Match of the Day is looking for a new presenter now that Gary Lineker is leaving after 25 years. The truth is, it really doesn’t matter who replaces him, whether they’re male or female, a former player or nepo baby like Roman Kemp. That’s because Match of the Day really doesn’t matter to a vast majority of football fans any more.
There will be those who lament the fact that, as seems likely, MotD will get a female presenter. But does it really matter?
The viewing figures, recently lauded by St Gary as ‘amazing’, are around the four million mark. This is out of a football-mad population of around 60 million people – excluding Scotland, which has its own highlights programme, Sportscene, on the BBC. That four million figure also includes those who watch it on iPlayer and, though there are no official figures for this, it’s fairly commonplace to use this ‘non-live’ version to fast-forward through the boring bits – whether that’s the punditry, the 0–0 draws, the post-match interviews or simply any game that doesn’t involve the team you support. And even then, it’s probably not watched if they lost. As a match-going Spurs fan, the last thing I want after a 250-mile round trip to see us lose at home to Ipswich is to go through it all again.
It’s isn’t Lineker’s fault that so many people either don’t watch the show or just watch the bits that don’t include him. He does a pretty good job presenting a show that is, basically, a dinosaur stumbling to its inevitable extinction. Match of the Day is a relic of a golden, pre-Premier League age where it, and ITV’s Sunday lunchtime equivalent, were the only ways to see domestic football on TV. It was here that fans could see not just Frank Worthington’s wonder goal for Bolton against Ipswich (look it up), but also Francis Lee and Norman Hunter punching seven bells out of each other, and Jimmy Hill being plucked out of the crowd to run the line when the linesman was taken ill during a game.
Yes, there are those who may enjoy MotD’s attempts to keep up with the modern lexicon of xG, low block, false nine and, heaven save us, ‘the quarterback role,’ who devour the fancy graphics showing gaps between the back four and defensive midfield (‘between the lines’) as described in monotonous tones by Danny Murphy. People who revel in the long drawn-out dissection of a controversial VAR decision and the post-match interview with a manager describing something that happened ‘in that moment’. Maybe, just maybe, there is someone who can put up with the occasional Jonathan Pearce commentary.
But why do that when it is now possible to watch any match you want, live, from your living room or the pub? If it is not being shown on Sky or other subscription service, there are millions of people who stream coverage from legally questionable sites online (although it’s not something I would endorse).
If it’s only the goals you want, then these are more often than not shown within moments on social media thanks to foreign supporters, who can watch them (legally) via their own TV networks and then post them on X or YouTube. A round-up of all the goals from all the divisions – because let’s not forget that football does exist outside the Premier League – is generally available on various YouTube channels too, or collated by Sky Sports and elsewhere. Far more of these games are now being shown live by Sky under a new deal. They are also available to watch on illegal streams if you know where to go.
Of course, there will be those who lament the fact that, as seems likely, MotD will get a female presenter. But does it really matter? Alex Scott, one of the favourites, is a former player, has a sports broadcasting degree and has featured on many a TV show including football programmes. Frankly, she makes far more sense than Robbie Savage (but then, so does the average five-year-old).
Other women in the running include the very capable Gabby Logan, Kelly Somers and TNT Sports presenter Reshmin Chowdhury. It seems the BBC is going out of its way to give MotD to anyone but the man who I, and many others, consider the best candidate of all: the impressive Mark Chapman. Amiable, knowledgeable, natural and with a fine pedigree of hosting football shows on both radio and television. Better yet, we’re more likely to hear his views on Gazza than Gaza.
Chapman would maintain the spirit that has run through the various iterations of the show, ever since 20,000 viewers tuned in to watch the highlights of Liverpool v Arsenal on the very first broadcast in 1964. The viewing figures represented less than half of those who were at the ground, but there was little appetite for a black-and-white, scratchy broadcast. The introduction of slow-motion replays a couple of years later, followed by full-colour broadcasts before the end of the 1960s, helped to grow the audience, no doubt encouraged by the 1966 World Cup victory.
All of which would be for nothing should the BBC, as rumoured, go fully bonkers and plump for One Show presenter and radio DJ Roman Kemp, son of Spandau Ballet’s Martin Kemp. He is said to be a front-runner in leaked news that would all but kill off many the few traditionalists who still tune in. It suggests the BBC is looking to go down the much-travelled route of trying to find a way to appeal to a younger audience – the very ones who use social media, illegal streaming and other ways of getting their football fix. Not to mention the fact that younger people probably have better things to do on a Saturday night.
If that’s the case, then don’t be surprised if someone from MotD’s rota of ubiquitous celebrities ends up presenting it – if there are any who are not too busy presenting a travel show. Perhaps they will use a different guest presenter each week, as per Have I Got News For You? Or just revert to what they and every other channel do when they can’t find a presenter and simply give Romesh Ranganathan a call.
This article is free to read
To unlock more articles, subscribe to get 3 months of unlimited access for just $5
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in