The beginning of the end? - Sky Sports

[AjcW]

One thing lockdown, restart and the increase in televised football has shown for me, is the lack of talent an organisation as vast as Sky Sports have cultivated. 
 

The emergence of Amazon, with their excellent choice of commentary duos and in studio analysts, and the ease before lockdown of obtaining streams to international networks where coverage and pundits are much more varied and interesting than those at sky,  have been real eye openers. 
 

With Comcast planning to turn Sky News into Sky News NBC, do we think they might consider something similar with Sky Sports? 
 

It would allow them access to a wider variety of pundits to those already contracted to sky amongst other things. 
 

I feel like something has to change though, given the choice that’s been available during 2020 I’ve grown tired of the same old same old on sky... they’re even roping in Football league pundits to cover some Premier League games now! 
 

Just feels like they’ve got a little complacent, not to mention the fact they show zero European football now too! 
 

Given NBC coverage is filmed in the sky studios, surely it makes sense to merge and freshen things up! 
 

Personally I think last years events and falling into this year too will see a big shake up at the next rights auctions, with Amazon tightening their grip and the Premier League embracing multiple games being televised at the same time. 
 

What do we all think the future holds for Premier League coverage?

[Leicester_Loyal]

I hope Amazon get more games, would love for them to get a weekly game slot, Friday or Saturday night perhaps?

[Sambiasso]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Disney/Disney+/ESPN to show interest within the next TV rights deal.

[Sharpe's Fox]

I couldn’t care less about the pundits and personalities involved, what is more interesting to me is if the Premier League makes a break with broadcasters completely and set up their own production company in house to make some real money.

[Corky]

The whole set-up needs a shake-up.

Martin Tyler needs to go- he's become a parody.

Stop pandering to certain clubs' every whim- we don't need Neville and Carragher commentating on Man United and Liverpool matches.

Have relevant pundits- why do they need Roy Keane on talking about four teams he's never been involved with?

Treat every match you show with equal respect- forget the 45 seconds of nonsense after our match, remember the 10 minutes of pre-game coverage after 35 covering the match after it.

 

I didn't see the Crystal Palace match but on here the main positives were the detailed, fair coverage and focus on the actual match being played by Amazon. Far too often, Sky seem to treat it as a chore to have certain matches on.

 

Sky look like they can't be bothered a lot of the time and it's heightened by showing far more matches to far more viewers.

 

I wouldn't be surprised to see a change in the near future. People want more for their money.

[King of Gipsy Lane]

Iptv has killed sky really 

[foxile5]

I pay a streaming site a tenner a month for access. Probably on the wrong side of legal but its ****ing brilliant. 

[AjcW]

8 minutes ago, foxile5 said:

I pay a streaming site a tenner a month for access. Probably on the wrong side of legal but its ****ing brilliant. 

No judgment in here  like I say, watching some games online before lockdown opened my eyes to how good the American/Canadian coverage was at times.

[tom27111]

Whilst I generally like the way Amazon have approached their coverage, I have 2 words...Clinton Morrison. 

[davieG]

10 hours ago, AjcW said:

One thing lockdown, restart and the increase in televised football has shown for me, is the lack of talent an organisation as vast as Sky Sports have cultivated. 
 

The emergence of Amazon, with their excellent choice of commentary duos and in studio analysts, and the ease before lockdown of obtaining streams to international networks where coverage and pundits are much more varied and interesting than those at sky,  have been real eye openers. 
 

With Comcast planning to turn Sky News into Sky News NBC, do we think they might consider something similar with Sky Sports? 
 

It would allow them access to a wider variety of pundits to those already contracted to sky amongst other things. 
 

I feel like something has to change though, given the choice that’s been available during 2020 I’ve grown tired of the same old same old on sky... they’re even roping in Football league pundits to cover some Premier League games now! 
 

Just feels like they’ve got a little complacent, not to mention the fact they show zero European football now too! 
 

Given NBC coverage is filmed in the sky studios, surely it makes sense to merge and freshen things up! 
 

Personally I think last years events and falling into this year too will see a big shake up at the next rights auctions, with Amazon tightening their grip and the Premier League embracing multiple games being televised at the same time. 
 

What do we all think the future holds for Premier League coverage?

I rarely watch the pre/post match stuff or the commentary but when I do I prefer the use of the Football League pundits as they're generally less biased and can be just as knowledgeable if not more..

 

Just because you never played at the highest level or the biggest clubs doesn't mean you haven't got a good understanding of the game. Also why is that less acceptable than having women on men's games and vice versa.

 

Surely it's their knowledge base and whether they are articulate that matters not where they come from.

 

 

[AjcW]

27 minutes ago, davieG said:

I rarely watch the pre/post match stuff or the commentary but when I do I prefer the use of the Football League pundits as they're generally less biased and can be just as knowledgeable if not more..

 

Just because you never played at the highest level or the biggest clubs doesn't mean you haven't got a good understanding of the game. Also why is that less acceptable than having women on men's games and vice versa.

 

Surely it's their knowledge base and whether they are articulate that matters not where they come from.

 

 

Yeah definitely wasn't being snobby about the league they've come from, I mean more because I'm the opposite to you and don't find them very good. It just reminds me of the dross we had to put up with 6 years ago. 

 

You're probably right about being less biased, but they're not going to get the opportunity to work on Man Utd vs Liverpool so we'd never really know. 

 

Sort of backs up the point again with sky being stuck in their ways... it's the same people as it was back then! 

[RowlattsFox]

Sky's football coverage has definitely been weaker this season. Whether its because everything is from a studio, or because they are showing more games then they normally would, or their desperation to get as many people involved as possible (which can be a good thing) but they have a lot of pundits who offer nothing. The best bit about Sky's coverage was Monday night football with Neville/Carragher but they are rarely together. I don't watch much post-match to be fair, but I do watch pre-match most of the time.

[RonnieTodger]

Crazy how far they've fallen, when you consider that they used to show the Champions League, La Liga and all England away test series.

 

The quality is so poor now. Martin Tyler is going senile and they'd rather show Man City and Chelsea players warming up than talk about our game with Newcastle.

[davieG]

They've obviously looked at the viewing figures and can see that the Rich 6 get the highest numbers so they've developed a strategy to concentrate on them.

 

Although it makes me smile when I think of how many Man City/Chelsea Fans do they think will be watching our pre-match build up.

 

But the whole strategy is self fulfilling the more they talk about the 6 the less fans of other clubs will bother to tune in for the pre/post match guff.

[Webbo]

1 hour ago, RowlattsFox said:

Sky's football coverage has definitely been weaker this season. Whether its because everything is from a studio, or because they are showing more games then they normally would, or their desperation to get as many people involved as possible (which can be a good thing) but they have a lot of pundits who offer nothing. The best bit about Sky's coverage was Monday night football with Neville/Carragher but they are rarely together. I don't watch much post-match to be fair, but I do watch pre-match most of the time.

I think there's a lot in that, people are getting bored with the same crap over and over again.

[HybridFox]

Amazon have been top notch so far and enjoy having the odd game on the BBC. Hope this becomes more a regularity in future seasons

[AjcW]

1 hour ago, pmcla26 said:

They definitely need to sort Super Sunday out so that all the games get equal coverage.
 

Don’t understand why they think people tuning into the first game (mostly fans of the teams about to play) want to hear all about the main event game. Yeah I understand generally that’s what the neutrals will be more interested in, but they aren’t gonna be interested in listening to build up of the main event 3 hours before, not watch the upcoming game and then come back. 

The American model could be an interesting way of solving this.

 

They split their coverage quite clearly into chunks 'pre game' - 'matchday live' - 'half time' - 'post match'... yes it's all a bit wanky and american but at least you know where you stand. They also utilise all their channels/red button situations and make it quite clear that post match for the game you've just watched will most likely be on another channel.

 

It's not like they don't have the bandwidth for it, there was an occasion last season where Main Event, Football and Premier League all had the same coverage of the same game on  

 

There's no reason why the commentary team and pitchside reporter can't handle the post match either. The comms act like the studio pundits for half an hour before/after the game and every 5 or 10 minutes or so they go down pitchside for interviews with players/managers.

[Steve_Walsh5]

Yesterday’s pre match build up to our game was ridiculous. Program started on sky at 13.30 the first mention of Newcastle & Leicester was around 14.00, they then must have had at least 2 ad breaks before our game kicked off. 

[Fox92]

5 minutes ago, Steve_Walsh5 said:

Yesterday’s pre match build up to our game was ridiculous. Program started on sky at 13.30 the first mention of Newcastle & Leicester was around 14.00, they then must have had at least 2 ad breaks before our game kicked off. 

Couldn't wait to move on either. I think the pundits said we were good and Newcastle were bad then David Jones quickly "moved on" to the Chelsea game.

[davieG]

1 hour ago, Steve_Walsh5 said:

Yesterday’s pre match build up to our game was ridiculous. Program started on sky at 13.30 the first mention of Newcastle & Leicester was around 14.00, they then must have had at least 2 ad breaks before our game kicked off. 

Not only that but I've seen where they say go to Sky Sports News for post match review, you go there and they're discussing the 4pm game.

 

I no longer bother with anything but the match.

[Gazza3]

What really annoys me is when during the first game they show you the players getting off a bus wearing masks from the second game and then run the team news all over the screen so you miss the actual game you want to watch. Glad I don t subscribe to sky too biased and unimaginative. 

 

[Manwell Pablo]

They wont last as market leaders I think but it'll be some years before they are over taken.

 

They're product is getting poorer in terms of total portfolio of sport and the presentation of the sports they do have.

 

The boxing deal is up in May and with Hearn very much in bed with DAZN it'll be interesting to see if it gets renewed.

[fuchsntf]

On 03/01/2021 at 23:58, Sambiasso said:

I wouldn't be surprised to see Disney/Disney+/ESPN to show interest within the next TV rights deal.

Jesus we already have enough mickeymouse...and Beauty & the Beast presentations....

[fuchsntf]

On 04/01/2021 at 16:25, davieG said:

Not only that but I've seen where they say go to Sky Sports News for post match review, you go there and they're discussing the 4pm game.

 

I no longer bother with anything but the match.

Same here...So long as I can see the match, I Really Dont care...I

I used to like Gillette super Saturday panel....before Corona...& Premier-league-reviews...

Too many get Top Not under the collar. I actually Dont think Sky is that bad.....

I Dont follow Sky Football games, because of the Panels,or the commentary...

 

like many, I Dislike Sky 2-3 game coverage on matchdays...that "the others" Don t get the Deep coverage, as the prentious 6....

But I Dont mind Neville or other panelists...

[z-layrex]