The Sport Thread

[Brekkie]

And very nice graphics they are too. I think this is the first time I've seen them add team colours to the scorebar - think they were one of the few not to bother with them before (although they may have added them in the meantime).

[Rdd]

Seems both Sky and VMTV have picked up rights to South Africa’s series v Georgia, the next two Friday team times.

Not broadcasting related but interesting nonetheless, the BT logos at Murrayfield have been covered over by Vodafone (match sponsors of course).

[Brekkie]

The Lions documentaries for 1997 through to 2009 have now been added to All4.

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/rugb...sode-guide

[Brekkie]

Interesting developments about C4F1, Billy Monger has tested positive for Covid prompting both Alex Jacques and Steve Jones to isolate in Austria. Looks like Ben Edwards is stepping in from Biggin Hill to commentate with David Coulthard being lead presenter as Lee McKenzie is doing rugby and Wimbledon

Is Anna Woolhouse working directly for the W Series rather than C4 then as considering she is fronting that she'd have been an obvious choice to step in - or is she not on site?

[eladkse]

Interesting developments about C4F1, Billy Monger has tested positive for Covid prompting both Alex Jacques and Steve Jones to isolate in Austria. Looks like Ben Edwards is stepping in from Biggin Hill to commentate with David Coulthard being lead presenter as Lee McKenzie is doing rugby and Wimbledon

Is Anna Woolhouse working directly for the W Series rather than C4 then as considering she is fronting that she'd have been an obvious choice to step in - or is she not on site?

Anna wasn't involved with W Series this weekend... unclear if she was also caught up in the COVID drama, or she had other commitments. The synopsis on C4's website does suggest she was supposed to be present.
https://www.channel4.com/programmes/w-se.../72614-001

W Series was fronted today by Naomi Schiff, who would have ordinarily been in the analyst role.

This is the second significant Covid issue the C4 F1 production has had this season. A decent portion of their production and technical team were quarantined at the season opener in Bahrain.

[Robertclark125]

Channel 4 and the Scottish Rugby Union, have announced that as a result of further positive Covid tests in the Scotland A camp, this afternoons England A v Scotland A match has been called off, and will not be rearranged. So, C4 is showing Come Dine With me instead.

[Philheybrookbay]

ITV 4 covering the Tour De France via VTV as normal, and as in 2020, the presentation is being done from Maidstone studios with only Daniel Friebe in France.

Excellent coverage as ever.

[Brekkie]

Notable after bumping the French Open Final to ITV3 a couple of weeks ago that it is the Touring Cars that gets bumped today.

[thebigdog2020]

Sky Sports announce Lions Coverage

Sky Sports Action to become Sky Sports The Lions

Presenter: Alex Payne
Pundits: Sam Warburton, Will Greenwood, Ronan O'Gara, Maggie Alphonsi, Sir Ian McGeechan, Bryan Habana & Nigel Owens
Commentator: Conor McNamara
Reporters: Sarra Elgan & Scott Quinnell

https://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/ne...ns-channel

[James Vertigan]

Same titles for Wimbledon again this year that have been in use since 2017.

[Rdd]

Sky Sports announce Lions Coverage

Sky Sports Action to become Sky Sports The Lions

Presenter: Alex Payne
Pundits: Sam Warburton, Will Greenwood, Ronan O'Gara, Maggie Alphonsi, Sir Ian McGeechan, Bryan Habana & Nigel Owens
Commentator: Conor McNamara
Reporters: Sarra Elgan & Scott Quinnell

https://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/ne...ns-channel

Amazingly enough they’ve put together quite a bit of the previous Sky Sports rugby (and Lions) team even though they are basically out of rugby union now. Aside from Miles Harrison (get well soon) the notable absence is his long time commentary partner Stuart Barnes. Doesn’t seem to indicate who is replacing him though. Not sure of how well a pop channel works given that nearly all the matches (two midweek games aside) are on Saturdays.

[Brekkie]

It's how Sky Sports operates now - build a channel around one event which actually only runs a few hours a week and justify the 5-6 days of repeats around it as supporting content.

[thebigdog2020]

Sky Sports announce Lions Coverage

Sky Sports Action to become Sky Sports The Lions

Presenter: Alex Payne
Pundits: Sam Warburton, Will Greenwood, Ronan O'Gara, Maggie Alphonsi, Sir Ian McGeechan, Bryan Habana & Nigel Owens
Commentator: Conor McNamara
Reporters: Sarra Elgan & Scott Quinnell

https://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/ne...ns-channel

Amazingly enough they’ve put together quite a bit of the previous Sky Sports rugby (and Lions) team even though they are basically out of rugby union now. Aside from Miles Harrison (get well soon) the notable absence is his long time commentary partner Stuart Barnes. Doesn’t seem to indicate who is replacing him though. Not sure of how well a pop channel works given that nearly all the matches (two midweek games aside) are on Saturdays.

I would say Will Greenwood might be commentating & maybe Warburton if they want a 3 man team, It says in the press release Elgan will be in South Africa pitchside with Habana and Quinnell is doing a roving reporter role

[Brekkie]

Quite surprised Habana flew over and quarantined for 10 days for the game in Edinburgh then if he's going to be on the ground in South Africa.

[Rdd]

It's how Sky Sports operates now - build a channel around one event which actually only runs a few hours a week and justify the 5-6 days of repeats around it as supporting content.

I suppose most of the previous examples have been golf related, which I guess works better because there are up to 12 hours of coverage each day for four days. (I’m not categorising the NFL channel as pop up, because it’s on air for five months of the year and there are five live games a week). This is just two hours a week of live sporting action most weeks of the tour.