BBC Sport 3095179 225419498 2008-07-13T16:18:59Z 81.102.179.218 /* Tennis */ [[Image:Bbcsport logo.jpg|right|175px]] '''BBC Sport''' is the sports division of the [[BBC]]. It became a fully dedicated division of the BBC in 2000. It incorporates programmes such as ''[[Match of the Day]]'', ''[[Grandstand (BBC)|Grandstand]]'' (discontinued in early 2007), ''[[Test Match Special]]'', ''[[Ski Sunday]]'', ''[[Rugby Special]]'' and coverage of the [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon Tennis Championships]]. BBC Sport's website<ref name="ref1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport|title=BBC Sport Website|accessdate=2007-03-30}}</ref> is also the UK's biggest and most popular sport website and is increasingly adding video and audio coverage to its scores and text news services. Due to the public status of the BBC, [[advertising]] is (officially) forbidden and as a result, sports matches covered by BBC Sport are not (strictly speaking) allowed to be sponsored, although the present commercialisation of sport makes this almost impossible in practice. In the face of increased competition from its rival broadcasters the BBC has softened its stance and is now contractually obliged to refer to certain competitions by their sponsored name under the terms of broadcasting rights deals. [[Image:BBC Sportsday.jpg|thumb|right|''Sportsday'' is a main programme produced by BBC Sport and shown on [[BBC News (TV Channel)|BBC News]].]] BBC Sport launched a trial of the High Definition television format<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4417202.stm BBC to trial high-definition TV] BBC News Online; 8 November 2005</ref> of the [[2006 FIFA World Cup|2006 Football World Cup]] in [[HDTV]] as part of a wider trial of that format by the BBC. With the official launch of [[BBC HD]], live football matches and golf have led the channel's sports output, and the BBC is rumored to be studying the possibility of airing [[Premier League]] highlights in HD. BBC Sport Interactive was launced in June 2008 on [[BBCi]], it is available on digital cable, satellite and terrestrial by pressing the red button and selecting page 300. ==Sports which BBC Sport holds rights to show== ===Tennis=== One of the BBC Sport's most prized pieces of sport is the [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon Tennis Championships]]. The BBC has televised Wimbledon since 1937 and today produces over 900 hours of footage for display in 159 different countries.<ref>[http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/about/tvschedule/tv_bbc.html Wimbledon Website - The Championships and The All England Lawn Tennis Club<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The BBC shows both live matches, presented by [[Sue Barker]], as well as a daily highlights programme entitled [[Today at Wimbledon]] fronted by [[John Inverdale]]. Other commentators and analysts include [[John McEnroe]], [[Boris Becker]], [[Jimmy Connors]], [[John Lloyd (tennis)|John Lloyd]], [[Martina Navratilova]], [[Virginia Wade]], [[Samantha Smith (tennis)|Sam Smith]], [[Tracy Austin]], [[Greg Rusedski]], [[Barry Davies]], [[Andrew Castle]] and Chris Bradnam. Furthermore, the BBC shows live coverage of both the [[French Open (tennis)|French Open]] and the [[Australian Open]] on its interactive services, while screening the finals live on its terrestrial channels. It also provides coverage for the British Davis Cup team and pre-Wimbledon events such as those at the [[Queen's Club Championships]] and [[International Women's Open|Eastbourne]]. The BBC currently holds the broadcast rights for Wimbledon until 2014. ===Football===<!-- This section is linked from [[List of FIFA World Cup broadcasters]] --> [[Image:BBC World Cup MOTD HD.png|thumb|right|The high definition World Cup broadcasts led to a new style of graphics introduced in 2006.]] The [[BBC]] holds exclusive terrestrial rights to show [[Premier League]] highlights and joint rights for the [[FIFA World Cup]], along with [[ITV]], until the [[2014 FIFA World Cup|2014 tournament in Brazil]]. [[Premier League]] highlights are shown under the flagship ''Match of the Day'' programme on Saturdays (usually on [[BBC One]]), along with ''[[Match of the Day 2]]'' (usually on [[BBC Two]]) on Sundays. [[BBC Scotland]] shows highlights of all [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]] home matches, with some live away games often being shown by them under the ''[[Sportscene|Sportscene Live]]'' banner. Some of these broadcasts go out to the full network as part of ''Match of the Day'', typically with a separate production. The BBC showed Scotland and [[Wales national football team|Wales]]' home matches until the [[Scottish FA]] and the [[Football Association of Wales|FAW]] both signed deals with [[Sky Sports]]. Sky will also have the right to broadcast [[Northern Ireland national football team|Northern Ireland]]'s home matches from 2008, having bought the rights from [[BBC Northern Ireland]], who held them for 20 years.<ref>[http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/article2491985.ece IFA had to cash in]</ref> BBC Scotland also continues to host extensive live coverage and highlights from Scotland's two major cup competitions, the [[Scottish Cup|Tennent's Scottish Cup]] and the [[Scottish League Cup|CIS League Cup]]; Sky hold the rights for UK-wide coverage. [[FAW Cup]] matches are shown under the title ''Match of the Day Wales''. In March 2007, [[ITV Sport]] and [[Setanta Sports]] picked up the rights to show [[FA Cup]] and [[England national football team|England]] home internationals from [[Sky Sports]] and the BBC. In November 2007 the [[BBC]] responded by picking up live rights for ten [[Football League Championship]] matches from the 2009-10 season, as well as both legs of a [[Football League Cup|Carling Cup]] semi final exclusively live and shared live coverage of the Final with [[Sky Sports]]. It will also have a full [[Football League]] and [[Football League Cup|Carling Cup]] highlights programme. BBC Sport's football coverage is usually anchored by [[Gary Lineker]] and the main pundits are [[Alan Hansen]], [[Alan Shearer]], [[Lee Dixon]], and [[Mark Lawrenson]], with [[Dougie Donnelly]], [[Dougie Vipond]] and [[David Currie]] anchoring BBC Scotland programming. The BBC's main commentators are [[John Motson]], [[Steve Wilson]] and [[Jonathan Pearce]], and BBC Scotland's main commentator is [[Paul Mitchell (broadcaster)|Paul Mitchell]]. For many years [[Barry Davies]] commentated for the BBC but he is now retired from their football coverage. Other football hosts and reporters include [[Ray Stubbs]], [[Gabby Logan]], [[Adrian Chiles]], [[Manish Bhasin]] and [[Jake Humphrey]]. ===Rugby union=== The BBC holds exclusive rights to the [[Six Nations Championship|Six Nations]] championship in the UK. It shows all matches in the tournament live, previously under the ''Six Nations Grandstand'' brand. The BBC hold additional rights to the Autumn Internationals for the [[Wales national rugby union team|Welsh]], [[Scotland national rugby union team|Scottish]] and [[Ireland national rugby union team|Irish]] sides, as well as highlights of the [[England national rugby union team|English]] team, formerly under the ''Grandstand'' brand. The BBC also holds rights to show highlights of the [[Guinness Premiership]], England's top league in [[rugby union]]. It shows these under its ''[[Rugby Special]]'' brand. The BBC holds exclusive rights to show the Anglo-Welsh [[EDF Energy Cup]] and did so on ''Grandstand'' and also under its ''[[Scrum V]]'' brand in Wales. The BBC holds joint right to show the [[Celtic League (Rugby Union)|Celtic League]], Wales, Ireland and Scotland's top league along with Setanta Sports which it does again under the ''Scrum V'' brand, which is only available in Wales and on digital television. It is also interesting to note that BBC Sport produces the [[Welsh language|Welsh-language]] [[S4C]]'s coverage of the Celtic League and EDF Energy Cup under the ''[[Y Clwb Rygbi]]'' brand. This is because the BBC is obliged to provide S4C with several hours of programming a week. BBC Sport's rugby union coverage is currently presented by [[John Inverdale]], [[Gabby Logan]], [[Jill Douglas]] and on ''Scrum V'' in Wales, [[Eddie Butler (rugby player)|Eddie Butler]]. The main pundits used are [[Jeremy Guscott]], [[Jonathan Davies]], [[Andy Nicol]] and [[Keith Wood]] and also [[Stuart Davies]] on Scrum V. The BBC's commentary team includes [[Eddie Butler (rugby player)|Eddie Butler]], [[Nick Mullins]], [[Andrew Cotter]], [[Brian Moore (rugby player)|Brian Moore]] and [[Jonathan Davies]]. [[Bill McLaren]] was the BBC's main commentator for many years before his retirement in 2002. ===Rugby league=== Coverage of rugby league is usually presented by [[Clare Balding]]. [[Jonathan Davies]] and [[Ray French (rugby)|Ray French]] usually commentate on the key matches such as the Challenge Cup Final and rounds prior to the final. The BBC covers the Challenge Cup from the rounds in which the top clubs enter. Sky Sports holds the rights to the [[Super League (Europe)|Super League]] competition which is the premier league of domestic rugby league in the UK. Highlights are shown on the BBC's [[Super League Show]] which from 2008 has been broadcast across the UK.<ref name="SLS">{{cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/7238707.stm | title=Super League Show to get repeat | publisher=BBC Sport | author= | date=2008-02-11 | accessdate=2008-02-11}}</ref> [[Rugby League Raw]] shows the National Leagues play-offs. It is shown in the following BBC regions: North East and Cumbria; Yorkshire; East Yorkshire, Humberside and Lincolnshire and North West. The BBC extended its live rights contract with the [[Rugby Football League]] on [[26 November]] [[2007]], covering the [[Rugby League Challenge Cup|Challenge Cup]] from 2009 to 2011, as well as gaining the rights to show one [[England national rugby league team|England]] international each year. ===Motorsport=== After losing the rights to [[Formula One]] and the [[World Rally Championship]], the BBC dabbled in British and World Superbikes for a few years — often showing the World Championship version live. In 2003 it also won the rights to the MotoGP World Championship. After a successful first season, coverage was expanded with more live races, and the contract extended until 2009. After dropping the World and British Superbikes, The BBC now shows all [[Grand Prix motorcycle racing|MotoGP]] races, with many qualifying sessions live. [[Suzi Perry]] is the host with commentary from Charlie Cox and Steve Parrish. Red Bull Formula One driver Mark Webber currently writes a column for the motorsport section of the BBC Sport website. BBC Sport also cover the [[Isle of Man TT]]. Television coverage of Formula One will return to the BBC in 2009 after a five year deal was announced in March 2008.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/3/7516.html |title=Formula One Administration Ltd announces new BBC Agreement |accessdate=[[2008-03-20]]}}</ref>, replacing ITV's existing coverage. ===Olympics=== The BBC holds the exclusive terrestrial rights to show [[Summer Olympics]] and [[Winter Olympics]] and has shown live coverage of every [[Summer Olympics]] since 1960. This long-standing association between the [[Olympic Games]] and the BBC will now include coverage of the [[2012 Summer Olympics]] to be held in [[London]]. Presenters for the [[Summer Olympics]] and [[Winter Olympics]] have included many of the corporation's sports presenters, such as [[David Coleman]], [[Frank Bough]], [[Des Lynam]], [[Steve Rider]] and [[Sue Barker]]. ===Athletics=== For many years, the BBC has covered the biggest events in athletics, stretching as far back as 1954, when [[Roger Bannister]] broke the four-minute mile. Fronted for many years by [[David Coleman]], until his retirement after the [[2000 Summer Olympics]], events such as the [[Commonwealth Games]], the [[IAAF World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]], the [[European Athletics Championships]], domestic British athletics and mass-participation events such as the [[London Marathon]] and the [[Great North Run]] have been and still are broadcast. The athletics presenting team currently (2007) consists of [[Sue Barker]], [[Hazel Irvine]], [[Colin Jackson]], [[Steve Cram]], [[Jonathan Edwards (athlete)|Jonathan Edwards]], Stuart Storey, Paul Dickenson, [[Brendan Foster]] and [[Michael Johnson (athlete)|Michael Johnson]]. ===Horse Racing=== Although the amount of horse racing on the BBC has declined in recent years, many big races are still to be found on the BBC. The [[Grand National]] has for many years been one of the biggest attractions on ''Grandstand'' with audiences around or often in excess of 10 million for the race on a Saturday afternoon. Coverage of other events such as [[Royal Ascot]] and the [[Epsom Derby]] are also broadcast, with presenter [[Clare Balding]] fronting the coverage. The Derby was won back after many years in 2001, when the BBC also gained rights to the [[Epsom Oaks]], which had only ever previously been shown by [[ITV]] and [[Channel 4]] (until 2001, the commercial broadcasters had always held the [[Epsom Downs Racecourse|Epsom]] contract, but from 1960-1974, in 1977, and in 1979 the BBC had shown the Derby simultaneously with ITV, because it was a protected event which could not be exclusive to either channel). However, many important races have disappeared from the BBC in recent years: the [[Cheltenham Festival]] and other [[Cheltenham Racecourse|Cheltenham]] meetings went to Channel 4 in 1995, meetings from [[Newbury Racecourse|Newbury]] moved to Channel 4 in 2002, and after 50 years [[Glorious Goodwood]] and other [[Goodwood Racecourse|Goodwood]] meetings were lost to Channel 4 in 2007. Also, in 2007 the [[Irish Derby]], which had been included in ''Grandstand'' and later ''[[Sunday Grandstand]]'' for decades, was only shown on [[At The Races]]. The most famous BBC TV racing broadcaster was [[Peter O'Sullevan]], who became one of the first ever TV sports commentators in the immediate post-war years, and stayed with the BBC until 1997. ===Golf=== The BBC holds exclusive UK rights to live coverage to two of the four [[men's major golf championships]], [[The Open Championship|The Open]] and the [[The Masters Tournament|US Masters]]. Led by veteran commentator [[Peter Alliss]], the team also cover four other [[European Tour]] events held in Britain - the [[BMW PGA Championship|PGA Championship]], the [[HSBC World Match Play Championship|World Match Play Championship]], the [[Quinn Direct British Masters|British Masters]] and the [[Scottish Open (golf)|Scottish Open]], although live coverage of these will be restricted to the weekend's play from 2009 under the new contract negotiated with the European Tour. Sky Sports will cover Thursday and Friday play live.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.europeantour.com/default.sps?pagegid=%7B5A258B31%2D8294%2D4C0E%2DB8B9%2DA796F6009E52%7D&newsid=443441 |title=European Tour announces new Television Agreement |publisher=[[PGA European Tour]] |accessdate=2007-07-13 |date=[[2007-07-11]]}}</ref> It also covers the [[Women's British Open]]. Highlights of the [[Ryder Cup]] can also be seen on the BBC. Recently, [[Match of the Day]]'s [[Gary Lineker]] has become the face of golf on the BBC although [[Hazel Irvine]] presents the women's events. ===Snooker=== The 1970s [[BBC Two|BBC2]] programme ''[[Pot Black]]'' was arguably the reason for the sport's great popularity over the last 30 years. Snooker produced the largest ever audience for [[BBC Two|BBC2]] with the [[1985 World Snooker Championship final]] between [[Steve Davis]] and [[Dennis Taylor]] pulling in 19 million viewers just after midnight. The sport always pulls in large viewing figures for the BBC through tournaments such as the [[World Snooker Championships]], the [[Masters (snooker)|Masters]], the [[UK Championship]] and the [[Grand Prix (snooker)|Grand Prix]]. The coverage is regularly hosted by [[Hazel Irvine]] and [[Ray Stubbs]]. ===Cricket=== In September 2005 it was announced that BBC Sport had purchased the rights to show highlights of the 2007 [[ICC Cricket World Cup]], held in the [[West Indies]]. BBC Two broadcast 29 hours worth of highlights of the main matches at 11.15pm during the duration of the tournament with an early morning re-run on [[BBC1]] at 5am. The [[BBC]] also carried some highlights of the [[2006-07 Ashes series]] (other Test highlights were won by Five). The deal included daily highlights of the five match test series and also the [[Commonwealth Bank Series]] between Australia, England & New Zealand. In October 2006, the BBC announced that [[Manish Bhasin]] and [[Rishi Persad]] were to be the new faces of the BBC's cricket coverage. Expert studio analysis and discussion is provided by stars such as [[Richie Benaud]], [[Tony Greig]], [[Geoffrey Boycott]] (who also appears on Five as an analyst for summer Tests) and [[Jonathan Agnew]]. [[BBCi]] carried Ashes highlights from 2200 GMT each night, followed by ''[[Test Match Special]]'' audio commentary when the next day's play begins. For the [[ICC Cricket World Cup|World Cup]] live scorecards and audio commentary were provided. ===NFL=== In September 2007, the BBC acquired the exclusive UK [[free-to-air]] rights to the [[Super Bowl]] through 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/programming/a75594/bbc-to-show-super-bowl-live.html |title=BBC to show Super Bowl live |publisher=[[Digital Spy]] |accessdate=2007-09-13 |date=[[2007-09-13]]}}</ref> The package also includes highlights from a featured NFL match each week on the BBC Sport website, and beginning in 2008, live coverage of games at Wembley Stadium [http://www.nfluk.com/news-display.php?id=3070]. [[Jake Humphrey]] is the [[BBC]]'s [[American football]] presenter and the studio pundits are [[Mike Carlson]] and [[Rod Woodson]]. Match commentators include [[Dick Stockton]] and [[Sterling Sharpe]]; the BBC uses the NFL's international feed. ===Other sports=== As well as all of this, [[BBC]] shows the [[British Darts Organisation|BDO]] World Darts Championships, coverage of the [[Skiing]] World Cup under its ''[[Ski Sunday]]'' banner; and briefly covers sports such as [[Road bicycle racing|road]] and [[track cycling]], [[sailing]], [[badminton]], [[table tennis]], [[Squash (sport)|squash]], [[equestrianism]], [[gymnastics]] and other minority sports in an attempt to publicise the type of sports that will make up the forthcoming [[London 2012 Olympics]]. Presenters for these sports include [[Jill Douglas]] and [[Phil Jones (journalist)|Phil Jones]] who often report for other areas of BBC Sport. == Previous coverage == ===Cricket=== One of BBC Sport's major criticisms is that it no longer shows any live cricket games, having lost coverage of the Test Matches to Channel 4 and later [[Sky Sports]]. Coverage was fronted by [[Tony Lewis]] for many years. The BBC was also widely criticised for not even bidding for the rights to show home [[Test cricket|Test matches]] when the next set of rights between 2006 and 2009 went up for sale. That honour went exclusively (and rather controversially) to Sky, with nightly highlights on [[Five (channel)|Five]]. However, [[Director-General of the BBC]] [[Mark Thompson]] announced in April 2006 that the BBC may bid to show live England test matches when the contract next goes out to tender in 2009.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/4945862.stm BBC considers 2009 cricket TV bid] BBC Sport; 26 April 2006</ref> [[BBC Radio Five Live]] and [[BBC Radio Five Live Sports Extra]] do broadcast England matches and some county cricket (along with the BBC's various local stations); many of these radio commentaries are simulcast on [[BBCi]] with live scorecards. ===Motorsport=== The BBC covered [[Formula One]] for many decades until 1996, initially covering the odd race on the calendar, before introducing in 1976 a programme which followed the entire calendar. Formula One was shown under the 'Grand Prix' banner, races were commentated on by [[Murray Walker]], with many co-commentators including [[James Hunt]] and [[Jonathan Palmer]]. Coverage was expanded in 1996, when all qualifying and races were shown live - many with Steve Rider fronting the coverage. The loss of the rights to ITV was seen as an example of the BBC Sport department's decline in the late 1990s, although as with cricket, the BBC continues to broadcast every race live on its radio services. It was announced on March 20 2008 that the BBC had regained the television rights to Formula One for five years starting from the 2009 season. The BBC also broadcast the [[World Rally Championships]] until 2001, when Channel 4 bought the rights. WRC is now shown on Dave and [[Eurosport]]. The [[British Touring Car Championship]] was another event the BBC lost when ITV took the broadcasting rights in 2002. ==References== {{reflist}} ==See also== {{Portal|BBC}} *[[BBC News]] *[[BBC Sports Personality of the Year]] *[[Broadcasting of sports events]] ==External links== *{{bbc.co.uk|id=sport|title=BBC Sport}} {{BBC}} [[Category:Sports television in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Sports divisions of TV channels]] [[Category:BBC Sport]] [[Category:Sports radio in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Sports media in the United Kingdom]] [[es:BBC Sport]] [[ja:BBCスポーツ]] [[simple:BBC Sport]]