BBC bland but ITV was undone by Clive Tyldesley and ad breaks | Paul MacInnes

Neither channel got its World Cup final coverage exactly right but each provided a unique perspective on the same event

It is a job few broadcasters can manage, persuading people to follow you to BBC Two for the tennis while at the same time convincing them to not to go to ITV for the football. Thankfully Sue Barker was there to strike the balance on Sunday afternoon as Wimbledon was superseded by the World Cup final on BBC One. “On this super sporting Sunday you have the best seat in the house,” she purred, “and best choice available of two world-class finals.” Perfectly judged. Let the game begin.

Underneath France v Croatia was another contest, one which occurs only once every two years: BBC against ITV for the nation’s sporting eyeballs. Neither channel gets much experience of live football during the regular season. Only at international tournaments are they able to trawl the world for pundits, craft together poignant video packages and polish those short phrases that linger in the memory. The final is where the two face off against each other, vying for our validation.

Continue reading...