“You know we’re in Salford right?” joked Micah Richards as Joe Hart was eulogising about the “unbelievable energy” of the Azteca Stadium before England’s epic win over co-hosts Mexico.
Richards got a round of laughter in the studio, but the loveable pundit touched on one of the lively debates around this World Cup. Should the BBC be broadcasting from a futuristic studio thousands of miles away from the action? Does it affect the coverage? Do the viewers care? Or is it just one of those weird media obsessions?
Comparison is the thief of joy, as the famous saying goes, but here comparison is stealing the admiration that the BBC might have received for their state-of-the-art studio. The technology is impressive and it will be used by BBC Sport for years to come. The problem is, ITV’s backdrop has blown them out of the water.
Apart from the strange decision to give Emma Hayes a chalkboard in what looked like a kitchen, ITV have had a brilliant World Cup so far. When your wide shot is framed by the Statue of Liberty on one side and the Brooklyn Bridge on the other, it’s hard not to see that as the pinnacle of TV bases. I’m sure they would have loved to add a huge name like Zlatan Ibrahimovic to their pundit panel but not even their coffers can cover the rumoured £1.9m that Fox are paying the superstar former striker for his six weeks’ work.
It is almost impossible for the BBC to win in this situation. The derogatory articles and comments about the “cut-price coverage” or “lame game” were coming from the same pens which have written countless pieces about the number of BBC staff who have attended major sporting events in the past. I covered five World Cups for the BBC and four Olympic Games. I loved every minute of it, but you always knew what was coming when you touched down.
‘The BBC turned down a ticket to the biggest party of the year’ (Photo: BBC)It doesn’t help that there is an assumption that foreign trips constitute a jolly. I’m not saying there aren’t amazing moments, but we used to work our backsides off and it wasn’t always as glamorous as you might imagine.
In my experience, the BBC was always incredibly careful about how it spent the licence fee. When we flew out for the World Cup in Brazil in 2014, we were all staying at a two-star hotel about half a mile away from our five-star ITV friends. Pictures of pundits in their rooftop swimming pool did not go down very well. It was always that way.
Budgets are tight and the BBC will have to live with the choice to turn down a ticket to the biggest party of the year. By not being there for the bulk of the tournament you do lose authenticity. You lose the chance to reflect on what it’s like to walk those streets and you miss some of the magic of having a front row seat for the greatest show on earth.
Of course it can be done at distance but there is no substitute for being there and seeing things first hand.
It should be noted the BBC has sent reporters and commentators out to North America this summer but much of their work is taking place off-camera.
In a world of AI and fakery, authenticity has never been more important. It might seem trivial but ITV are doing well because you can see Mark Pougatch’s hair being blown around. Maybe the BBC need to invest in a wind machine.
And this isn’t about being anti-technology. Football Focus was the first BBC show to come from an entirely augmented studio. Apart from the desk and chairs, everything else was in the mind palace. It took your brain a few minutes to get used to the sea of green and you lost your perception of depth. It was hard to focus, on Football Focus!
When I presented the Tokyo Olympics alongside Sam Quek, in an even bigger virtual studio, it looked out of this world. The viewer saw us in a multi-layered Japanese townhouse with a beautiful garden, koi carp swimming under the floorboards and a giant TV screen on the mezzanine.
In truth, Sam and I were sat at a tiny desk in a green box the size of a squash court. The difference is the Tokyo 2020 decision was made through necessity during the pandemic. The one for this summer’s World Cup was an editorial decision because of financial restraints and impending cuts hanging over our national broadcaster.
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Pete Hall: Eight irritating ways America has ruined this World Cup Matt Butler: John Terry is the worst UK ambassador to the US since Peter MandelsonWith all that said, I am really enjoying the coverage of this World Cup. The BBC analysis and commentary has been great and Joe Hart has been a standout star while I am enjoying the blend of pundits on ITV.
The real test will come when we get to the final and the same game is on both channels. The BBC has long won that battle but what impact will the Salford switch have when the nation reaches for its remotes?
In the past, it’s been as much as 5 to 1 in favour of the BBC. If it’s anywhere near 50-50 then there will be some serious post-tournament conversations about decisions and the decision-makers.
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