HELP, itv is KILLING Eurosport!

klrsa05 wrote:

Me thinks if Eurosport want to be the home of cycling they need to stop shifting the times they will show events from just because something else over runs, it's the biggest annoyance I have with them.

+1
missing out on a major race while watching the interviews after a 20/20 cricket match is excruitiating.

I always watch Eurosport if there is a choice as the commentators are so much better and well informed. They could however learn a little from ITV on highlights programmes as Eurosport 1 hour highlights is usually the last 60 minutes of the race - even if most of it has picture break up! Whereas ITV will have interview, background features etc which is more welcome than when its a run of the mill flat stage where nothing has reallly happened until the last 5 minutes.

Rouleur90 wrote:

British Eurosport is about expertise in the sports they cover. They use commentators and analysts for their ability on screen or behind the microphone, not just because of what they achieved as athletes.

In events where they compete with another channels, Tour de France, their unique selling point is their knowledge and familiarity with cycling. In most cases they will cover the sport all year round and not just drop in for the big event.

ITV's level of commitment to cycling show's they are just cashing in on the tour. the British interest in the tour this year, the 100 anniversary, will be bigger than any other year, after last year's tour and the olympics.

Shouldn't the viewers be made aware of the quality Eurosport has over ITV.?

Yeah, sorry, that's absolute crap. ITV, and before them Channel 4, have been showing the Tour for years! They've had extensive coverage for years, not just since it became popular.

Also, Eurosport is not the home of cycling, it's the home of sports of all natures. Cycling often feels like a lesser player in their stable unless it's a major race with coverage being shunted around to cater for Motorsports, football and other higher profile sports. For an entity who you claim is the home of cycling, that's pretty poor.

Rouleur90 wrote:

It's the like of Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen that make ITV's coverage a labour. Sean Kelly and David Harmon are superior commentators in all aspects. People should fork out that little extra for far higher quality programme. ITV is a FTA channel and it shows it with lacklustre pundits.

I don't mind Phil and Paul, they're not amazing but they're not awful and at least I can actually understand what they're saying. Commentating on an event which lasts a whole day and in which, for most of the day, absolutely nothing happens of interest (so they resort to pointing out interesting landmarks) isn't easy and I think they do a decent job of it. Ned Boulting and some of the other guys who work on the ITV coverage are excellent and add a great deal to the coverage.

As others have said, these are two multinational corporations. It's up to them to promote themselves and your post smacks of astroturfing. If Eurosport want to make more of their cycling coverage than they have done in the past (and in my opinion that would just be them cashing in on the British success and the 100th tour coming up) then that's for them to do.

ITV have shown the Tour through lean years and have stuck with it. Hopefully they'll now reap the benefit of their persistence and get increased viewers numbers and ad revenue next year to help secure the free-to-air rights for the Tour, and other races (fingers crossed for the Giro) for years to come.

Well I guess because commentary is an art it can be grouped with subjectivism. However I prefer Paul and Phil, their commentary adds flavour and spice. I was with eurosport before and they are so dead and boring, if a rider makes an attack they don't respond with enthusiasm, they don't give you a run down on their credentials, they don't give one a brief history of the locals - buildings, type of farming, etc.

On the other hand with Paul and Phil, these gives comment on everything, they explain the importance of taking on liquids and its benefits, they tell us why its important not to panic when you have a wheel change etc. And I especially like how they give a brief history of important buildings, main agricultural produce of the areas, even a history of the particular road - You can appreciate that ITV do a lot of home work on the route before the actual race day. So the viewer is constantly informed universally.

thereandbackagain wrote:

This sounds like someone from an Ad Agency looking for pitch ideas. You don't work for Karmarama do you?

Bingo....