“I feel slightly miffed that after 30 years of covering cricket, and apparently quite well, we have a rugby man and also a cycling man filling in the gaps from London. I would have loved to be part of it."
I think that's the biggest part of the problem with Gower - he's seen by TNT as a bit of a relic who would make their coverage seem old fashioned if they used him.
TNT said they wanted to make their Ashes coverage accessible to people who watch other sports on the channel and using commentators who cover other sports on the channel is part of that, even if they can only commentate on the action in the general way that, say, Tony Gubba and Barry Davies used to commentate on fringe sports at the Olympics for the BBC.
Surely it's mainly cricket fans staying up to watch the Ashes at an ungodly hour so they should be the ones TNT are aiming their coverage at.
I agree if you aren’t a cricket fan, you are not staying up. I may watch tonight’s as live when I get up in the morning, But if we have another shocking days play might call it that
There are a couple of Test highlights on YouTube from the 2017-18 Ashes series the one BT Sport covered. Obviously I can't hear the commentary but the onscreen presentation looks really good using their own graphics. It looked like they put far more effort and money into their coverage than TNT has. This is the biggest cricket event that TNT have the rights for and from what I can tell they have been half arsed with their coverage. Will they start using cycling commentators for their FA Cup coverage I wonder?
There are a couple of Test highlights on YouTube from the 2017-18 Ashes series the one BT Sport covered. Obviously I can't hear the commentary but the onscreen presentation looks really good using their own graphics. It looked like they put far more effort and money into their coverage than TNT has. This is the biggest cricket event that TNT have the rights for and from what I can tell they have been half arsed with their coverage. Will they start using cycling commentators for their FA Cup coverage I wonder?
Yes they put effort in. The thought was they were trying to show the ECB they were a serious option for the home rights.
The team for that Ashes (all on site was)
Matt Smith (hosting) Greame Swann, Geoff Boycott, Michael Vaughan & Alison Mitchell Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist & Damien Fleming
There are a couple of Test highlights on YouTube from the 2017-18 Ashes series the one BT Sport covered. Obviously I can't hear the commentary but the onscreen presentation looks really good using their own graphics. It looked like they put far more effort and money into their coverage than TNT has. This is the biggest cricket event that TNT have the rights for and from what I can tell they have been half arsed with their coverage. Will they start using cycling commentators for their FA Cup coverage I wonder?
No,because as many broadcasters see it football is all that really matters.
There are a couple of Test highlights on YouTube from the 2017-18 Ashes series the one BT Sport covered. Obviously I can't hear the commentary but the onscreen presentation looks really good using their own graphics. It looked like they put far more effort and money into their coverage than TNT has. This is the biggest cricket event that TNT have the rights for and from what I can tell they have been half arsed with their coverage. Will they start using cycling commentators for their FA Cup coverage I wonder?
No because they cover lots of football and have football commentators
There are a couple of Test highlights on YouTube from the 2017-18 Ashes series the one BT Sport covered. Obviously I can't hear the commentary but the onscreen presentation looks really good using their own graphics. It looked like they put far more effort and money into their coverage than TNT has. This is the biggest cricket event that TNT have the rights for and from what I can tell they have been half arsed with their coverage. Will they start using cycling commentators for their FA Cup coverage I wonder?
Looking at social media, it looks like Prior will be commentating on the Adelaide test from the UK and (I'm less sure on this one), Rob Hatch might be in Adelaide...
There are a couple of Test highlights on YouTube from the 2017-18 Ashes series the one BT Sport covered. Obviously I can't hear the commentary but the onscreen presentation looks really good using their own graphics. It looked like they put far more effort and money into their coverage than TNT has. This is the biggest cricket event that TNT have the rights for and from what I can tell they have been half arsed with their coverage. Will they start using cycling commentators for their FA Cup coverage I wonder?
Like Simon Botherton on the BBc?
Who started off calling football on Radio 5 in the 1990s, and didn't become leading cycling commentator for the BBC until 2013.
Looking at social media, it looks like Prior will be commentating on the Adelaide test from the UK and (I'm less sure on this one), Rob Hatch might be in Adelaide...
The issue really is the excruciating blandness of most of their commentary. Location doesn't really matter as much as quality of the personnel, and this series so far has been poor both on the field and in the (multiple) commentary boxes!
“I feel slightly miffed that after 30 years of covering cricket, and apparently quite well, we have a rugby man and also a cycling man filling in the gaps from London. I would have loved to be part of it."
I think that's the biggest part of the problem with Gower - he's seen by TNT as a bit of a relic who would make their coverage seem old fashioned if they used him.
TNT said they wanted to make their Ashes coverage accessible to people who watch other sports on the channel and using commentators who cover other sports on the channel is part of that, even if they can only commentate on the action in the general way that, say, Tony Gubba and Barry Davies used to commentate on fringe sports at the Olympics for the BBC.
Surely it's mainly cricket fans staying up to watch the Ashes at an ungodly hour so they should be the ones TNT are aiming their coverage at.
Completely true. You aren’t going to get cycling and rugby fans who watch their sports on TNT suddenly watching test cricket live in the middle of the night as it features their favourite commentators.
If you want to do this to get a new audience for cricket do it for T20 in the daytime. Don’t give Sky any ideas or they may think that sounds good for their coverage of The Hundred. Use some of their football commentators and suddenly the audience of The Hundred starts climbing again.
I have decided to continue (well mostly) with the BBC highlights via I player. There has been the odd time in the Ashes so far that I have watched the brief highlights via TNT You Tube as I have been out.
My only quip with the TNT coverage well more from the Discovery + side, tend to watch the days play when I get up. And on the Discovery app. It said England were in a fight, be better if it just said day 2 coverage
Could they take 7’s coverage. I know a few years ago they wanted to but apparently they couldn’t
Presume they’d have to pay 7 to access the feed, and probably need sign-off from Cricket Australia to approve it, but it’s theoretically possible.
Sky had an agreement with Fox to show their full coverage of the Big Bash for two or three years, rather than the international feed from 7 with no wraparound that they show now.
Could they take 7’s coverage. I know a few years ago they wanted to but apparently they couldn’t
Presume they’d have to pay 7 to access the feed, and probably need sign-off from Cricket Australia to approve it, but it’s theoretically possible.
Sky had an agreement with Fox to show their full coverage of the Big Bash for two or three years, rather than the international feed from 7 with no wraparound that they show now.
I still cant really believe how timid its been (bit like the England performance) there are so many people over there covering it they could have had guest slots from many different people from different eras.
Perhaps some Sky people may have said no (thinking Bumble) but they could have tried, maybe they have?
Swann is marmite I know, and i find myself grumbling at him, but at least its a different tone and some actual opinion
Comments
Surely it's mainly cricket fans staying up to watch the Ashes at an ungodly hour so they should be the ones TNT are aiming their coverage at.
Yes they put effort in. The thought was they were trying to show the ECB they were a serious option for the home rights.
The team for that Ashes (all on site was)
Matt Smith (hosting) Greame Swann, Geoff Boycott, Michael Vaughan & Alison Mitchell Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist & Damien Fleming
No,because as many broadcasters see it football is all that really matters.
No because they cover lots of football and have football commentators
Who started off calling football on Radio 5 in the 1990s, and didn't become leading cycling commentator for the BBC until 2013.
The issue really is the excruciating blandness of most of their commentary. Location doesn't really matter as much as quality of the personnel, and this series so far has been poor both on the field and in the (multiple) commentary boxes!
Also they seem to be using three co-commentators at once at certain points. It's like one extreme to the other. 😂
Hatch is definitely there, he has posted from the stadium on his Instagram.
Completely true. You aren’t going to get cycling and rugby fans who watch their sports on TNT suddenly watching test cricket live in the middle of the night as it features their favourite commentators.
If you want to do this to get a new audience for cricket do it for T20 in the daytime. Don’t give Sky any ideas or they may think that sounds good for their coverage of The Hundred. Use some of their football commentators and suddenly the audience of The Hundred starts climbing again.
Probably there for the last 3 tests followed by the tour of Australia which starts just afterwards.
When you wanted to watch (say) the 800 m from Olympics it said
Watch Kelly Holmes win Gold on the main page !!
Oh dear TNT should have just taken Channel 7 or Fox Sports coverage.
Presume they’d have to pay 7 to access the feed, and probably need sign-off from Cricket Australia to approve it, but it’s theoretically possible.
Sky had an agreement with Fox to show their full coverage of the Big Bash for two or three years, rather than the international feed from 7 with no wraparound that they show now.
I still cant really believe how timid its been (bit like the England performance) there are so many people over there covering it they could have had guest slots from many different people from different eras.
Perhaps some Sky people may have said no (thinking Bumble) but they could have tried, maybe they have?
Swann is marmite I know, and i find myself grumbling at him, but at least its a different tone and some actual opinion