BBC Modernising its Olympics coverage.

[u/Alone_Consideration6]

Started today with the ‘forced retirement’ of Christine Still and Craig Heap as Gymnastics commentators I suspect a lot of sports will have very different commentary come LA and French Alps. I think the BBC’s coverage of the Olympics is going to become more focused attracting younger viewers and moment.

[u/Humble-Project-4090]

Is there an official press release about their retirement?

[u/Alone_Consideration6 → u/Humble-Project-4090]

It was announced on air today.

[u/Alone_Consideration6 → u/Humble-Project-4090]

The BBC doesn’t tend to put out a press release now for something like this.

[u/Humble-Project-4090 → u/Alone_Consideration6]

Just went back to listen to it, very sad

[u/MattyFTM]

Whatever they do with their Olympics coverage, it's still going to be a shadow of it's former self with the BBC only having the rights to a limited number of hours because of Discovery having the full rights.

[u/Suitable_Moose6507 → u/MattyFTM]

The rights are with the EBU, some broadcasters went for unlimited coverage for a higher fee, the BBC went for the cheaper option because they don't have the funding, nothing to do with Discovery

[u/TerrorCottaArmyDude]

I'm going to miss Craig's enthusiasm

[u/No_Fail_845]

Are they modernising? or are they cost cutting? It sounds like they're replacing Christine and Craig with Sam and Beth who are already part of the overall gymnastics team so it sounds like they're either cutting the number down or replacing highly two experienced people with less experienced, cheaper people.

[u/divingoffthebalcony → u/No_Fail_845]

It will be cost cutting for sure

[u/squashed_tomato]

It's such a shame because their coverage was such a gold standard and now it's being gutted because they need to cut costs. 

[u/Impossible-Guitar957 → u/squashed_tomato]

So many of these media companies (especially government run or subsidized ones) have been pressured for years to cut costs. But sports coverage is never where the cuts should be made. You can find waste in many of these companies, but often they fail to cut the waste and instead cut things that people actually care about. It's sad.

[u/Impossible-Guitar957]

This is the first I have heard of this, but sports coverage has been changing for the past decade or so. Also the BBC wants to retain the Olympic media rights for the UK, so perhaps they are making these changes so they can hold onto it long term. 

[u/PortraitofMmeX]

Hope it goes to Olly Hogben

[u/Successful_Ad_2888]

It's a shame as young people aren't too bothered watching live coverage

[u/HVAC_instructor]

Is this in honor of the French Pole vault guy?