The weekend's coverage of the FA cup provided a walkover for Spurs (fair dos that Pochettino did at least let the fans at Tranmere see a bit of Harry Kane), a grim second eleven at OT struggle to a win over Reading, an Arsenal team of non-entities play in front of 8000 spectators in a half empty stadium in Blackpool and then Woking v Watford. This was all supposedly what the viewers wanted to see and was the result of viewer pressure. Whether it was nouse, nose or what at least the BBC treated us to a match where a traditional cup shock was a possibility and did result. Leicester asked for it and got it and I bet no one in the Newport ground felt they hadn't had what they paid for. This can't be said for those in Blackpool or at OT. So when fans at the Etihad pay reduced prices to see players of such undeniable quality play in a game they obviously take completely seriously I think City do deserve a genuine pat on the back.
FA rules have a minimum price of £10 for adults from 3rd round onwards - it will have been common around the country (Fulham did for one). City did what they have done for many cup games (I recall a Notts County friend saying that the replay a few years ago of £15 a ticket was "cheers, we'll be having thousands of them"). It's not really a unique event in this case - pat on the back sounds about right.
The TV choices were pretty thin on the ground, but only the Reading game was a bad choice. Lower league team, give them the TV cash! Just as Sky should really have picked the Oxford match in the league cup.
Spurs were on their game, and might have been away at non-league oppos (due to replay). As it was they handed out a pasting without really approaching top gear.
Arsenal might have been at non-leaguers (due to replay), and the worst thing here is that it puts thousands into the Oystons. I would have happily applauded a statement saying it was being ignored for that reason, but it might have upset lawyers.
Those two, and Newport-Leicester saw PL teams away at teams from well below them - standard TV choices, all of them, and the same for Woking-Watford.
BT are like ITV - they chase advertising if nothing obvious is a choice. When they chose, it was pre-Nordic Messiah, but Reading were awful in the league at the time. There should have been something better around, but it wouldn't tick beancounting needs.
