Issue 10 - Into Double Figures

The final newsletter for the month of June, edging ever closer to a brand new season. With the Premier League’s new broadcast deal in focus, this issue breaks down what Sky Sports’ changes really mean. Issue 10. Start the dance.

Television Rules The Nation

There are some areas of the football pitch that are considered sacrosanct. Or at least they were until today and with broadcasters looking to squeeze further value from their multi-billion pound deals, it is access that has previously served as the final frontier.

Access that does not allow dressing footage to be displayed during the game - if only because it makes for peak Amazon end of season documentary footage and access that does not account for those who have been substituted after an afternoon of toil.

That was then but now is soon to be different and with a new TV deal coming into fruition in just a few weeks time both Sky and TNT want a lot more for the endless sums that they are spending.

More games allocated for broadcasting but the influence does not stop there and according to a report by The Telegraph, it is set to be open access for as far as the cameras can go.

The fundamental changes that are expected to be rubber stamped are:

Dressing Room content - albeit no team talks

Cameraman allowed on the pitch for goal celebrations

Managers interviewed at half-time

Substituted players to be interviewed by touchline reporters.

Yes, if you thought the Americanification of the Premier League was already complete than you ain’t see nothing yet. No more need for conjecture or what might have happened, the curtain is finally pulled back for good.

Did Anyone Actually Ask For This

From a fan perspective, has anybody actually clamoured for this. Do we really need to know what Sean Longstaff thinks after being subbed off at the London Stadium? What price the thoughts on Daniel Farke’s views at the interval.

The art of discussion gets nullified further when you know everything there is to know. Will this enhance the viewing of Premier League games or will it just add to the ever-loudening noise that we now have to try and sit through.

Like all new elements that football and by extension the Premier League bring in, there will undoubtedly be an element of curiosity but when is too much, actually too much? It seems like not enough when broadcasters are paying more than £6bn to show the games.

That in itself leads to another problem and it is one where Sky Sports is no longer the limit in terms of brodcasting and this is due to the identity crisis that it finds itself dealing with.

Sky Sports' current approach does seem oddly conflicted; a push for youth engagement without actually offering meaningful value, especially when younger audiences aren't the ones paying the bills.

Programming feels dumbed down. Not for analysis or insight but for short form clips and getting the better of the algorithim. No longer is Sky Sports News destination television, now it is a nuisance in the background.

No longer is it punditry, its vibez. Daniel Sturridge singing a song, Micah Richards guffawing, Roy Keane being made to say the word ‘baby’. Trying to mimic the CBS blueprint which is spot on for American audiences but does not land over here.

Of course, this could easily be construed as “older football fan no longer in touch with modern trends” and there is a level of criticism but when you are paying Sky money for YouTube quality, surely it is fair to expect more.

Especially when you get so much less for your subscription fee. Admittedly, Sky have made no secret of their record-breaking 270 games per season but unless you are prepared to give up every minute of the weekend, there is no other reason to watch it.

Painting A Scenario

When was the last time you actually watched a programme on Sky Sports?

One that was not a live broadcast or Soccer Saturday….

The answer - I would guess, a long time ago.

The reason - because there is nothing to watch.

No longer is their value in wraparound or magazine style programming - Revista De La Liga being a perfect example (ignoring the fact that they gave up the Spanish rights a while back).

Anything that needs additional staff in the way of presenters or producers is no longer deemed value for money in the post-Murdoch era. You either get live sport and lots of it or you get schedule filler from the archives.

The 2012/13 EFL Championship Playoff final at 2pm on a Tuesday - yes please

Celtic vs Rangers 1998 4.30pm on Wednesday - go on then

30 min highlights of Fulham vs Bournemouth four days after the clash at Craven Cottage - you get the idea.

Which before I go on a neverending rant, I will bring it back to its final conclusion. The reason that the broadcasters want to show all these extra in-game clips is because they have nothing else to show.

They need to extract maximum value from subscribers at 4pm on a Sunday - make them gorge on content for three hours because they know that everything else from Monday to Friday is worth so little.

And they wonder why so many people are tempted to use fire sticks.

One wonders if this new performative angle will push even more people to cut their susbcription cord. It wouldn’t surprise me, especially as the bill payer is likely to be 45 rather than 25-years-old.

Brentford Name Their New Boss

As alluded to both here and on other platforms, Brentford’s search for a new manager has started and finished with Keith Andrews. A man who goes from set-piece coach to first team coach in the blink of an eye.

Blink once if you think this is a good idea.

Blink twice if you think this is a bad idea.

The logic of the decision comes from Brentford’s own in-house data modelling and if Andrews is the top candidate after being put through all the relevant metrics, then you have to believe that the Bees know what they are doing.

Risk Or Reward

Some people say that it is a risky move. Others say that this could mean a real struggle for Brentford. If it is to be the later, what does a struggle actually mean?

The first marker of a struggle is not matching the league position of last season but because of such a strong finish last time around, there is margin for error.

Brentford like so many other clubs will look in front in the hope for European football and look over their shoulders to make sure they are still a top 17 outfit and if Andrews can deliver the latter part of the bargain, there is no reason for the board to be jittery.

At the same time, if Andrews does get off to a horrific start at the GTech Community Stadium, there is plenty of time to crack the emergency glass and bring in a firefighter for the rest of the campaign.

In essence, there are two main questions

Will Keith Andrews last the season.

Will Brentford go down because of Keith Andrews.

If the Bees are in a mess, they will not allow Andrews to be the man who oversees the sinking ship and if the Bees are comfortably midtable, everyone will have to say that the club knew what they were doing.

Let’s keep any eye on him in terms of the Pressure Rankings - not right up there from the start, give me 10 games and let’s talk.

The Filter Five

Five more footballing morsels to chew this weekend.

Van Parked Elsewhere

Leicester announced that they have parted company with Ruud Van Nistelrooy. Not surprising after the former Manchester United forward oversaw the Foxes relegation to the Championship.

But why now? Why wait until a month after the season. Why wait nine weeks after the trap door swallowed him and his players up. Another strange decision or perhaps the lack thereof which causes further problems in the East Midlands and this with a points deduction hanging over their heads.

Palace Weekend Wait

An agonising weekend if you are a Crystal Palace fan. The decision from UEFA was expected on Friday. The decision has now been delayed until Monday. Will they get European football after all? That depends on the next point.

Lyon Also Waiting

Because just after I hit send on Issue 9 did the news break that Lyon have been relegated from Ligue 1. Huge news for a club that used to be the dominant force in French football before Paris and Qatar got in bed with each other.

To make things even more intertwined, this is the same Lyon who are also waiting to see if they or Crystal Palace are in Europe and guess who has a say in the running of the club? You guessed it…. John Textor.

The multi-club model is one that has become a huge burden round his neck and not only has he had to appeal to UEFA, he now has to do the same to the powerbrokers of French football. Get that man a cold drink. Monday’s announcement is going to be fascinating.

Harvey Elliott Tax

Harvey Elliott scored twice in England U21’s win over the Netherlands. A result that takes England into a second successive age group European Championship final and one that gives Lee Carsley’s international management stock a timely boost.

It also boosts the stock of Elliott and with the Liverpool player being linked with Brighton, his performance against the next generation of Dutch talent will have arguably placed another £10m on his transfer fee.

Perfect timing for Liverpool to sell while he is limelight, rather than hold onto him until either the end of the window or January when the clamour is not there due to large periods of starting eleven inactivity.

Crocodile Ange

No not a Paul Hogan movie remake but news that Ange Postecoglou’s world tour could continue with a stint in America’s MLS. Los Angeles FC are rumoured to be considering his appointment. They may want to consider a defensive coach to go with him.

Admin

Right, that’s the end of issue 10. Big thanks to everyone who not only subscribes but more importantly reads the newsletter. The sprint to 50 subscribers begins, I want to and I will get that knocked off by the start of the season with your help.

Also, continual feedback is certainly going to help drive this forward. If you want to take the time to tell me what you liked, what you didn’t like and/or what you want to see.

Consider these summer issues as a ‘soft launch’ - the concepts and ideas will be free-flowing when the season starts, I promise you there’s more to come as we get out of this difficult June period and I will have a crack at building an actual ‘pressure ranking’

My email for correspondence is

[email protected]

Issue 11 will be out on Tuesday July 1st

Thanks for reading

Dan