The BBC is reportedly making major changes to the way it broadcasts the hugely successful World Cup semi-final match between England and Argentina. The match will be broadcast live on BBC One, with coverage beginning at 7pm (UK time). This will give players one hour to prepare before the match starts at 8pm (UK time).
Mark Chapman will introduce the BBC’s coverage of the match as England aim to reach their first World Cup final since 1966. Pundits Wayne Rooney, Micah Richards and Joe Hart will also be in attendance. Until now, the BBC has been broadcasting from studios in Salford, while ITV has flown into a swanky studio in Brooklyn, New York.
However, things changed for England vs. Argentina, with the Guardian reporting that Chapman would be presenting from inside Atlanta Stadium.
The BBC is also said to be hoping for more viewers than England’s quarter-final match against Norway at the weekend.
ITV drew a peak audience of 18 million viewers for the match, with even more expected to watch the game against Argentina.
The BBC initially opted to remain in Salford as part of a cost-cutting measure, but sporting director Alex Kay-Jelski was adamant in his defense of this.
“It’s not a green box in Salford, it’s a beautiful, state-of-the-art studio,” he said last month. “It’s perfectly acceptable to assume that what existed before will become so in the future. I’m really proud of this.”
“It would probably cost millions of pounds to add a few hundred more people before building the studio.
“I don’t think the actual end product that people are getting at home is that different. If I were to stand here and tell you that everything is going to be done in a studio in Dallas, you would of course say to me, ‘How can you justify that expense?’
“We still have the people on the ground, we still have the pundits, we still have Alan Shearer, we still have Danny Murphy, we still have various commentators and journalists.
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with conveying that feeling. If these people were sitting in a different place, would your perspective be much different?”
“So far I’m very happy. It’s a high-profile tournament over six weeks. There will be mistakes and hopefully we’ll get more right.”
