From telegraph
Coaches across the Gallagher Premiership have expressed their disappointment following news that a weekly highlights package previously broadcast by Channel 5 has been taken off air.
After a successful year for free-to-air sport in the UK, with Euro 2020 and Emma Raducanu's US Open triumph being shown to a mass audience of millions, the lack of free-to-air national exposure for Premiership Rugby was seen as a backwards step by coaches including Bristol's Pat Lam and Bath's Stuart Hooper, along with Northampton assistant coach Sam Vesty.
The popular weekly highlights show on Channel 5 was previously hosted by Mark Durden-Smith and former England prop David Flatman, with the broadcaster also showing a number of Premiership matches live last season. Highlights are now shown on Premiership Rugby's website, with Flatman part of the coverage.
A Premiership spokesman commented: "We are very proud of our digital-first service for fans, Premiership Rugby TV, which is available worldwide.
"This on-demand platform includes a Monday evening show with David Flatman, alongside full-match replays and highlights of all 159 Gallagher Premiership Rugby matches, just 12 hours after the final whistle of each game."
Lam recalled his own personal experience with matches being shown to a bigger audience from his time as a player in the Premiership, explaining: "Certainly when I was playing up here the Premiership was on Sky in those days and my kids were at school. The only time the kids came to see us at Northampton was when we played Heineken Cup because that was on the BBC. Every kid came back saying 'I watched the game, it was fantastic'. When we played in the Premiership, they did not have that access.
Pat Lam captained Northampton to a Heineken Cup final in 1999
Pat Lam captained Northampton to a Heineken Cup final in 1999 CREDIT: EPA
"I understand the whole value of the game but anything that promotes our game and brings money into our game I am a massive fan of. The more that people can see our great game and particularly this year in the Premiership the better.
"I am a huge believer that the more exposure our game gets, the better - by whatever means, certainly terrestrial TV. I thought Channel 5 did a great job."
Hooper added: "The more people can see this sport, on and off the field, the better, because it's a fantastic product. Surely we want as many people as possible to be able to see it? I understand there are commercial rights to deal with, but let's get the game out there, people seeing it, enjoying it and being entertained by it."
Vesty noted that many people had used the highlights show to catch up with the latest action across the Premiership, calling for it to return.
"Will lack of terrestrial coverage have an effect on connection with the wider sporting public? I do [think so]," he said. "I am surprised that decision has been reached. I wouldn’t know the viewing figures but I would imagine they would be quite high. I know quite a few people anecdotally who watch that show to pick on who’s doing what. I think it is a funny decision. I would like to see it back."
Topic: Someone please bang some heads together (Read 1817 times)
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