[The Difference]

Originally Posted by shaun_d

5 Live

Tuesday

AC Milan v Real Madrid - Sid Lowe

For those of you who aren't familiar with the name, Sid Lowe is World Soccer magazine's Spanish football correspondent.

He's got plenty of radio experience, as he is a regular guest on talkSPORT's Hawksbee & Jacobs show whenever there's a big football story coming out of Spain.

It wouldn't surprise me if he was actually at the San Siro last night rather than working off-tube (as is often the case for these kind of matches). Good move Five Live!

Originally Posted by RobinCarmody

Similarly, isn't it (The Big Top 40 show) on Heart in the West Midlands, which it never would have been before June?

It would therefore still be on FM there if BRMB or Beacon opted out for football although, as discussed, they tend to put Sunday 4pm games on Gold only.

I'm by no means an expert on BRMB and Beacon's music output (I only really listen for the football!) but judging by some of the discussions on here, the "ratings war" between the Orion stations (particularly BRMB) and Heart is pretty fierce.

Having had a quick look at Heart's website, yes the Big Top 40 show airs on 100.7FM here in the Midlands, but I'm sure Orion wouldn't want to see part of their audience deserting BRMB to Heart should they do football over the chart show on a Sunday afternoon, which must be why these Sunday late afternoon games are broadcast on Gold instead.

For the record, not all Sunday matches are moved onto Gold - Orion seem happy to put the earlier kick-offs (ie those that don't clash with the chart show) on BRMB, Beacon and Mercia - the Second City derby, Birmingham v Manchester United and Coventry's first game of the season to name three such games where this has been the case - it is just the later games which have been moved onto Gold.



Seeing as I'm on the subject of the Orion stations, I wonder which commentator will be doing their first Friday night game of the season?

Coventry's trip to Derby will air on Mercia this Friday, however Tom Ross has already confirmed he won't be at Pride Park, as he will be presenting the networked Friday Football Phone-In alongside Tony Butler over on Gold.

This means it'll be a first stand-alone match on the network to be commentated on and presented by someone other than Tom. My money's on Joe Holt, who is Tom's usual deputy on The Sports Bar and appears to be Orion's number two commentator this season.

Originally Posted by 4-4-2

BBC 5 Live, who have often criticised rivals talkSPORT for doing commentaries from TV pictures, were giving updates of Manchester United’s Champions League game last night off the portable television in reporter Ian Dennis’s North Yorkshire home. The BBC have no radio rights for United’s European matches.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/art...#ixzz0VsmueHPF

I doubt he did it off a portable television.....

And talkSPORT were doing exactly the same.

I like Charles Sale (unlike some on here), but even I can't say that he's painting a fair picture on this occasion!

1) He mentions talkSPORT, but doesn't say they were affected in much the same way as Five Live. Dom McGuinness was reporting off-tube from his Altrincham home, just the same as Ian Dennis was.

2) The Beeb have had radio rights for some of Manchester United's Champions League games this season - their away game in Moscow for example - just not their home games. He could have explained the situation better.

3) When was the last time Five Live criticised talkSPORT for covering a match off-tube? Probably Euro 2000 or World Cup 2002, when talkSPORT were forced to cover these tournaments in that way.

Since then, talkSPORT have had a presence at the stadiums hosting most of the UK-based football matches they cover, and relations between Five Live and talkSPORT have become quite cordial in the main.

[The Difference]

Wednesday 4th November


BRMB

Tom Ross presenting The Goalzone from Upton Park

Premier League
West Ham United v Aston Villa - Tom Ross and Pat Heard (commentary)



BBC WM

Mark Regan presenting The Football Phone-In from the Mailbox, followed by Dan Wheeler hosting WM Sport from Upton Park

Premier League
West Ham United v Aston Villa - Mike Taylor and Dan Wheeler (commentary)

[4-4-2]

talkSPORT

Mark Saggers and Ray Houghton presenting Champions League Live.

Champions League
Arsenal v AZ - Mike Bovill (and Ray Houghton in the studio)
Lyon v Liverpool - Jim Proudfoot and Stan Collymore (commentary)
Unirea Urziceni v Rangers - Mark Donaldson

Premier League
West Ham v Aston Villa - Ian Abrahams

[The Difference]

Wednesday 4th November - talkSPORT

Mark Saggers presenting Champions League Live alongside Ray Houghton

UEFA Champions League Group Stage: Matchday Four
Arsenal v AZ Alkmaar - Mike Bovill (with Ray Houghton providing studio analysis)
Olympique Lyonnais v Liverpool - Jim Proudfoot and Stan Collymore (commentary)
Unirea Urziceni v Rangers - Mark Donaldson

Premier League
West Ham United v Aston Villa - Ian Abrahams

[Andy Rimmer]

Lyon v Liverpool Commentaries
BBC Merseyside: Gary Flintoff
City Sport: Steve Hothersall (with John Aldridge summarising from studios in Liverpool)

[shaun_d]

5 Live

With Mark Pougatch in Lyon

Arsenal v AZ Alkmaar - David Oates
Lyon v Liverpool - Alan Green, Mark Lawrenson & Mike Ingham
Unirea Urziceni v Rangers - Andy Gillies

West Ham v Aston Villa - Nigel Adderley (Alistair Bruce-Ball & Steve Claridge on Sports Extra)

[Mark.]

BBC Radio Scotland, Wednesday 4 November

Unirea Urziceni v Rangers - John Barnes and Craig Paterson (commentary) with Chick Young pitchside

[Mark.]

Originally Posted by shaun_d

West Ham v Aston Villa - Nigel Adderley

Good to see that he's back working.

[The Difference]

Sorry for the double post on the talkSPORT details earlier - it was a case of "post and run" as I was waiting for Mark Saggers to name all the reporters before I could log out, switch off my computer and turn my full attention to the ITV coverage!

Originally Posted by The Difference

Wednesday 4th November

BBC WM

Mark Regan presenting The Football Phone-In from the Mailbox, followed by Dan Wheeler hosting WM Sport from Upton Park

Premier League
West Ham United v Aston Villa - Mike Taylor and Dan Wheeler (commentary)

In actual fact, it was Mike Taylor presenting WM Sport, with Dan Wheeler being the main commentator and Taylor as summariser at Upton Park.

Just a half hour phone-in tonight, usually WM would go through until 10.30pm.

BRMB's Goalzone has gone off air early at 10pm as well, although talkSPORT are going through to 10.30pm - unlike last night, when Ian Collins' exclusive interview with Gordon Brown truncated their post-match reaction by half an hour.

Originally Posted by shaun_d

West Ham v Aston Villa - Alistair Bruce-Ball & Steve Claridge on Sports Extra

Caught the end of stoppage time on Sports Extra after the Liverpool game had ended on TV, and I must say Alistair Bruce-Ball's commentary on the winning goal was superb. He described it well and there was real excitement in his voice.

IMO Alistair is one of Five Live's best up-and-coming commentators, and as he's still quite young I think he could go a long way given time.

[The Difference]

With apologies to any Liverpool fans reading this - I want to see the Reds to go through personally, so let's hope the below scenario is just a hypothetical one!

After Liverpool's defeat this evening, it looks probable that Rafael Benitez's side will be heading out of the Champions League at the group stage this season, and given Debrecen's modest quality they should be entering the Europa League after Christmas.

So, I wonder how this will affect their radio coverage - specifically that of talkSPORT.

After the qualifying rounds, talkSPORT signed a deal with Liverpool which enabled them to commentate on their European games throughout the season - but what I am wondering is this: does the contract they hold with the Anfield club state that they have access to all their Champions League games this season, or does it give them access to all their games in Europe in 2009/10?

What's written on the contract could prove to be quite significant, as if the agreement they have with Liverpool states the latter then talkSPORT would be in the unusual position (for them) of doing live commentaries on Europa League matches.

Now over the last seven plus seasons, talkSPORT have only provided commentary on three UEFA Cup games as far as I can remember - both legs of Newcastle United's semi-final with Marseille in 2003/04, and the UEFA Cup final between Middlesbrough and Sevilla in 2005/06.

It would be interesting if the deal talkSPORT has with Liverpool allows them to continue to do commentaries on them should they enter the Europa League - as I'm sure they'd take up the option to cover these games, as although they usually wouldn't commentate on that competition, Liverpool are a different kettle of fish to most teams and I'm sure they'd be an audience for commentaries on them.

[RobinCarmody]

Originally Posted by The Difference

I'm by no means an expert on BRMB and Beacon's music output (I only really listen for the football!) but judging by some of the discussions on here, the "ratings war" between the Orion stations (particularly BRMB) and Heart is pretty fierce.

Having had a quick look at Heart's website, yes the Big Top 40 show airs on 100.7FM here in the Midlands, but I'm sure Orion wouldn't want to see part of their audience deserting BRMB to Heart should they do football over the chart show on a Sunday afternoon, which must be why these Sunday late afternoon games are broadcast on Gold instead.

Indeed. That's pretty much what I'd suspected.

[RobinCarmody]

Originally Posted by The Difference

Now over the last seven plus seasons, talkSPORT have only provided commentary on three UEFA Cup games as far as I can remember - both legs of Newcastle United's semi-final with Marseille in 2003/04, and the UEFA Cup final between Middlesbrough and Sevilla in 2005/06.

talkSPORT did cover the UEFA Cup before then, and significantly it was Liverpool - they provided live commentary on quite a large chunk of their successful run in 2001, certainly the semi-finals against Barcelona and then the final with (aha!) Alan Parry commentating. As you say, Liverpool can guarantee a much bigger audience than most of the teams in that competition can.

Had Manchester United dropped into the UEFA Cup in 2005/06, rather than dropped out of Europe altogether, I dare say they'd have similarly got intensive coverage, probably including talkSPORT commentaries.

[The Difference]

Originally Posted by RobinCarmody

talkSPORT did cover the UEFA Cup before then, and significantly it was Liverpool - they provided live commentary on quite a large chunk of their successful run in 2001, certainly the semi-finals against Barcelona and then the final with (aha!) Alan Parry commentating. As you say, Liverpool can guarantee a much bigger audience than most of the teams in that competition can.

Yes, I remember them doing these games. talkSPORT seemed to have so much live football between 1998 (when it was still Talk Radio) and 2002, bar the Premier League of course. During that period they had rights to most England games, the FA Cup, plus games in the Champions League and the UEFA Cup as you say.

Things changed in the summer of 2002 - when their FA deal expired and Five Live won exclusivity over the FA Cup and home England games.

talkSPORT seemed to turn away from live football on a national level at this point, with there being very few commentaries on the station during the 2002/03 and 2003/04 seasons.

Their live football portfolio dwindled to the point that, other than regional Premier League commentaries airing on 1089AM in London, I think talkSPORT only broadcast commentary on a handful of England away games (their qualifiers in Slovakia and Turkey, the friendly in Sweden and maybe one or two others) between their unofficial coverage of World Cup 2002 and their official coverage of Euro 2004.

At the beginning of the 2004/05 season, talkSPORT came back into doing UEFA Champions League commentaries - but a return to live matches from the UEFA Cup did not follow (sparing the three matches I mentioned in #960).

They didn't even do commentary on Rangers final appearance in 2008, and I remember being a bit confused by how they had a great presence in Seville for the 2003 final involving Celtic - of course Alan Brazil was out there for his Breakfast Show - but didn't actually do commentary on the match itself.

[4-4-2]

There's more this morning...

Radio 5 Live seem to be adopting on a more regular basis the favoured talkSport tactic of commentating on a sports event off the television. As well as updates of Manchester United’s Champions League match on Tuesday being delivered from reporter Ian Dennis’s house, Mike Costello’s take on Paula Radcliffe’s New York marathon efforts came from the London studio.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...#ixzz0VyP3HGU2

[The Difference]

I thought Charles Sale was well in with talkSPORT? If so, it's pretty strange that he's sold them short in his past couple of articles.

Yes, it's true that talkSPORT still cover some sporting events off-tube - but I'd say it's hardly their "favoured commentary tactic" these days. Someone needs to tell him that it's 2009, not 2000 or 2002 any more.

As for Five Live covering a couple of events off-tube, well I don't see the problem in either case.

What's happened with Manchester United is an unusual rights issue, and it should be noted that Mike Costello was only providing updates on the New York Marathon on Sunday, with other sports taking centre stage for commentary on Five Live and Sports Extra.

Personally, I'd much rather the BBC put license fee money into acquiring long-term sports rights for their local radio stations, many of which we're told are strapped for cash, than blowing a big sum of money on travel expenses in order to send someone to another continent to bring the Five Live audience a handful of reports. Covering something like the NY Marathon off-tube is the right approach to take IMO.

[Mark.]

Originally Posted by The Difference

Covering something like the NY Marathon off-tube is the right approach to take IMO.

Especially when you consider he'd be going over there to cover it...er..off-tube, like the rest of the commentators and reporters.

[Ian Cleverly]

Will be at the Dragons V Sale on Friday, and will be going to see Jackland V Cardiff on Saturday, so can someone do Radio Wales / Cymru / Bristol & Somerset for me?

[Germany bound]

Ian

No probs with BBC Bristol

might be able to do BBC nottingham as well

[The Difference]

Thursday 5th November - talkSPORT

Bowtime with Adrian Durham and Darren Gough, followed by Danny Kelly presenting Kick-Off alongside Perry Groves and Paul Duffen

UEFA Europa League Group Stage
Everton v Benfica - Simon Humphreys
Hamburg v Celtic - Mark Donaldson
Roma v Fulham - Nigel Pearson


Additionally, sports reporter and Hawksbee & Jacobs producer John Norman travelled with the official Fulham fans party and has been reporting from Rome during the day, but I think he's out there as a supporter and so is not working tonight.

Originally Posted by Ian Cleverly

Will be at the Dragons V Sale on Friday, and will be going to see Jackland V Cardiff on Saturday, so can someone do Radio Wales / Cymru / Bristol & Somerset for me?

I'll do my best to grab as many details from BBC Radio Wales on Friday/Saturday if I am able to and my computer/AM signal allows it - could you PM me details of the sporting events the station is likely to cover on those two days? I'll try not to make any glaring omissions!

I see BBC Radio Bristol is covered (does their coverage encompass BBC Somerset as well?), but as for BBC Radio Cymru - I reckon that might be beyond me.

[Andy Rimmer]

You'll get loads of commentaries going online this weekend as well from the FA Cup - Links Here

Everton v Benfica (Europa League)
BBC Merseyside: Mike Hughes & Ronnie Goodlass
City Sport: Alan Irwin & Graeme Sharpe

[Germany bound]

BBC Bristol is a joint production with BBC Somerset

All three local sides, City rovers and Yeovil,all now get thier own commentary

They go thier own seperate ways at 3pm and then join together after the final whistle of all three games

[Ian Cleverly]

Originally Posted by Me

Will be at the Dragons V Sale on Friday, and will be going to see Jackland V Cardiff on Saturday, so can someone do Radio Wales / Cymru / Bristol & Somerset for me?

Originally Posted by Germany bound

Ian, No probs with BBC Bristol

Thanks, should be pretty easy really since Bristol Rovers play in the FA Cup 1st round tomorrow, and Richard Hoskin is usually allocated their games.

Originally Posted by The Difference

I'll do my best to grab as many details from BBC Radio Wales on Friday/Saturday if I am able to and my computer/AM signal allows it - could you PM me details of the sporting events the station is likely to cover on those two days? I'll try not to make any glaring omissions!

I see BBC Radio Bristol is covered (does their coverage encompass BBC Somerset as well?), but as for BBC Radio Cymru - I reckon that might be beyond me.

No need to listen to Radio Wales tomorrow, just Saturday. What I think will happen will be an All frequencies commentary of Jackland V Cardiff, with Wrexham V Lowestoft in the FA Cup 1st round on North FM only, with build up to the Wales V New Zealand game on SW FM, etc.

I'll get Radio Cymru coverage then, and will get England V Australia in the Autumn Internationals via torrent.

[shaun_d]

5 Live

Roma v Fulham - Jacqui Oatley
Everton v Benfica - John Murray, Kevin Gallacher & Darren Fletcher

Only been listening on-and-off and haven't heard a reporter with Celtic.

[The Difference]

Friday 6th November


Mercia FM

Tom Ross presenting The Sky Blues Goalzone from BRMB's Brindley Place studios

Championship
Derby County v Coventry City - Joe Holt and Dave Bennett (commentary)

The reason why Tom's presenting from Birmingham tonight is because he's been hosting Gold's Friday Football Phone-In between 6-7pm as per usual - on his own too, apparently Tony Butler has done a bunk!



BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

Sky Blues Interactive with Vic Minett, followed by Clive Eakin hosting The Sky Blues Live from Pride Park

Championship
Derby County v Coventry City - Geoff Foster and Clive Eakin (FM and DAB commentary)

Rugby Union: The Championship
Coventry v London Welsh - John Butler and Richard Moon (online commentary)



BBC Radio Derby

Sport from Six with Phil Trow, followed by Colin Gibson presenting Sportscene from Pride Park

Championship
Derby County v Coventry City - Colin Bloomfield and Roger Davies (FM, AM and DAB commentary)



BBC Five Live

Colin Murray hosting Five Live Sport: The Friday Night Preview alongside Pat Nevin and Perry Groves

Championship
Derby County v Coventry City - Alistair Yeomans

Five Live don't appear to have sent reporters to any of tonight's FA Cup matches.



talkSPORT

Danny Kelly presenting Matchday Live Preview alongside Matt Holland

Championship
Derby County v Coventry City - Dave Rowe

FA Cup First Round
Bristol Rovers v Southampton - Dan Freeman
Huddersfield Town v Dagenham & Redbridge - Chris Cooper (he's back!!!)
Notts County v Bradford City - Kev Lawrence

[Germany bound]

BBC Bristol and Zummerzet

Host Geoff Twentyman

Bristol rovers v Southampton

pete simson and Keith Brookman

DAB and FM