15-05-2024, 12:29 PM
(15-05-2024, 10:29 AM)shropshireguy28 Wrote: Just looking what ITV got in 1998-1999 season when Sky had the first picks. In Round 4 Sky had the far superior Manchester United V Liverpool while ITV only got Wolverhampton V Arsenal, In Round 5 Sky had the very close Newcastle V Blackburn while ITV had a very easy Manchester United win. in the Quarter final Sky had Manchester United V Chelsea while ITV had a boring 4-1 for Everton, in the Semi final Sky had Manchester United V Arsenal while ITV had another 2-0 boring win for NewcastleYes, of course the first picks are the best matches, that’s why they’re the first pick.
You would have thought the FA would have learnt. Best matches are the first picks, but TNT are a disgusting company. Its not the fact Channel 4 didn't have the money, If TNT had not have bid for India V England Channel 4 might have picked it up on the cheap which would have meant good ratings and more money coming in for Channel 4 because of it. Bet TNT are playing hardball over the champions cup rights in the rugby because they want their dirty grubby hands on it.
The Test cricket against India ended up on Channel 4 last time almost by accident, because the pay broadcasters played Indian authorities bluff, who apparently wanted too much for the rights. If TNT hadn’t have been interested it might have ended up on Premier Sports or they may have set up a pay per view streaming service for the event. By your logic Sky and TNT (BT) hadn’t bid for the Premier League it may have ended up on ITV. Which may be the case, but you can’t be surprised that a pay TV operator is buying rights and then only making them available to subscribers. That’s literally the model of pay TV broadcasters.
The problem, if you see it as such. Is down to the regulation and the sporting bodies themselves. Or the whole concept of pay TV sport.