BT Sport mass clearout as Newcastle United back in the Champions League? We can only dream… | OneFootball

Fair to say that BT Sport made a very good business decision when going after the UK broadcasting rights to European football, especially the Champions League.

Taking the rights off Sky Sports almost a decade ago, the decision had paid ever increasing dividends, as English clubs have provided six of the last ten finalists these past five seasons, with that becoming seven of the last twelve (finalists) when Man City take on Inter on Saturday night.

Whilst in the last seven seasons (before 2022/23), the Europa League finals had featured English clubs five times. West Ham getting to the final and winning the Europa Conference League final this past midweek, simply adding to the positives for BT Sport.

Massive change lies ahead though for BT Sport, as the name will disappear not long after this 2023 Champions League final.

The BT Group and Warner Bros Discovery in a joint venture, rebranding / relaunching it as TNT Sports.

With Newcastle United getting back into Europe and not only that, absolutely smashing it and heading straight back into the Champions League rather than one of the lesser competitions, is it really too much to hope for, that this will also coincide with a pretty much total clearout of BT Sport presenting / punditry / commentating personnel…?

Ironically, the one big massive BT Sport positive (as well as our very own Lynsey Hipgrave), has decided now is the time he moves on.

All round good guy and for many years an independent / neutral defender of Newcastle United, amidst all the stupidity around him, Jake Humphrey has chosen this moment to drop out of his position as main man on BT Sport Champions League presenting.

Jake Humphrey revealing in May (2023) that his last big BT Sport presenting talks, is expected to be the Champions League final between Manchester City and Inter Milan this Saturday.

Jake Humphrey declaring when revealing the news last month:

“It has been my dream job… I’m also not ashamed to say I remain hugely ambitious.

“Stepping back from BT Sport will allow me space to pursue other projects and fulfil other ambitions. I’m excited.

“As a football fan, hosting Premier League matches, FA Cup games and European finals has meant the world to me.”

So next season when it comes to BT Sport (by then TNT Sports), there will be no Jake Humphrey when it comes to Champions League / European football on their channels. There will almost certainly be Lynsey Hipgrave still there but what else?

Well, from where I am sitting, it will be a total mess, unless major changes take place.

For Newcastle United fans and indeed all football fans, the big question since BT Sport took over the broadcasting rights / coverage for European football, is how on earth did they decide on their woeful set of pundits / commentators etc AND an even bigger question, how / why do they keep them season after season???

Has Steve McManaman got revealing photos of all his BT Sport bosses, making him unsackable? It is difficult /impossible to think of any other reason, as listening to him as co-commentator on pretty much all their very biggest matches, is sheer agony. It is like next door’s (on both sides) house AND car alarms going off for the full 90 minutes plus added time. You are just pleading for it to stop.

I consider myself quite a mild mannered laidback bloke BUT listening to 30 seconds of Steve McManaman makes me want to kick my TV into orbit.

The only saving grace for McManaman, is that in Robbie Savage, BT Sport arguably have somebody almost as bad. He is also never anything other than shocking to listen to, this midweek’s West Ham final wasn’t the greatest in terms of quality but it was very watchable and entertaining due to incident after incident, taking point after talking point, the only massive issue is that Robbie Savage was doing most of the talking!

Do BT Sport never go looking for feedback on their pundits / presenters / commentators etc etc?

Surely if they do / did, the feedback on Savage and McManaman will / would be all but unanimous.

They are not alone, I also find Michael Owen, Jermaine Jenas, Rio Ferdinand unbearable. Same with their commentators, not sure who they are but rarely do I not find them annoying, Darren Fletcher certainly in that category.

So please BT Sport, grasp this opportunity for massive change as you rebrand / relaunch as TNT Sports. If you insist on keeping the likes of Owen, Ferdinand, Savage, Jenas and McManaman, then restrict them only to Europa League (unless NUFC finish third and then drop into Europa League…) and Europa Conference League this coming season.