I don't know the answer to your question but I was at a British Academy talk in London this week where Greg Dyke (former BBC Director General and now FA Chairman) alluded to the BBC regaining the FA Cup. He made the point that it was in the FA's interest to return the tournament to the BBC, irrespective of the fact that the BBC may have bid lower than rival broadcasters, because they knew that the BBC could rejuvenate the FA Cup after years dwindling away on itv.
Well that's not quite the same as this Dyke quote in this article, which suggests that the BBC did make the highest bid.
"The BBC put in the highest bid, so they got it. But they also put in a very good pitch about what they could do across all their outlets. We're their only live football so they'll help us promote the FA Cup across their outlets, which is what we wanted," said Dyke.
I don't know the answer to your question but I was at a British Academy talk in London this week where Greg Dyke (former BBC Director General and now FA Chairman) alluded to the BBC regaining the FA Cup. He made the point that it was in the FA's interest to return the tournament to the BBC, irrespective of the fact that the BBC may have bid lower than rival broadcasters, because they knew that the BBC could rejuvenate the FA Cup after years dwindling away on itv.
Well that's not quite the same as this Dyke quote in this article, which suggests that the BBC did make the highest bid.
"The BBC put in the highest bid, so they got it. But they also put in a very good pitch about what they could do across all their outlets. We're their only live football so they'll help us promote the FA Cup across their outlets, which is what we wanted," said Dyke.
Well, unless I misheard Dyke at the panel discussion I was at on Tuesday night, that was pretty much what he said about the BBC's bid for the FA Cup. Perhaps he has a habit of contradicting himself.
TL
Toby Lerone
BBC Sport Personality of the Year 2015
BBC Sport Personality of the Year Award
Winner: Andy Murray
2nd: Kevin Sinfield
3rd: Jessica Ennis-Hill
BBC Overseas Sport Personality of the Year Award
Winner: Dan Carter
BBC Sport Personality Coach of the Year Award
Winner: Michael O'Neill (Northern Ireland Manager)
BBC Sport Personality Team of the Year Award
Winners: Great Britain Davis Cup
BBC Sport Personality Lifetime Achievement Award
Winner: A.P. McCoy
BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year
Winner: Ellie Downie (Gymnastics)
BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award
Winner: Bailey Matthews
BBC Sports Unsung Hero Award
Winner: Damien Lindsay (Football Coach from West Belfast)
As a big Northern Ireland fan a big congratulations to Michael O'Neill and his award was thoroughly deserved yet totally unexpected.
First year in a while I thought the top three wasn't easy to call - was happy to see Kevin Sinfield get some recognition. Really didn't understand though why they announced both the Overseas and Lifetime Achievement awards in the days before the event.
And although they refuse to even confirm the runner up of Strictly as always they've announced the full breakdown for SPOTY:
Andy Murray 361,446
Kevin Sinfield 278,353
Jessica Ennis-Hill 79,898
Tyson Fury 72,330
Lewis Hamilton 48,379
Chris Froome 39,007
Mo Farah 31,311
Max Whitlock 25,925
Greg Rutherford 23,492
Lizzie Armitstead 22,356
Adam Peaty 13,738
Lucy Bronze 13,236
First year in a while I thought the top three wasn't easy to call - was happy to see Kevin Sinfield get some recognition. Really didn't understand though why they announced both the Overseas and Lifetime Achievement awards in the days before the event.
And although they refuse to even confirm the runner up of Strictly as always they've announced the full breakdown for SPOTY:
Andy Murray 361,446
Kevin Sinfield 278,353
Jessica Ennis-Hill 79,898
Tyson Fury 72,330
Lewis Hamilton 48,379
Chris Froome 39,007
Mo Farah 31,311
Max Whitlock 25,925
Greg Rutherford 23,492
Lizzie Armitstead 22,356
Adam Peaty 13,738
Lucy Bronze 13,236
Thanks for this, surprised to see Tyson Fury so high and well done to Kevin Sinfield. Being from Northern Ireland I don't really follow Rugby League apart from watching the odd Challenge Cup match on the BBC but you can't deny what he did for his sport and thought he did well to finish 2nd.
Can't really argue with who won any other award, the biggest shock for me was Michael O'Neill actually getting some recognition for what he did getting NI to the Euro 2016 Finals as I thought Leon Smith or Mark Sampson were nailed on to win it.
I was actually more excited for the team award than the individual award this year. Thoroughly deserved by the Davis Cup team. I would not have been happy if they'd not won that, with Andy Murray winning the individual award.
Yes, they had to get the team award. Not 100% sure Murray deserved the individual award though then again there was no out and out obvious reciprient this year, while there were also people not on the list who probably deserved a shot. The Brits don't seem to be a huge fan of Chris Froome either - he can win as many Tours as he liked but suspect he'll need to do something at the Olympics to get the respect of the wider British public.
Coach of the Year was quite a tough call really and you have to wonder whether it would have gone in Chris Coleman's direction if it was in Cardiff. I don't think Leon Smith deserved it really as the role of Davis Cup coach is very much titular IMO - the performances of the team are largely down to the work done outside of the Davis Cup weekends, not because Leon Smith is sat next to them on the court.
This story has been floated around in Irish media that RTE may sub-licence some of their rights to Euro 2016 to another broadcaster with TV3 the favourite to win some of the rights with UTV Ireland being another option especially if they are then owned by ITV. It is said that next year will be expensive for RTE with Euro 2016, GAA, 6 Nations (penultimate on RTE), The Rio Olympics Games, The General Election and the 1916 Centenary Commemorations. If this happens it will be the first time that finals matches have not been broadcast only on RTE as they have sole rights unlike us in the UK which have the BBC/ITV split.
Not 100% sure Murray deserved the individual award though then again there was no out and out obvious reciprient this year.
I completely disagree; I thought Murray should win as soon as I saw the nominees. The only objections to his winning that I heard were the usual insults about his personality.
This story has been floated around in Irish media that RTE may sub-licence some of their rights to Euro 2016 to another broadcaster with TV3 the favourite to win some of the rights with UTV Ireland being another option especially if they are then owned by ITV. It is said that next year will be expensive for RTE with Euro 2016, GAA, 6 Nations (penultimate on RTE), The Rio Olympics Games, The General Election and the 1916 Centenary Commemorations. If this happens it will be the first time that finals matches have not been broadcast only on RTE as they have sole rights unlike us in the UK which have the BBC/ITV split.
They are seeking expressions of interest thus far, but we don't know what split RTE are proposing and I will be very surprised if Republic of Ireland games form part of the package (especially since that would also confine the competition to qualifying broadcasters -which would be just TV3, TG4, and UTV - ruling out the possibility of Sky or Setanta bidding).