The Sport Thread

Usually the Barbarians is the home team, so as an away game it isn't included in the BBC's highlights rights.

Yes - they still produce RTE Racing coverage don't they? Sure I saw the Highflyer Productions caption at the end of the Punchestown Festival coverage a couple of years ago. No cross over from Channel 4 presenters/commentators apart from Ted Walsh (Ruby and Kate's Dad) though.

Apart from Nick Luck (still think C4/IMG should have got Matt Chapman from At The Races as host, but he can been a very loose cannon on some topics of the sport) I actually like the coverage.
At least they got rid of Derek 'Tommo' Thompson, who was everybody's mate that he talked too. John McCririck was just becoming a pantomime version of himself. Yes, he was colourful and a character, but he was also irritating and added very little when he was on screen - apart from moaning how good racing was back in the 1950's, and what it is with betting 'on the machines' these days. They could have changed the commentator, but realised that Simon Holt was the best in the business.

Great idea to have a studio trackside as well. Brings a calmer place to consider the last race and preview the next without the presenters being jostled or having to move to avoid some 'over refreshed' prat behind looking for his 10 seconds of national tv exposure he thinks he deserves.

Nobody misses John McCririck, but really think Derek Thompson and John Francome were a huge loss. If they'd been leaving in better circumstances fair enough, but Nick Luck hasn't grown at all on the audience in nearly two and a half year IMO and with Clare Balding reducing her commitments to less than what she presented for the BBC they really do need to find a new star presenter of their own if they're to continue with exclusive rights beyond next year.

Very rarely a problem in my experience. The main presentation point in Highflyer days was the winner's enclosure, and you dont get in there if you're "over refreshed". The only time those people were an issue was during Mac's segments, and even then, measures were taken to get the worst behaved out of shot. I know it was fairly regular for a betting ring sequence in shot to be abandoned to voice only or postponed because of the people around Mac. It did make a big difference if the racecourse screens were showing the c4 output between races - that causing more idiots.

Personally, I hate the studio. It takes the programme away from the racecourse, the people, the sounds and the atmosphere. If you've gone to the effort of being there, don't go hide in a portacabin.

I actually like the idea of the studio, especially during Cheltenham. It creates a base for the coverage, where to start things from, and finish things from. It's also away from the hurly buyrly of the crowds itself, so creates a calm atmosphere.

Also worth noting, they use a studio for the morning line, so makes sense to use the studio later in the day as well.

With the end of the UK Domestic Season the usual UEFA/FA international blackout at 3pm is lifted. BTS are showing the key relegation Bundesliga Hamburg - Schalke and Paderborn - Stuttgart fixtures at 2.30 this afternoon.

Interesting point is that the blackout is still ongoing in Scotland today. Therefore, if the SFA wished to ask the German footballing authorities to take action against BT for their broadcast this afternoon, the Germans would be obliged by UEFA rules to punish BT.

This is assuming that BT is not somehow restricting its broadcast in Scotland this afternoon?

Scotland doesn't have a full programme. Only three fixtures featuring the lower half Premiership split clubs are taking place at 1500. BT seem pretty safe as a result.

The season seems to be going on forever this year.

The 2015-6 season officially begins five weeks on Tuesday - 30th June - when

NI Crusaders (1st)
Armenia Pyunik (1st)
Faroe Islands B36 Tórshavn (1st)
Andorra FC Santa Coloma (1st)
Wales The New Saints (1st)
Estonia Levadia Tallinn (1st)
San Marino - Winners (1st)
Gibraltar Lincoln Red Imps (1st)

Contest the first legs of the First qualifying round of the 2015-6 CL season

In most sports now seasons seem to flow in to each other and barely stop. Cricket is another example where last week England finished their winter tour and then this week began their home test series. I've never really known the football season go on so long that the Champions League finalfalls into June, while the Cup Final seems to be a couple of weeks later than usual.

The Cup Final is on the same day as it was in 2009, when the days fell the same way. The Champions League Final is certainly later than it usually is but of course the big difference is there's no tournament this year so it can all be spread out a bit rather than a frantic end to the season. It also meant this season could start a bit later and everyone could have a longer break after the World Cup.