BT Sport: A New Angle
The newly-launched BT Sport is offering live Barclays Premier League football on its network this season for the first time. Andy Greeves discovers the innovations that the broadcaster will use to revolutionise top flight football coverage in the UK.
The long-awaited Goal Decision System (or Hawkeye) that has been introduced into the Barclays Premier League this season will irradiate wrong goal-line decisions such as Gerry Taggart's wrongly disallowed goal for Bolton Wanderers against Everton in 1997, that ultimately saw the Trotters relegated and Pedro Mendes' effort for Tottenham Hotspur from the half-way that went yards over the Manchester United goal line in 2005 but was not spotted by the officials.
As the division makes an addition to improve its officiating, new UK broadcaster BT Sport has added former Premier League referee Mark Halsey to its line-up to explain the role of the referee to views and also to talk over big decisions, be they right or wrong.
"My role with BT Sport is to give the viewers an inside on refereeing and let them know about the decision making process," says Halsey. "I'm not there to criticise the referees, I'm there to be constructive.
I can't defend the indefensible when it comes to decisions, but as I say, hopefully I can do it in a constructive manner. The sort of thing I'll be looking for is the referee's position on the field when a big decision was made and whether or not an assistant could have done more to help him."
Halsey's refereeing career ended on the final day of last season, as he took charge of Manchester City verses Norwich City at the Ethiad Stadium on May 19. He has since taken charge of the Steven Gerrard Testimonial, which he commented was a "great honour" and that he "would have walked all the way to Liverpool to referee that."
"I felt my decision to retire from referring came at a good time," adds Halsey. "My differences with Mike Riley, the general manager of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited, was well publicised. When BT Sport came along with the fantastic opportunity, it was one I was keen to take. I could have done another year of referring but I was keen to try something new."
Also moving to pastures new is BT Sport's Barclays Premier League anchor Jake Humphrey, who enjoyed a long and distinguished career with BBC Sport prior to moving broadcaster.
"It has just been great to start the new season," reflects Humphrey, whose first game as Liverpool beat Stoke City 1-0 on the opening day of the Barclays Premier League campaign. "I'd known for over a year that I would be working with BT Sport on their Barclays Premier League coverage and it seems like it took such a long time to get to the start of the season. We've done loads of preparations and rehearsals, so I felt more than read for the big kick-off. As viewers will see over the season, we have loads of great ideas and innovations and I think supporters are going to really enjoy what they see."
BT Sport have assembled a team of former players to work as pundits that would have stretched the buying abilities of even Manchester City and Chelsea during their playing days, with the likes of Michael Owen, David James, Steve McManaman, Owen Hargreaves and most recently, David Ginola, recruited.
"We all know these great names for what they've achieved as footballers but what's really interesting is their different personalities," says Humphrey. "Owen Hargreaves is someone of doesn't seem to suffer fools gladly and will be looking for some top class performances this season. David James is a real live wire and someone who enjoys a laugh too. Michael Owen meanwhile has worked so hard behind the scenes preparing himself and finding out how to do the job from other people that have done it before."
One of the notable features of BT Sport's coverage of the Barclays Premier League is the interactive way in which Jake and his fellow pundits can discuss and if necessary, act out big talking points on their own, first-of-its-kind, glass floored football pitch. The images here for example, show Steve Mcmanaman, David James and Jake Humphrey demonstrate how the new Goal Decision System works.
"Referees will admit we have had many issues around goal decisions in the past, particularly in big matches... too many," says former ref Mark Halsey. "GDS is going to enhance and advance referees' decision-making processes. There will be no escape for referees now as the technology on goal decisions is instant and all eyes will be on them. But it will also take pressure away from referees as there are always lots of moments in a match where referees just cannot see everything. Official stats show there were 24 instances last season in the Premier League where GDS would have come into play - so it's a big moment in terms of refereeing."
BT Sport will show 38 exclusively live Barclays Premier League matches a season, including 18 'top picks' for the next three campaigns, so views can expect some great action and innovations around their coverage also.
The broadcaster also has the rights to broadcast FA Cup with Budweiser matches for the next five seasons as well as UEFA Europa League, top tier football from Germany, Italy, France, Brazil, Australia and the USA, plus action from the FA Women's Super League and 30 live matches from the Football Conference.
Jake Humphrey is lead anchor on BT Sport's coverage of 38 exclusively live Barclays Premier League Football matches, while Mark Halsey is the broadcaster's Refereeing Expert. BT Sport is free with BT broadband, to find out more visit www.btsport.com.
© Andy Greeves & Soccerphile.com