BBC scrap classified football results

 The BBC have come under fire after the decision to quietly axe the reading of classified football results on Saturday evening on their Radio 5 Live service, BBC Sports Report. The weekly tradition had been in place since the early 1950s and had quickly become a staple in football fans’ routines after matches with results read out throughout the football pyramid.

Credit: The Mirror.

By: Sam Feierabend.

This decision has been scrutinised for various reasons. The first at a footballing level, where fans of clubs across the system could hear their teams in the same breath as some of the biggest names in world football. Each team was given the same status and same amount of air time, albeit just for a split second. Some have suggested that the BBC are prioritising the Premier League over lower leagues as they have cited the reason for the axe is to give more live coverage to the weekly 5:30pm Premier League fixture. Those criticising the decision include legendary former commentator John Motson, who described the results as ‘a staple’ to the football calendar.

Condemnation has also come from representatives of charities focussing on the blind and the elderly. Age UK have argued that some elderly football fans do not have access to technology to find out the football results, meaning the service is crucial for them to catch up. Similarly, The Royal National Institute of Blind People have warned of excluding those of partial or no sight from accessing football results.

The BBC have defended their decision. They have argued that keeping the five-minute broadcast would ‘constrain the number of sports we cover’. It has been confirmed that the full football result listings will only be available on the BBC Sport website and during Final Score on BBC One. Some sources to The Guardian have said complaints were only made once the mainstream media picked up on it.

Nonetheless, given the cultural importance of football to British people, a change to the weekly routine of the sport was always going to cause a strong backlash. While other services are available via TV and apps, the ease of hearing the results on the radio will surely be missed and one day, will hopefully make a return.