Another big match about to see the crowd get the boot at the French Open as the epic Djokovic Nadal semi-final approaches 4 hours after an epic 92 minute third set in which at one point the commentators just shut up and let the pictures tell the story.
So good John Inverdale hasn't even gone home.
EDIT: Local authorities have just extended the curfew so the crowd can stay.
Brekkie post_id=18213 time= user_id=976 Wrote:Another big match about to see the crowd get the boot at the French Open as the epic Djokovic Nadal semi-final approaches 4 hours after an epic 92 minute third set in which at one point the commentators just shut up and let the pictures tell the story.
So good John Inverdale hasn't even gone home.
EDIT: Local authorities have just extended the curfew so the crowd can stay.
What a match. Apparently the French Prime Minister was watching and phoned the French Tennis Federation to say the crowd could stay. I agree with you and hope ITV do retain free to air rights to the tournament alongside Eurosport. Their coverage has been excellent.
eir Sport bowing out as a host broadcaster today with their last event, a GAA Hurling League match between Clare v Kilkenny. They’ll do their very last studio show for the Pro14 Rainbow Cup final next Saturday, after which their schedule (for however long they go on for, which probably won’t be long) will consist virtually entirely of repeats.
Brekkie post_id=18294 time= user_id=976 Wrote:Confirmation it seems that this is ITV's last year covering the French Open.
https://twitter.com/HurtLewis/status/140...0399509506
Really hate how selling rights on a pan-European basis locks out local braodcasters.
The deal gives them the option of using their own free-to-air broadcasters, such as Quest here. Whether they will or not is another matter, but the fact that it's specifically mentioned in the tournament's press release about it suggests there might be something in there that says they have to?
Anyway, tomorrow's men's singles final on ITV3 will be the last broadcast of the French Open on ITV after ten years of coverage. Mixed reactions as it's been great to have free-to-air coverage however having John Inverdale host it hasn't always gone done well and tennis fans who watch more than on a casual basis are already watching on Eurosport anyway with its full choice of every match ad-free on Eurosport Player, something that was more limited and in its infancy 10 years ago.
I think generally speaking Inverdale has been excellent and although obviously limited to one channel the team ITV have used have felt far fresher than the BBC's Wimbledon team, even a decade on. Nick Mullins, Jim Courier and Mark Petchey are all excellent on commentary.
The BBC team does feel about a generation out of date now and McEnroe really isn't the asset he used to be. Good to see Sue Barker get a CBE today though - but if Prue Leith can become a dame then surely it should be Dame Sue Barker - she really has been a trailblazer for female sports hosts. However I do think it is time for the BBC really freshen up their tennis coverage moving forward.
Brekkie post_id=18609 time=1623533813 user_id=976 Wrote:but if Prue Leith can become a dame then surely it should be Dame Sue Barker - she really has been a trailblazer for female sports hosts.
I don’t think Sue Barker’s the mother of a Conservative MP though.
dvboy post_id=18593 time= user_id=1528 Wrote:Brekkie post_id=18294 time= user_id=976 Wrote:Confirmation it seems that this is ITV's last year covering the French Open.
https://twitter.com/HurtLewis/status/140...0399509506
Really hate how selling rights on a pan-European basis locks out local braodcasters.
The deal gives them the option of using their own free-to-air broadcasters, such as Quest here. Whether they will or not is another matter, but the fact that it's specifically mentioned in the tournament's press release about it suggests there might be something in there that says they have to?
Anyway, tomorrow's men's singles final on ITV3 will be the last broadcast of the French Open on ITV after ten years of coverage. Mixed reactions as it's been great to have free-to-air coverage however having John Inverdale host it hasn't always gone done well and tennis fans who watch more than on a casual basis are already watching on Eurosport anyway with its full choice of every match ad-free on Eurosport Player, something that was more limited and in its infancy 10 years ago.
I wonder if Eurosport would sublet the FTA rights to ITV (or someone else) like I think they do to the BBC with the Australian Open? I guess it's less feasible than the Australian Open due to timezones etc. but I guess it could be more cost effective getting an extra fee than simulcasting their own coverage.
If the French Open does leave FTA/ITV though, this is the level of exposure it will be missing
https://twitter.com/andNickMullins/statu...9390144524
That's the issue test cricket in this country faced when it went behind a paywall, a massive drop in exposure, prominence and interest. Which was a real shame after channel 4 had done such a good job of reviving interest in it during the early 00s.
I think it's fair to say what they lost as a result of that was probably significantly more than the ££££ they made from the pay TV deals. The money rolling in from Sky isn't going to make up for the fact most of the British public aren't that interested in the sport any more as a result of years behind a paywall.
James2001 post_id=18656 time= user_id=956 Wrote:p in exposure, prominence and interest. Which was a real shame after channel 4 had done such a good job of reviving interest in it during the early 00s.
This is very true and ECB must have realised they made a mistake with this albeit 15 years late by getting BBC on board with the highlights which are doing good business for BBC Two and the live T20s/Hundred matches coming later this year. Unfortunately I don't think we will ever see a domestic test live on FTA TV now unless it becomes a listed event because of the money Sky Sports pay per test.