BBC’S FOOTBALL LEAGUE show, a post-Match of the Day Saturday night staple for a lot of football fans, is no more.
The BBC has lost the highlights package for the English lower leagues which will move to Channel 5 from the start of the next season.
The three-year deal will see the programme move to a prime-time 90 minute slot at 9pm — before Match of the Day airs on the Beeb.
“It will take our games to a wider, younger audience by giving us the chance to be first in front of fans on a Saturday night,” Football League chief executive Shaun Harvey said.
Across social media, most of the concern was for presenter Manish Bhasin who anchored the Football League show for the last six years:
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Bhasin thanked those who sent messages on Tuesday morning and joked:”Now where’s that CV..?!”
Terrible news. Channel 5 is where sports shows go to die. Always enjoyed late night football league highlights after the pub.
Don’t worry I don’t think football is gonna die..
Football League highlights shows on terrestrial TV might though. Massive difference between the programmes and the sport.
They may make football league better for the fans and have it prime time instead of 11:30 at night..
Personally I think people are far more likely to stay on the same channel and continue watching after MOTD than tune in to a different channel before MOTD starts. Plus fans of away sides that have to travel after the game might not even be home by 9 so there’s a significant portion of the audience lost.
Doubtful that away fans who have a three hour trip make up a significant portion of their audience.
Well match of the day is on late also so it could be on before it.. Suggesting that 11:30 is good and good or away fans is really clutching at straws..
Average football league show viewership figure is 1.1 million. Average away attendance in football league is 839. Say you have 30 games on a given day, then your away fans make up 2% of the people watching the show assuming everyone of them watches it.
And it wouldn’t be a significant portion of the audience.. Chances are the average attendance for away supports is at 800 people at very most that would 28000 people missing out if they all been travelling for long hours..
Also most fans are interested in there own game which they already been at I’m sure they won’t be racing home to watch it or if long traveling is involved wanna wait up till midnight to watch it..
Maybe that’s why it’s only 1.1million cause it on at midnight..
I don’t have Channel 5 which is a pain, I also personally liked it on after MOTD as it’s usually more entertaining and high scoring than some of the premiership drivel that does be on sometimes on MOTD.
The goals used to fly in from all angles!
Download filmon playstore booom
Have to agree Dave
At least they will have it on at a decent time. The bbc made a good job of it but timing of it was a bit ridiculous.
Still no story on former LOI and Derry City player getting the Oldham Athletic managers job. Come on the42
Bring manish back to football focus. He is far than Dan walker
More suitable time for most people. Hopefully channel 5 will do it justice and give better coverage of the Leeds game each week of course.
Not as bad as the days of nationwide football league extra! It was a hard life to attempt to follow Norwich City and was the first time I follow ceefax and started reading the paper. Never saw them live on TV in the late nineties.