ITV’s reporting base is in Brooklyn, while the BBC has faced harsh criticism for not having a studio in one of the tournament host countries.
Wayne Rooney is one of the headline pundits for the BBC’s World Cup coverage (Image: BBC Sport)
The bottom line is that if you want to watch a particular World Cup match, you’ll be watching regardless of whether the TV presenter or pundit is in the US or Salford.
No matter what part of the world he’s frowned upon, you know what you’re going to get from Roy Keane.
It doesn’t matter if it’s New York’s East River or the Mersey River behind The Irishman. Indeed, despite ITV’s outdoor studio being praised and claimed to have given ITV an advantage over the BBC in broadcasting the World Cup, does anyone else find it a bit distracting?
The lower Manhattan backdrop may be more interesting, as Keene and Gary Neville engage in a predictable disagreement. Let’s see how many yellow taxis you can spot.
See if you can recognize the landmark. How many cars cross the Brooklyn Bridge?
If you’ve ever toured Manhattan, you’re probably familiar with the Pier 17 shopping and entertainment complex in the bottom left of the photo.Let’s be honest, this scene becomes even more fascinating when you take issue with the critical gaps in knowledge about the team that pundits give Premier League players so much disdain for.
And eventually players like Keane and Neville will be watching games in the same way as players like Rooney and Olivier Giroud. On TV.
Roy Keane settles into his seat for ITV’s World Cup in Brooklyn
Are you watching a game with your mates in a pub and lamenting the fact that Gabby Logan isn’t in the host nation? Did anyone in your family wonder if Rooney could be home in less than 30 minutes after making the decision between Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Speaking of Rooney, his analysis of some of the events in that game was very insightful. It’s no exaggeration to say that he wasn’t a natural at criticizing when he started, but he’s getting used to the job.
Although he may not be able to participate in the tournament, Rooney has a good chance of becoming the pundit’s ace at this World Cup. And the BBC’s roster of presenters and reporters has the perfect mix of experts.
Gary Neville plays a big role in ITV’s World Cup coverage (Image: ITV Sport)
The same was true for ITV, with Mark Pugatch in particular doing a great job in his role as the main anchor of the coverage. A common failing overall is the lack of insight into the specific qualities and weaknesses of the national team, which does not have many players all too familiar to British football fans.
But it’s always been that way. TV producers would be better off insisting that experts do more research than making sure they have good backgrounds.
Is it a departure from BBC norms to not have a studio in the country where the World Cup is being held, or in this case any country?Yes, it is.
Does it make a big difference in the quality of that coverage? Absolutely not. And let’s be honest, it’s not the view of Manhattan, it’s the football we want to see.
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