Grandstand axed!!!

It would be an absolute travesty if they dont mark the last episode with something special. 50 years surely makes Grandstand one of the longest running programmes on TV.

Just thinking also - it really is the last multi-sport programme on TV. Gone are the days of Sportsnight, Sport on Friday, even Sky's Sports Saturday.

The more I read through the comments on this forum, and the more I think about it, the more I realise what a COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS decision this is. And yeah, the whole 'phased out by 2009' thing is a little strange. Maybe there will be something a little clearer in the official announcement tomorrow.

What is the matter with the BBC?

Whats all this about axing bits of their history and whats the point of phasing it out in 3 years!!!!!!

Another excuse for repeats to be shown on an afternoon as the BBC surrender to Sky Sports Soccer Saturday!

I don't agree with those that want it to go back entirely to the old format - I believe Football Focus is certainly better out of it - but with a revamp, the Grandstand brand could live on quite happily.

I'd keep the 1pm start with "Grandstand Interactive" running alongside Grandstand, offering Score and other events via BBCi.

Grandstand would get a presenter back, doing regular news updates (not just football).

At 4.30pm Final Score would be replaced by Grandstand Report. Football would still play a big part in it, but the first 10-15 minutes would be more multi-sport orientated before linking to the Score studio for the final results, then after the classifieds a further round up of the rest of the days sport before the show ends.

Well it is a blow, but unfortunately, as said many a time, it is a sign of this growing digital age and clearly the Beeb want to go through a major revamp before digital TV comes into action fully in 2012. Sadly I reckon the Beeb will just fade Grandstand into the background before 2009 - hoping viewers don't notice, i.e. just show BBC Sport logo with Football Focus, racing etc...

I remember watching the old deskset Grandstand with Desmond Lynam back in the early 90's - i seem to remember the Grandstand logo board in the sports room matching with the colour of his moustache! Also, who can forget Bob Wilson....another ex-footballer and Grandstand host. I remember it coming on straight after the weather that followed Going Live.... and hearing the 'boom boom' theme, you knew the Saturday afternoon had begun. I'm not a sports fan myself so again, I particularly remember the final scores...in which there were long pauses and also so softly spoken they could send you to sleep! Something which has changed nowadays with the interactive 'Final Score' programme with Ray Stubbs.

Shame its going, I might record a piano version of the original and latter themes as a tribute - (now I'm sounding sad! )

That's exactly what I think.

So-called minority sports will get even less coverage than they do now- hardly public service broadcasting.

And, to me, Grandstand doesn't mean old-fashioned, it means quality sports broadcasting of a variety of sports- at least it did until the trendies got hold of it, broke up its structure and messed around with its (timeless) theme tune.

Sadly, it could be that Murdoch's stranglehold on sports coverage has influenced this decision, never mind the nonsensical view that Grandstand belongs to another era.

In the interest of public service broadcasting, something has to be done about that greedy Aussie.

I think (hope!) that we will see a 50th anniversary programme. But I don't see it lasting much beyond that date.

Titles, music, and concept will all go. I don't think we should hang on to it purely because "it's been going 50 years," but really should have a better argument for its retention. I'm not sure what that argument would be.

Compare Grandstand with Panorama and The Sky At Night, those two Methuselahs of BBC output, which are also still with us, and which are hanging on to their commissions.

Panorama is difrerent every week, but has perhaps too many connotations of dull, worthy reporting.

The Sky At Night seems only to be continuing until Patrick Moore is no longer able to present it (though, I admit that TSAN is a unique show - covering material untouched by all other networks.) Shuffled to the periphery of the schedules, it's hard to find, and largely forgotten.

In both cases, the shows continue partly because they've been going so long, with their ingrained theme tunes, and familiar content. I'm not sure that these are good reasons.

On the other hand though, it shouldn't just get the axe because it's been around 50 years - it's age seems to be the BBC's main justification!

Grandstand is a show which has aged remarkably well - and is certainly more appreciated in by the public than Panorama and Sky at Night.


The BBC chiefs really do have no idea - there plan for the future of the BBC now seems to be allowing the public to blog on their website!

Mark Thompson (DG) is planning a huge shakeup for the BBC's digital age. According to him, its not just Grandstand that will go but other 'output' will have major revamps including new programming to entice more teenagers to the BBC.

I can't think of anyone who will take over from Patrick Moore on The Sky At Night...I suppose some like David Starkey will do it. I notice that is now only shown late night on BBC Four less than once a month or so.

A while back, the BBC were criticised and subsequently ordered to get rid of all of the strands on their web-site, where there are established alternatives - like Fantasy football, Soap mini-sites, gaming sites etc - because it is un-neccessary and is taking some of the market away from their competitors.

Now they want to launch a music site for unsigned bands. Have they never heard of MySpace, which 99.9% of unheard bands use? Channel 4 are getting in on the act too, and there are numerous other sites dedicated to this thing aswell.

Isn't this merely wasting license-payers money above anything else? Surely they should pump their money into something worthwhile, not just into making clones of things that already exist.

Dumping Grandstand is just another nail in the coffin.

Jade Goody ?

Poor Patrick, his trousers seem to get higher everytime I see him.

Exactly!

All the BBC website needs is it's news and sport pages, plus programme support pages.

I'm still split on the streaming of programmes - on the one hand we do have a right as we pay for them to be made - but on the other the BBC wouldn't give us all free DVDs!

They seem to sight online sport as one of the reasons for dumping Grandstand - which to me implies that in the future, if you want to see a minor Olympic sport outside the Olympics you'll have to watch coverage online!

The BBC seem to forget that broadband isn't free - and unless the BBC plan to give all licence payers free unlimited access to the net, TV has to remain the priority!


If the BBC wants to engage in these commercial activities - let it go commercial!

After all, I've said here several times the only thing worth the licence fee is BBC Sport - and without Grandstand, I doubt it's worth it at all!


Going back on topic - they talk about the strength of the "BBC Sport" brand - but seem to forget the impact that losing Grandstand will have on it!