually adds something to the half-time commentary, as opposed to Shearer and Hansen who just say X, “had a poor half,” or Y, “weren’t in the game for the first 20 minutes.” Yeah, I know that; I was watching the same game as you were! Replace Hansen with Townsend, and Shearer with Gavin Peacock/Lee Dixon and that would be the basis for a good studio team. Plus, am I crazy in thinking Childs is better than Lineker? BBC: if you’re reading between the lines, then go ahead and turn motd2 into motd, ok?
As for commentators: meh. There all as good/bad as each other; though I do miss Big Ron’s bumbling and stupidly obvious comments.

Rob: the crap that the beeb puts on pre- and during the game is just pissing me off now: don’t even get me started.

By Rob | June 27th, 2008 at 3:38 pm

Daryl – Absolutely yeah. O’Neil is always good. ITV have had too much of a revolving door in terms of co-pundits for this tourny, though I was impressed with the G-Nev and Moyes. Though Big Sam talking about attractive football was a step into the surreal.

Ak – I agree about Chiles. But he just doesn’t have the profile Gary does unfortunatly, so he’s forver going to be benched. God knows how the BBC have kept him when they have no football (Save MotD/2) anymore. Even the FA Cup is on ITV next season.

Posted from United Kingdom

By russian-exile | June 27th, 2008 at 4:36 pm

you guys should feel fortunate, over here (on a good day) it’s Andy Gray & Derek Rae sitting in a room watching the game and talking bullshit as ESPN was too cheap to send them to Austria/Switzerland. If that’s bad,

“Bilya.. bilyaletd.. bilyaletdinov. hah! i’ve been practicing.”

Posted from United States