BT Sport

[levets]

Which are the 4 bigger fan bases? Scotland too?

 

[Mikejl]

Ask him why the people who draft his responses cannot put together a sentence that makes sense in English. Or was this written by Rio Ferdinand?

Why do they think that only Champions League winners are able to pass valid comment on Champions League games? And is he aware that Michael Owen is not a Champions League winner?

Due to the shortage of English Champions League winners, why does he not employ more foreign winners, who would be impartial?

Totally this - not only more impartial, more erudite & probably have a better grasp of the English language

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

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?

Great questions, pal.

 

[Blue Hefner]

Great questions, pal.

I agree, but I can't see him answering them in a constructive way. Although we find their coverage of City appalling, does anyone else? Do they care? I imagine they feel like its us moaning and won't pay any attention - no right-minded person can think it is a good idea to pick Owen, Scholes and Ferdinand for any game, never mind a City one - with that sort of decision making, I ca't see them having the self-awareness to realize there is an issue

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

I agree, but I can't see him answering them in a constructive way. Although we find their coverage of City appalling, does anyone else? Do they care? I imagine they feel like its us moaning and won't pay any attention - no right-minded person can think it is a good idea to pick Owen, Scholes and Ferdinand for any game, never mind a City one - with that sort of decision making, I ca't see them having the self-awareness to realize there is an issue

I think they realise there's an issue, but I agree that they don't care. Not in any meaningful sense.

 

[Hamann Pineapple]

Chance to make a difference ?

http://www.gorkanajobs.co.uk/job/63584/bt-sport-social-media-producer/

 

[JPAMCR]

The fact that he's agreed to the interview att all indicates he's aware that there is a problem. Whether he gives a shit or not, that's another thing altogether.

Excellent questions by the way

 

[dario2739]

I agree, but I can't see him answering them in a constructive way. Although we find their coverage of City appalling, does anyone else? Do they care? I imagine they feel like its us moaning and won't pay any attention - no right-minded person can think it is a good idea to pick Owen, Scholes and Ferdinand for any game, never mind a City one - with that sort of decision making, I ca't see them having the self-awareness to realize there is an issue

I seem to remember that even neutrals complained about our CL coverage last season.

 

[dario2739]

The fact that he's agreed to the interview att all indicates he's aware that there is a problem. Whether he gives a shit or not, that's another thing altogether.

Excellent questions by the way

Look at it this way – would they have had Scholes and Ferdinand as the panel for Liverpool games or vice versa?
Simple answer is no – so why is it acceptable to have them as the pundit panel for a City game?
It's not an oversight, it was intentionally done to pander to the rag masses.

 

[Manchester33]

Fair play to him for getting back to you. Unfortunately for him though, the fact of the matter is that it's impossible to appear impartial when you choose a panel of pundits who all dislike us publicly.

His line about Champions League winners being better suited to talk about the competition is laughable as well! By that token the likes of Ryan Bertrand, David May, Jesper Bolmqvist, Jonathan Greening and Djmimi Traore are all better suited to that role then Gigi Buffon, Fabio Cannovaro, Patrick Viera, Michael Ballack, fat Ronaldo and Diego Maradonna....