BBC presenting duties to be shared for World Cup – but who will host the final? | BBC
When the BBC split the task of presenting Match of the Day between three leading broadcasters, executives were clear: there would be no “favourites” among new presenters Kelly Cates, Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman.
This mantra is underlined as the company prepares its coverage of this summer’s World Cup. Producers are understood to have arranged for the trio to present an equal number of shows after the tournament began in Mexico City.
But as the epic task of planning the coverage takes shape, there’s one big unresolved question: No decision has yet been made on who will host the finale.
Cates, Logan and Chapman took over Match of the Day presenting duties at the start of the current Premier League season, replacing Gary Lineker after his 26-year association with the programme.
Lineker had originally agreed a deal to present the World Cup for the BBC, which would take place in Canada, Mexico and the USA. However, he ended his BBC presenting career early last year after apologizing for exaggerating online material with antisemitic connotations.
This means three presenters will share the presenter seat, and the producers are working hard to ensure they get their fair share of the best games. Even insiders are clueless about who will be given the task of covering the World Cup final.
The trio will be part of an increasingly crowded World Cup content field that includes Lineker. The Rest Is Football video podcast, part of the Goalhanger podcasts he co-founded, has struck a deal with Netflix to offer a daily broadcast from New York.
Chapman, Cates and Logan also have podcast commitments throughout the tournament; BBC experts Micah Richards and Alan Shearer will appear on Lineker’s podcast. The BBC has made clear it will not use license fee payers’ money to pay for work it does for rival podcasts.
The BBC’s plans come as insiders point to evidence that the controversial modernization of the Match of the Day brand is beginning to bear fruit.
Insiders said the nearly 10% drop in linear TV and iPlayer ratings for Saturday and Sunday’s Match of the Day programs this season (about 770,000 viewers) had been “more than offset” by the new rights deal, which allows viewers to access highlights at 8pm alongside traditional programmes.
The number of digital BBC accounts accessing Match of the Day content in an average matchweek has increased by 21% compared to last year. The figure includes viewing of Saturday and Sunday programs on iPlayer, new 8pm highlights on iPlayer and highlights on the BBC Sport website and app.
Alex Kay-Jelski, director of BBC Sport, said in an online post: “It’s great to see Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan (in alphabetical order, no favourites!) continuing the good work Gary Lineker, Des Lynam, Jimmy Hill and others have done in the famous chair.”
“We will continue to try new things and try to entertain and inform the football-loving audience as much as we can. We will continue to learn from everyone who is doing great things, from content creators to Sky to clubs.”
Most of the BBC’s first World Cup presenting duties will be carried out from its Salford base as the company, along with all broadcasters covering the tournament, grapples with the logistics and costs of an event spanning three major countries.
The tournament was also expanded from 32 to a new 48-team format, with a significant increase in the number of games from 64 to 104 before the winners lifted the trophy.
With the license fee already under huge pressure, BBC insiders are struggling to cover the costs of the tournament. It is understood some TV commentators and pundits may be asked to cover some of Salford’s games in low demand.
Even without accommodation and flight expenses, it is understood that the cost of having commentary teams in a stadium is significant. Major matches, including all matches played by their own country, will be broadcast by commentary teams in the stadiums.
