One match, four broadcasts

Just an observation more than anything - but the BBC are making four versions of the Northern Ireland v Wales match.

As well as Match of the Day on BBC 2, we have Match of the Day Wales in BBC 2W, Match of the Day NI on BBC1 NI, and a Welsh version for S4C.

Also interesting how BBC NI have moved it to BBC1, but it remains on BBC2 in Wales, though when BBC Wales had the full rights to Welsh games they were transmitted on BBC2W, while I think most Scottish games (and possibly NI) get broadcast on BBC1.


Also on Freeview interactive viewers get the BBC Wales broadcast on BBCi, and can change comentary to Radio Wales. Live Snooker takes up the other interactive slot, so we've got no continuous highlights - haven't the BBC worked out yet how to have the audio options on the main BBC broadcast, enabling the BBCi stream to offer something different!


And finally, noticed lastnight Scrum V, BBC Wales live rugby programme, had a BBCi service. Was this available nationwide?

Yes we got this by Winter Hill, I only caught it as 701 was showing the game, by pressing red for BBCi; Scrum V was an available option, with the first audio option being in Welsh (either for S4C or Radio Cymru) and another option with Fanzone, but no plain English commentary, I presume this was shown on BBC 2W?

Yes it was!


Thinking more about my original point - it's quite amazing that when you think about it there were around eight commentary teams from the BBC there (BBC Sport, BBC Wales, BBC Cymru, BBC NI and again for radio!).


Surprisingly I don't think I'm criticising the BBC for all their broadcasts - but what I will ask is how come England and Scotland will get a neutral version of Wales/NI, when the rest of the country gets the English based broadcast of England games?

It needed four versions - what a match!

I didn't like the studio set used by BBC Wales; it looked rather cheap, not to mention a car-crash of design.

Is it used for other sports programmes produced by BBC Wales, or just for football matches?

If it was the virtual reality set then it's used for most sport progs.

It looked like the Wales Today set, though with a different desk and some alterations to the background. Not sure, but it's probably the set used for Wales on Saturday.

I didn't look virtual. It had a clunky looking silver desk and, I think, a silver background with bits cut out, filled with coloured gels and back-lit.

Sounds like the Wales Today studio - maybe S4C were in the normal sport studio.

Because BBC Sport NI/Wales/Scotland don't have the resources available to produce their own broadcasts of a neutral game?

Why use neutral commentators when you've got the main famous English commentators?

If you don't like it, listen to Welsh/Scottish/NI radio.

Well now whilst your first two points are probably quite valid, you seem to be missing the issue slightly.

If [for example] England are playing Scotland, it won't be on Welsh radio will it. Being presented with an English commentary assumes, as ever, that England is default/the same as a 'British' commentary/wanted in the slightest.

It does seem to surprise a lot of English people how little interest there is in the England football team outside of England [as is the case vice versa of course].

Whivh of the two 'non-neutral' commentaries do you think should have been networked?

Given that there are probably a reasonably even number of Welsh and Northern Irish dotted around England and Scotland, I'm not sure why you think the BBC commentary there should have been biased to one or other of the home countries.

It would have been different if it were a home country against a continental team.