I don't have Sky but do have Tnt but apart from European games and the odd Premier league game I don't watch much of the football on there , I watch enough Mlb to make it worth it
I struggle to stay engaged in a game if I don't care who wins , I've watched some Scotish games on I player in recent years as have a friend who supports Falkirk, even got to see Hibs beat Ayr for free in scotish Cup. With so much great tv out there that I struggle to keep up with its hard to find time to watch Italian/ French league games , though I did watch a few Spanish games on itv 4 this season mainly Barca.
I'd heard ITV were going to put on some Spanish games, but I missed them - perhaps they didn't shout loud enough about them or perhaps I wasn't paying attention. I'm sure people sought those free games out, though (beyond La Liga aficionados). Hopefully, ITV got good viewing figures and will put more games on next season.
When Sky hosted Spanish football, they had a neat highlights and chat show called Revista De La Liga, and BT did something similar with their Italian coverage (but without the charm of Gazzetta). But both of these review shows were dropped as they sought to reduce overheads, and I doubt it's a coincidence that the rights drifted away from those broadcasters soon afterwards.
La Liga claims to be doing quite well with its DTC stuff, but I don't know how true that is - the fact that they co-broadcast with Premier Sports suggests they're covering their arses. There's an appetite for continental football, it just feels like it would benefit from being open to all rather than walled off for enthusiasts. And it needs a review show to put the storylines in context and help viewers care about more than just the big teams.
A great piece, and I thnk the "addendum" at the end is so powerful. Like many people who follow Bromley, I do so as a secondary affiliation, my first love being Palace. But like you say, I find it harder and harder to justify my support for what the club has become part of. I was fortunate enough to be at Wembley last weekend to see us lift the cup after more than 45 years of support, and that was indeed a highlight of my football suporting life (as well as being very emotional).
But that doesn't hide what the game at the top level has become, and if I'm being honest Palace is no longer the club that the 5 year old me fell in love with. Palace will always be my first love as far as football is concerned, but if I want to remember why I love the game as a whole . . . . .well I need to go to Hayes Lane for that. Sure, it's not quite the warm experience of the NLS days (I started going in 2007), when you'd be greeted by a friendly turnstile operator who'd tell you to enjoy the game as you went in, and sounded like she actually cared whether you did or not.
But the football is certainly a hell of a lot better, and it remains an altogether more intimate and friendly way to watch football when compared to the big boys. And that needs to be guarded, as it's what makes the club special. As a West Ham supporting friend who I often went to Bromley used to say of Bromley "it's a great antidote to the modern game". And it needs to make sure it stays that way
Love this. Still love Serie A because of those glorious Channel 4 days!! Destination Calcio has been a great add for me this season and will hope to watch much more in 25/26.
I hope Destination Calcio lives long and prospers. Great coverage across the board, and a well-packaged platform, too. Hard to believe it's all free, but the owner has such deep pockets that balancing the books might not be a priority.
Glad the article hit home for you, Jason, and thanks for the kind words.
It must be a difficult balancing act for the people behind the scenes at Hayes Lane these days. On the one hand, fans want a slick ticketing system, smart communication, and up to date facilities around the ground (quite understandably), while on the other hand, a lot of fans fell in love with the non-league version of Bromley that was friendly but a bit rough around the edges.
I actually think the club strike the balance pretty well, but I know some feel alienated and unheard at present. Who'd run a football club, eh?
Congrats on Palace's trophy win. Heady times at Selhurst Park. Well deserved.
I don't have Sky but do have Tnt but apart from European games and the odd Premier league game I don't watch much of the football on there , I watch enough Mlb to make it worth it
I struggle to stay engaged in a game if I don't care who wins , I've watched some Scotish games on I player in recent years as have a friend who supports Falkirk, even got to see Hibs beat Ayr for free in scotish Cup. With so much great tv out there that I struggle to keep up with its hard to find time to watch Italian/ French league games , though I did watch a few Spanish games on itv 4 this season mainly Barca.
I'd heard ITV were going to put on some Spanish games, but I missed them - perhaps they didn't shout loud enough about them or perhaps I wasn't paying attention. I'm sure people sought those free games out, though (beyond La Liga aficionados). Hopefully, ITV got good viewing figures and will put more games on next season.
When Sky hosted Spanish football, they had a neat highlights and chat show called Revista De La Liga, and BT did something similar with their Italian coverage (but without the charm of Gazzetta). But both of these review shows were dropped as they sought to reduce overheads, and I doubt it's a coincidence that the rights drifted away from those broadcasters soon afterwards.
La Liga claims to be doing quite well with its DTC stuff, but I don't know how true that is - the fact that they co-broadcast with Premier Sports suggests they're covering their arses. There's an appetite for continental football, it just feels like it would benefit from being open to all rather than walled off for enthusiasts. And it needs a review show to put the storylines in context and help viewers care about more than just the big teams.
A great piece, and I thnk the "addendum" at the end is so powerful. Like many people who follow Bromley, I do so as a secondary affiliation, my first love being Palace. But like you say, I find it harder and harder to justify my support for what the club has become part of. I was fortunate enough to be at Wembley last weekend to see us lift the cup after more than 45 years of support, and that was indeed a highlight of my football suporting life (as well as being very emotional).
But that doesn't hide what the game at the top level has become, and if I'm being honest Palace is no longer the club that the 5 year old me fell in love with. Palace will always be my first love as far as football is concerned, but if I want to remember why I love the game as a whole . . . . .well I need to go to Hayes Lane for that. Sure, it's not quite the warm experience of the NLS days (I started going in 2007), when you'd be greeted by a friendly turnstile operator who'd tell you to enjoy the game as you went in, and sounded like she actually cared whether you did or not.
But the football is certainly a hell of a lot better, and it remains an altogether more intimate and friendly way to watch football when compared to the big boys. And that needs to be guarded, as it's what makes the club special. As a West Ham supporting friend who I often went to Bromley used to say of Bromley "it's a great antidote to the modern game". And it needs to make sure it stays that way
Love this. Still love Serie A because of those glorious Channel 4 days!! Destination Calcio has been a great add for me this season and will hope to watch much more in 25/26.
I hope Destination Calcio lives long and prospers. Great coverage across the board, and a well-packaged platform, too. Hard to believe it's all free, but the owner has such deep pockets that balancing the books might not be a priority.
Glad the article hit home for you, Jason, and thanks for the kind words.
It must be a difficult balancing act for the people behind the scenes at Hayes Lane these days. On the one hand, fans want a slick ticketing system, smart communication, and up to date facilities around the ground (quite understandably), while on the other hand, a lot of fans fell in love with the non-league version of Bromley that was friendly but a bit rough around the edges.
I actually think the club strike the balance pretty well, but I know some feel alienated and unheard at present. Who'd run a football club, eh?
Congrats on Palace's trophy win. Heady times at Selhurst Park. Well deserved.