DiscoSteve
Well-Known Member
Great stuff - I look forward to the responses
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BT Sport
- Thread starter oddfellows
- Start date
Here are the questions I have sent to Simon Green this morning that he has agreed to answer for publication.
There are a number of pertinent omissions - namely the flyer and McManaman/Mills - but I took them out for balance and because with them in it just looked like a unremitting attack.
1/ While it is obviously important to appeal to every football fan regardless of allegiance would it be fair to suggest that the key demographic for any live game are the people who pay to use your service in order to watch their club?
2/ Prior to this interview I conducted a survey with 50 supporters on two BT Sport pundits and a co-commentator – namely Paul Scholes, Rio Ferdinand and Michael Owen. I was careful to ask fans of varying ages who support several different Premier League clubs and the questions were put to them neutrally. I am happy to share the data Simon but it is fair to state that the feedback was overwhelmingly negative with many of the responses not fit for print.
You have previously stated the importance of having Champions League winners in the pundit’s chairs - and nobody can dispute the pedigree of these former players nor the experience that pedigree brings – but at what point does gravitas continue to outweigh an acceptable degree of competence in their role?
3/ With hundreds of millions of pounds invested in your Champions League coverage one can only imagine the number of meetings that took place prior to, and during, last season. At any stage did any individual at any level state a concern that it may be problematic to have two Manchester United legends analyse Manchester City matches?
4/ Did the subsequent outcry from City fans surprise you?
5/ Do you believe that Paul Scholes and Rio Ferdinand are capable of being objective in their punditry towards a club they quite openly – and understandably – dislike?
6/ When Rio Ferdinand publicly states that he wants Manchester City to lose prior to the game and when Jake Humphreys jokes to Paul Scholes after a subsequent City win “We should quite rightly praise them…as hard as it is” these are surely candid acknowledgements that impartiality is difficult for the United legends in question? Which begs the query – what on earth are they doing there commenting on a huge night for Manchester City and their multitude of watching supporters?
7/ Many Manchester City supporters have compared BT Sport’s coverage of City’s Champions League games last season to watching their club on MUTV such was the persistent tone of negativity and outright petty digs on occasion. Knowing that these are paying customers to your company how does that personally make you feel?
8/ Why was there such a distinct difference in tone and narrative in your coverage of City in the Champions League and Liverpool in the Europa League last season? While the former was unrelentingly negative to the point of hostility – where even a win felt like a wake afterwards – the other was reverential, celebratory and always partisan. Do you indeed accept there was any difference?
9/ A large number of City supporters believe that this was a deliberate and considered strategy on your part: that BT Sport attempted to curry favour with the larger fanbases of Liverpool, United and Arsenal aware too that City are unpopular with the mainstream audience. How do you respond to this charge?
10/ Deliberate or otherwise BT Sport’s coverage of Manchester City’s Champions League campaign last season has led to Blues cancelling their subscription in droves. Do you believe the relationship between the fifth largest fanbase in the UK and a major broadcasting company has now become irreparable? Do you accept that though every club’s fanbase have grievances with the media we are now in unchartered waters as regards to the severity of this?
11/ What would you say to the City fans who have either cancelled their subscription or are considering doing so ahead of the new season?
12/ Can we expect to see fairer coverage of the club in the future and do you acknowledge the pertinent point that City fans do not want special treatment but only to see the same coverage afforded to their rivals?
Good points we raised – I would also ask him what their interview entails for new pundits, as Scholes (especially), Owen and Ferdinand have zero TV personality and their punditry is woeful... the very things a TV pundit should actually possess!!!
As you mention, their employment is further proof of their pandering to the United fans, as there can be no ther reason for their employment!
r.soleofsalford
Well-Known Member
waiting for the answers if i dont like them i`ll be getting shut of them as soon possible.
john@staustell
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 21 Dec 2009
- Messages
- 1,784
I'm still waiting for the reply to my complaint to BT sent immediately after the Bayern game. Just had the auto email so far
DiscoSteve
Well-Known Member
They come for a fiver with VM so makes no difference either way for me
Saddleworth2
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 27 Jan 2014
- Messages
- 21,684
Some very good questions and kudos for getting this interview set up. It will be fascinating to see what comes out of it. What would be the ideal outcome from our perspective though? Its unlikely imo that BT will get rid of these three, so will they be asked to become less biased towards us? The best role model for those three is GNeville who manages to be insightful and in the main fair, whoever is playing although i don't think that they have the intelligence or verbal prowess to come anywhere close. Maybe the best outcome is that they are instructed to at least cut out the snide remarks and report the facts and that they are joined by a more recognisable city pundit.Here are the questions I have sent to Simon Green this morning that he has agreed to answer for publication.
There are a number of pertinent omissions - namely the flyer and McManaman/Mills - but I took them out for balance and because with them in it just looked like a unremitting attack.
1/ While it is obviously important to appeal to every football fan regardless of allegiance would it be fair to suggest that the key demographic for any live game are the people who pay to use your service in order to watch their club?
2/ Prior to this interview I conducted a survey with 50 supporters on two BT Sport pundits and a co-commentator – namely Paul Scholes, Rio Ferdinand and Michael Owen. I was careful to ask fans of varying ages who support several different Premier League clubs and the questions were put to them neutrally. I am happy to share the data Simon but it is fair to state that the feedback was overwhelmingly negative with many of the responses not fit for print.
You have previously stated the importance of having Champions League winners in the pundit’s chairs - and nobody can dispute the pedigree of these former players nor the experience that pedigree brings – but at what point does gravitas continue to outweigh an acceptable degree of competence in their role?
3/ With hundreds of millions of pounds invested in your Champions League coverage one can only imagine the number of meetings that took place prior to, and during, last season. At any stage did any individual at any level state a concern that it may be problematic to have two Manchester United legends analyse Manchester City matches?
4/ Did the subsequent outcry from City fans surprise you?
5/ Do you believe that Paul Scholes and Rio Ferdinand are capable of being objective in their punditry towards a club they quite openly – and understandably – dislike?
6/ When Rio Ferdinand publicly states that he wants Manchester City to lose prior to the game and when Jake Humphreys jokes to Paul Scholes after a subsequent City win “We should quite rightly praise them…as hard as it is” these are surely candid acknowledgements that impartiality is difficult for the United legends in question? Which begs the query – what on earth are they doing there commenting on a huge night for Manchester City and their multitude of watching supporters?
7/ Many Manchester City supporters have compared BT Sport’s coverage of City’s Champions League games last season to watching their club on MUTV such was the persistent tone of negativity and outright petty digs on occasion. Knowing that these are paying customers to your company how does that personally make you feel?
8/ Why was there such a distinct difference in tone and narrative in your coverage of City in the Champions League and Liverpool in the Europa League last season? While the former was unrelentingly negative to the point of hostility – where even a win felt like a wake afterwards – the other was reverential, celebratory and always partisan. Do you indeed accept there was any difference?
9/ A large number of City supporters believe that this was a deliberate and considered strategy on your part: that BT Sport attempted to curry favour with the larger fanbases of Liverpool, United and Arsenal aware too that City are unpopular with the mainstream audience. How do you respond to this charge?
10/ Deliberate or otherwise BT Sport’s coverage of Manchester City’s Champions League campaign last season has led to Blues cancelling their subscription in droves. Do you believe the relationship between the fifth largest fanbase in the UK and a major broadcasting company has now become irreparable? Do you accept that though every club’s fanbase have grievances with the media we are now in unchartered waters as regards to the severity of this?
11/ What would you say to the City fans who have either cancelled their subscription or are considering doing so ahead of the new season?
12/ Can we expect to see fairer coverage of the club in the future and do you acknowledge the pertinent point that City fans do not want special treatment but only to see the same coverage afforded to their rivals?
City Raider
Well-Known Member
Great questions, I imagine there'll be a lot of repetition in his answers. He'll have a standard line that will be slightly modified to answer most.
Lucky Toma
Well-Known Member
Good questions. But on point 2, Owen isn't a CL winner.
Yup factored that in to original draft but question then became convoluted.
Lucky Toma
Well-Known Member
Some very good questions and kudos for getting this interview set up. It will be fascinating to see what comes out of it. What would be the ideal outcome from our perspective though? Its unlikely imo that BT will get rid of these three, so will they be asked to become less biased towards us? The best role model for those three is GNeville who manages to be insightful and in the main fair, whoever is playing although i don't think that they have the intelligence or verbal prowess to come anywhere close. Maybe the best outcome is that they are instructed to at least cut out the snide remarks and report the facts and that they are joined by a more recognisable city pundit.
That's exactly my take on it too. Best we can hope for is your last sentence.
While it annoys me that BT feel that Scholes, Ferdinand and Owen are appropriate pundits to cover our games, when it should be obvious that they aren't, what really beggars belief is that BT can't find any more suitable candidates in general - Scholes, in particular, comes across as thick, miserable, boring and lacking in any personality whatsoever.