Televised Football Overload

**blobbyblob** · 27/03/2006, 4:00 PM

Not sure of what topic this thread should sit but over recent weeks I feel like Im suffering from Football overload. For years I longed for more televised football but now with the advent of satelitte TV, I would hazzard a guess that you could have football screened live on 300 days a year between, RTE, ITV, BBC and SKy, Eurosport and Setanta notwithstanding.

Please dont turn this into a Premiership v Eircom league thread because this is not what I am referring to. I am a regular patron of Eircom League games and playing and attending games in the flesh is

But as a TV spectator sport, the novelty, drama, build up and romance for me has been lost. I think that Rugby and GAA are going to profit from this in the coming years in this country and maybe further afield and rightly so. The record figures that tuned into the last England v ireland game is testement to that. I believe that the NHL and NFL are also getting recorded attendances for february and march.

Does anyone feel the same way? Will soccer become a victim of its own success?

**londonirish17** · 28/03/2006, 7:50 AM

Yes I think so...
You can virtualy get live games every day of every single week throughout the year. Summer break? No way! While most european leagues are in preparation for the season ahead you can get live coverage from Argentina or Brasil...
As a whole, people (supporters) are getting fed up with football on TV and it is even getting worse once you have the feeling that this game is getting more and more dominated by the big names (G14) and tv companies (not to forget UEFA) who impose their views on and off the pitch...

**Macy** · 28/03/2006, 8:11 AM

Whilst I totally agree in terms of televised football, particularly uk football (anyone remember 3pm Saturday Kick Off's?), Rugby and GAA are also going down this road too.

Irish Rugby is selling it's soul at the alter of their old pal cogley at setanta, English rugby has already done so with Murdoch. The GAA has been criticised by the county boards for leaving no times for club games that don't clash with televised games reducing attendances.

**Bluebeard** · 28/03/2006, 10:12 AM

Yeah, I find that I don't really care about football on the box any more - this year I hardly watched any during our off season, and that whetted my appetite for the real thing a lot more - I only started paying any attention to the Premiership or Italy in the past month. Haven't really bothered with the international games either (though a match with the Swiss sorted that too).

The GAA has gone the same way alright - I never really bother with coverage anymore, will go to the games though. I find that when I catch volleyball or basketball on the box, my attention is grabbed because it is so rare. I onften find myself flicking stations and going "oh, more italian league", and flicking on. Who'd have thought it ten years ago.

**Dodge** · 28/03/2006, 10:29 AM

I never really cared for football on tv. I honestly couldn't watch a Coventry v West Ham game or Wigan v Sinderland but what I do like is wtching top european football. With the advent of so many satellite channels (and more on the internet if you want to wtch it with chinese commentary) once/twice a week you can watch a huge international game. last weekend Boca Juniors v River Plate. Next week barca v Real madrid, the Seville derby. At least once a week there's opne game that will be worth watching. The trick is to be selective and not be a sky sports slave. Have a look at the games around europe and beyond

**Schumi** · 28/03/2006, 12:01 PM

At this stage I only really watch EL/Setanta Cup games, big Chaampions' League games and the Serie A on Sundays on Setanta. I don't have Sky and terrestrial games are usually the likes of Bolton v Fulham which I can't muster much interest in.

**OwlsFan** · 28/03/2006, 12:46 PM

I'll watch most Sky soccer games, especially if there is an Irish interest. WOuldn't bother with Spanish or especially Italian games. If Real are playing Barca I might channel surf in to it now and again. I don't feel it has dulled my apetite. My primary interest is Ireland who only play once in a blue moon and I go to those games anyway. I shut off for Andy Gray though and his pathetic post match attack the ref analysis and little counters on a playing field trying to explain to Richard Keys what soccer is all about. That drives me away from watching football.

If it's on, I'll watch it (so long as the wife doesn't need to see Coronation Street

).

**pete** · 28/03/2006, 1:52 PM

Its fairly ironic that at a time when live footbal on tv is reaching saturation point that G14 want more European games which would ultimately be more tv games.

Too many games on tv that almost impossible to watch 90 minutes of a game unless a direct interest in it.

I think RTE & irish stations have an opportunity to show irish sport as at least they know no one else will be showing that "product".

I can't imagine RTE/Setanta saturday afternoon live Permiership gets great figures.

**Donadoni** · 28/03/2006, 3:22 PM

Is it dogs that don�t know when to stop eating? The problem isn�t with the quantity of the food it�s with the diner�s eating habits. If you�re disciplined about your viewing habits then you�ve nothing to worry about. I�ll watch EL, Serie A and UCL matches and I can�t wait for the World Cup to arrive. Basically I think it�s brilliant that I have live tv access to my preferred leagues and tournaments., be it at home or at the pub.

Of course saturation coverage is a problem when it keeps fans sat to their sofas when they are healthy and wealthy enough to travel to their team�s stadium.

**CollegeTillIDie** · 31/03/2006, 7:09 AM

Originally Posted by Donadoni

Of course saturation coverage is a problem when it keeps fans sat to their sofas when they are healthy and wealthy enough to travel to their team�s stadium.

Duh? Where have you been since the advent of SKY Sports?

**hamish** · 01/04/2006, 7:49 PM

I like that Asian Football programme on Sky - usually full of Japanese league games and, boy, do they seem to get big crowds there.

Anyone watching the Soccer series on TV3 (Sunday evenings) about football? Not a huge amount of new data but it's still fascinating to see how football in Ghana was promoted and also the Mullahs dislike for the game after the 1978 Iranian revolution. Great stuff.
Great stuff on the NASL in North America too.

I have got Prem Plus for the last few years but TBH it often features the likes of Aston Villa v Sunderland and, with all due respect to those clubs, doesn't get the juices flowing.

It's good to see old films from the turn of the century showing footie in various countries and the changes from soccer's first flowering.