Oakland2002 wrote:

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I am conflicted re tennis TV coverage in the UK. I was overjoyed that Wimbledon coverage is staying with the BBC ie free, live to air with broad coverage on the red button. To go with a satellite or cable broadcaster would have been a travesty. We need as many people to see tennis's show piece as possible and equate it with being British maintaining Wimbledon as a fundamental part of the British summer for tots to grannies in the hope as many will pick up a racquet as possible. The coverage has to be low brow, generalist and suit the audience which isn't us. So given that remitted I forgive them.

Both Rugby and Cricket seriously missed a trick here particularly cricket. They went niche, high tech super specialist and unlike football there just aren't enough true fanatics or saleable games to maintain a high enough profile to grow the game. American football if it had any sense would make sure it's live games in London this year were available on a terrestrial channel, free to air.

Now this is where I think we miss a trick.

Managing that window between RG and Wimbledon. Nottingham, Queens, Eastbourne all get coverage which is great, but this is were there is a place for a nerdy UK biased TV coverage, bring it all together with Surbiton, Build an audience for Wimbledon qualifying, put it in context ie being 300 in the world is pretty good, 150 you are not far off the real deal. (Imagine being 300th best footballer in London, ironically that's some player earning 15-20 K a week probably on loan from Chelsea at Middlesborough)

Sky have knocked out some really classy cricket magazine programmes with Warne giving an amazing bowling clinic that will stay with me forever, we could focusing on the rising stars of the game, analyse futures, challengers and the junior game, even a college and team tennis round up, pick the rising stars chart their progress, get OG in to talk about why he gave up tennis, how to avoid injury, physics corner, live demos (get Dan Evans serving against Naomi and a speed gun or who ever Kevin Anderson etc...)..This is where there is no place for Andrew Castle and lack of detail makes you look stupid.

Sorry started meaning to say coverage irritating but fit for purpose and turned into thought for the day. Whoops.

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 This is exactly what I'm going for with my online blog/magazine/newspaper. Watch this space.

Curse my presumptuousness.

Back on serve at 6-5*...

Err, maybe it still sometimes goes wrong ...

Going to a final rubber in Belgium, Goffin having beaten Schwartzman ( so not in practice "the two number ones", Andrew ) 6-3 6-2 6-1

I'm thinking that it's not going to the final rubber in the other SF

The Davis Cup sticker for their live scores shows the scoreboard of the Ward/Isner match in the first round. Two sets to love down, winning 15-13 in the fifth.

Just got me thinking that if not for that magnificent comeback we'd probably be playing in the relegation play-off this weekend. Incredible how a few points here or there and Ward holding his nerve time and time again, means we're instead making our first final in 37 years. Such fine, fine margins.

Come on Delbonis. Not sure about our chances against the Belgians but a home tie on hard against the Argentinians would make us heavy favourites.

-- Edited by TMH on Sunday 20th of September 2015 02:11:18 PM

Sue with the 3 amigos and Jamie Baker showing up very well.

Hope to see more of him.

-- Edited by indiana on Sunday 20th of September 2015 02:55:23 PM

I can't stand Castle. At all. His persona, his commentary, the way he acts on twitter. He's a grade A buffoon.

I watched back the five minute highlight reel of the doubles earlier and his commentary is so poor. Sounds like your average part-time fan down the pub than a former professional. "I hate to say it but Groth absolutely choked there!" "How do they keep coming back?" (x3). Etc.

It's about time the BBC had a reshuffle of their tennis team to be honest. Baker would make a great full-time addition, be it as pundit or commentator. Or both. Why not?