What next for BBC Sport?

Wasn't quite sure which thread to put this in so starting a new one.

After a lacklustre few years seemingly losing rights left right and centre London 2012 was an opportunity well taken to showcase BBC Sport at it's best (in most cases) - but what next?

They're gloating about how successful their red button coverage has been - but are due to axe all but one stream in the weeks ahead under the guise of platform neutrality. These games more than anything else have shown that viewers want to access extra content via their TV where they can, so it's ridiculous to think future extras for Wimbledon and the Commonwealth Games may be as bad as it currently is for Freeview folk, or all online.

I do suspect though the BBC might strike a similar deal with Sky for the Commonwealth Games, shifting the burden from channel to platform provider to supply additional channels as required. Sadly I can't see Freeview folk getting anything more in the next two years.

As for sport in general - the next live "Olympic" sport action the BBC have is on Friday with a Diamond League meeting from Stockholm, almost certain to feature many noteworthy Olympians. So what do the BBC do - rather than take advantage of any new found interest it's tucked away on the red button. I also don't think they took full advantage of the Olympic sport rights they had in the run up to the games (for example showing the Mens Gymnastics win European Gold on the red button when they had nothing of note IIRC on BBC1/2 at the time) - so hope now they've got some names to attach to these sports they'll be more willing to put them on the main channels.


Presenters wise and it's no surprise that the old faithful of BBC Sport have been the best received presenters. We all seem to have retired Sue Barker even though she's said nothing to suggest she's about to walk away, and the BBC have now lost their most well received presenter to C4 (although it's non-exclusive I doubt she'll do sport for BBC television). Indeed if Clare and Sue are both gone that could make Sochi 2014 interesting with Hazel Irvine as their only experience Winter Olympics presenter, though I guess Jake Humphrey would join the team either way.


Anyhow, I seem to be waffling as usual so what do you think the legacy of these games should be for BBC Sport?

Thats very poor, especially as BBC3 is in repeats until 10pm. I don't get why they don't just stick all Diamond League meetings on BBC2 or 3 unless there are live events or new programming on both channels. They use world feed commentary for most meets anyway and presentation could be done from Salford if required


More 'minority' sport in more prominent slots hopefully. Athletics isn't too bad, but the likes of swimming get very little coverage outside of the Olympics currently. And as for amateur boxing, taekwondo etc - it's near enough non-existant

Neck on the line - one could say the OBS did all the work, with the BBC tailoring the footage and adding in interview and recap shows.

Well yes. It annoys me. The Beeb were very quick to point the finger at OBS when they failed to provide proper coverage at the cycling on Day 1, (though I don't think the lack of data was ultimately OBS's fault) yet as far as I know did nothing to praise their work, which was excellent overall.

Let's not forget that BBC production crews covered the Rowing, Tennis, Equestrian, Boxing, and other stuff, for OBS, but nevertheless I didn't see any nod towards them for the thousands of hours of high quality coverage provided by their other contractors.

Nothing in the credits ? Not even for OBS Head of Engineering, a certain Mr Paul Mason, who up until 2007 had worked for decades at the Beeb, ultimately looking after their engineering at major sporting events.

It wouldn't surprise me if they do not reschedule to BBC Three as the week goes on. Ideal to continue the Olympic feel if there are plenty of Olympians competing - and even more important as far as the BBC is concerned - brings people back to BBC Three

I imagine they'll be looking at how Channel 4's Paralympics coverage performs to look towards a sustainable model of covering big sporting events. Although they're reducing to one red button feed, I wouldn't rule them out of hiring spare streams during Wimbledon etc as well as using even more online/mobile coverage if Channel 4's coverage goes well.

The 24 channels was a fantastic idea and really paid off for them, but it might not be an infrastructure the BBC could do time and time again, for example during the Commwealth Games, the Winter Olympics or Rio.

I would like to see how fully those 24 streams were used.

Granted they were not going to be used 11pm to 9am, but then many of the streams were only used an hour or two a day, and naturally as the games wound down towards the end, half weren't needed.

It was a great marketing ploy for Sky to keep advertising the 24 channels - whilst the BBC made less and less play of the '24', prefering to direct viewers to the Red Button for alternative access.

That's not to say it wasn't a great idea to have them, but in reality, I don't think we'll see the like again.

There was the need for all 24 though, they were more or less or used for long periods during the first week or so, not always at the same time but it allowed for overlap.

I have to slightly disagree there - Mishal Husain was excellent anchoring in the studio, and for me Sonali Shah was better than many would have expected on BBC Three.

Gary Lineker seemed a little out of his depth with non-football stuff (and does he really only have one suit?)

For big events like this the pooling of resources by BBC Sport and BBC News that we have seen over these games has to be the way forward.

I'd completely disagree - although Mishal Husain was a more than competent live TV presenter I think some of the more questionable presenting choices just proved that BBC Sport should be left to do what they do best.

A couple of things......

As you say 'you' have retired Sue Barker but there's absolutely no indication that she will retire. She may wind down her commitments but she'll still be there for Wimbledon and the big events. How she handled Murray after Wimbledon this year, and then after the Olympic final just goes to show what an asset she is. Still at the top of her game. As the crowd quite rightfully chanted during the Olympics 'We love Sue Barker!'. Also, the BBC slotted her into the commentary role for Figure Skating in 2010 so there's a long term job for her. And most importantly of all the BBC can not possibly open themselves to the negative publicity that they would receive for 'sacking' another over 50 female presenter.

Nowhere does it say that Clare will not present sporting events on the BBC. I'd say that she only agreed to move as long as it safeguards her BBC interests, such as the Olympics/Commonwealth Games. One of the articles I read indicated that she will mainly present the 'big events' and some other races for Channel 4. I'd say once Sue does decide to move on from Wimbledon that we may see Clare as the lead Wimbledon presenter.

Despite my initial reservations about Mishal Husain she more than rose to the task, especially as half of her shift consisted of studio chat most mornings. I did think Hazel was under utilised but I don't particularly rate her. I will never forget her interview with Paula Radcliffe after the marathon in 2004 and she came across as off hand with Paula and lacking in empathy. Everything that Claire isn't.