TV
This is the wrong decision. Hopefully the BBC will realise this, and bring back the old Ryder era style Grandstand.
Fronted by Rob Bonnet and incorporating all of the different progoramming (such as Football focus - with Ray Stubbs, Racing with Clare Balding, tennis with Sue Barker and so on). Final and Half time score would be fronted by Rob Bonnett (c.f. when it was fronted by Steve Ryder)
Special Live coverage (such as the Ryder Cup) would be fronted by Stubbs (with Bonnett filling in on FF when this was the case, as used to be the case with Steve Ryder.
All this move will do is lose a part of the BBCs history, and viewers who watch Grandstand because it is 'Grandstand', whom I am led to believe are numerous.
Fronted by Rob Bonnet and incorporating all of the different progoramming (such as Football focus - with Ray Stubbs, Racing with Clare Balding, tennis with Sue Barker and so on). Final and Half time score would be fronted by Rob Bonnett (c.f. when it was fronted by Steve Ryder)
Special Live coverage (such as the Ryder Cup) would be fronted by Stubbs (with Bonnett filling in on FF when this was the case, as used to be the case with Steve Ryder.
All this move will do is lose a part of the BBCs history, and viewers who watch Grandstand because it is 'Grandstand', whom I am led to believe are numerous.
RO
Totally agree with you there Ronant - but I cant forsee any reversal of this decision.
And I do agree with the sentiments that coverage of minority sports could be affected. For example, I doubt the England v Denmark Badminton international a few weeks ago would have been shown in such depth outside Grandstand .
But hey, I could be wrong!
Agreed. And also i would say the smaller sports like Badminton benefit from being placed in the same programme as the big sports. If you place small sports around the bigger sports like Rugby then they're bound to get more attention than if they're separate in their own programme.
I would imagine now the big events will still be on BBC1 but something like the Snooker for example will be put on BBC2 on Saturday afternoons sadly.
bbcsport posted:
Ronant posted:
Cant believe it!
Youre right it was on the cards but i really think that there is a place for a multi-sports show still on Saturday afternoons with Sports news, reports etc as well as just the live action. People who are watching one sport often want to know what is happening in other sports which are going on at the same time - i know i do anyway.
So in my opinion the wrong decision but i suppose the writing was on the wall.
Youre right it was on the cards but i really think that there is a place for a multi-sports show still on Saturday afternoons with Sports news, reports etc as well as just the live action. People who are watching one sport often want to know what is happening in other sports which are going on at the same time - i know i do anyway.
So in my opinion the wrong decision but i suppose the writing was on the wall.
Totally agree with you there Ronant - but I cant forsee any reversal of this decision.
And I do agree with the sentiments that coverage of minority sports could be affected. For example, I doubt the England v Denmark Badminton international a few weeks ago would have been shown in such depth outside Grandstand .
But hey, I could be wrong!
Agreed. And also i would say the smaller sports like Badminton benefit from being placed in the same programme as the big sports. If you place small sports around the bigger sports like Rugby then they're bound to get more attention than if they're separate in their own programme.
I would imagine now the big events will still be on BBC1 but something like the Snooker for example will be put on BBC2 on Saturday afternoons sadly.
PC
Despite advances in technology allowing greater access to Sports coverage, I still disagree with the decision to end Grandstand; long-serving, and as such such a well-known show with a great theme tune!
It's ultimately something I would've always expected to be there on a Saturday afternoon, but it looks like that won't be the case. Shame we won't see it reach the 50-year milestone; it will be missed.
It's ultimately something I would've always expected to be there on a Saturday afternoon, but it looks like that won't be the case. Shame we won't see it reach the 50-year milestone; it will be missed.
GE
So, Charlie, we could still see the 50th Birthday edition?
EDIT: Grandstand's demise has made the Ten. And according to Adam Parsons', the name AND music will go.
CharlieMouse posted:
Yes, it's true. Not happening, however, for an (indeterminate) number of years, depending upon what happens in the areas of digital take-up, and broadband popularity. But it will happen.
So, Charlie, we could still see the 50th Birthday edition?
EDIT: Grandstand's demise has made the Ten. And according to Adam Parsons', the name AND music will go.
CW
Charlie Wells
Moderator
"Phased out by 2009" looks like it'll reach 50.
I think it's a daft decision and one that will hopefully be reversed. I guess by phasing it out slowly it allows them to reverse there decision a few months down the line if they choose to.
I think it's a daft decision and one that will hopefully be reversed. I guess by phasing it out slowly it allows them to reverse there decision a few months down the line if they choose to.
JV
James Vertigan
Founding member
BAST.ARDS!!!!
They're going to scrap the BEST TV theme ever!
I'm **** furious!
I can see people writing letters to The Times now!
They're going to scrap the BEST TV theme ever!
I'm **** furious!
I can see people writing letters to The Times now!
AN
Andrew
Founding member
It's a bad decision, as others have said mainly because with no umbrella brand it will mean no place for the shorter slots of more minority sports.
How long before they start to shove a film or an episode of Keeping up Appearances on on Saturday afternoons if there is no major sporting event that week or to fill time between say Football Focus ending at 1pm and a Rugby kick off at 3pm
How long before they start to shove a film or an episode of Keeping up Appearances on on Saturday afternoons if there is no major sporting event that week or to fill time between say Football Focus ending at 1pm and a Rugby kick off at 3pm
RO
Exactly. Rather than minority sports they'll be Cash in the Attic and Keeping Up Appearences just like on Sunday.
Andrew posted:
It's a bad decision, as others have said mainly because with no umbrella brand it will mean no place for the shorter slots of more minority sports.
How long before they start to shove a film or an episode of Keeping up Appearances on on Saturday afternoons if there is no major sporting event that week or to fill time between say Football Focus ending at 1pm and a Rugby kick off at 3pm
How long before they start to shove a film or an episode of Keeping up Appearances on on Saturday afternoons if there is no major sporting event that week or to fill time between say Football Focus ending at 1pm and a Rugby kick off at 3pm
Exactly. Rather than minority sports they'll be Cash in the Attic and Keeping Up Appearences just like on Sunday.
BR
The justification is a complete insult - saying viewers associate it with grainy black and white images and David Coleman! Well, I certainly don't - and I doubt many viewers under 40 or 50 do either! Grandstand is one programme that has kept up with the times more than any other - I can't recall any real criticism of the branding over the last few years!
I also think it's quite obvious this has been a decision by BBC executives - not BBC Sport, who remain quiet on the subject! It's them who are out of date - not Grandstand!
They mention some nonsense about it not fitting in with their interactive programming etc. - but the interactive features would benefit alot more from being put under the Grandstand banner rather than axing Grandstand itself!
I said this earlier in the year during the Winter Olympics when the branding was dropped - even a brand as big as the Olympic games seems less important without the Grandstand title!
The decision not to phase it out till 2009 also shows the executives know they are doing the wrong thing - if they were confident about it, the brand would be gone by the end of the year!
Come on BBC - axe the outdated rubbish like Top of the Pops and EastEnders - leave Grandstand alone!
I also think it's quite obvious this has been a decision by BBC executives - not BBC Sport, who remain quiet on the subject! It's them who are out of date - not Grandstand!
They mention some nonsense about it not fitting in with their interactive programming etc. - but the interactive features would benefit alot more from being put under the Grandstand banner rather than axing Grandstand itself!
I said this earlier in the year during the Winter Olympics when the branding was dropped - even a brand as big as the Olympic games seems less important without the Grandstand title!
The decision not to phase it out till 2009 also shows the executives know they are doing the wrong thing - if they were confident about it, the brand would be gone by the end of the year!
Come on BBC - axe the outdated rubbish like Top of the Pops and EastEnders - leave Grandstand alone!