Bt Coverage

[New Science 1,059]

Must admit don't like the camera angles, something you could not complain about with Sky

[waytogo28 2,054]

I thought it was very reasonable coverage considering it was available after Sky pulled out and BT ARE continuing to offer Live match coverage, while they weigh up next season and beyond ( and it's value to them). It's a cut your coat according to your cloth coverage and speedway's "coat" is pretty threadbare.

Great to see a full-ish stadium as casual viewers will not think doubtfully "is it worth going to my local track" and might encourage them to give it a try. If BT insisted on the £9.99p ticket it was an excellent move.

Racing - well it illustrated the modern weakness of speedway racing - that in at leat 75% of heats - it is all over after the exit from the second bend ( first time around ), except in the cases of hard charging young guns or the very best of never give up veterans ( 25% of riders ). And even for them passing is a very, very difficult. Track conditions are crucial to them having a better chance of success.

[mikebv 10,373]

I thought it was very reasonable coverage considering it was available after Sky pulled out and BT ARE continuing to offer Live match coverage, while they weigh up next season and beyond ( and it's value to them). It's a cut your coat according to your cloth coverage and speedway's "coat" is pretty threadbare.

Great to see a full-ish stadium as casual viewers will not think doubtfully "is it worth going to my local track" and might encourage them to give it a try. If BT insisted on the £9.99p ticket it was an excellent move.

Racing - well it illustrated the modern weakness of speedway racing - that in at leat 75% of heats - it is all over after the exit from the second bend ( first time around ), except in the cases of hard charging young guns or the very best of never give up veterans ( 25% of riders ). And even for them passing is a very, very difficult. Track conditions are crucial to them having a better chance of success.

Unfortunately last night the 'first out wins' mantra was exacerbated by how strung out the racing was...

 

Cook was winning by the length of the straight from the rider bringing up the rear........

 

Simply due to the terrible track I am sure as most riders were probably more focused on staying on rather than setting up overtaking manoeuvres, but not great as an advert for the Sport...

 

Let's hope for better going forward...

[BurntFaceMan 413]

Unfortunately last night the 'first out wins' mantra was exacerbated by how strung out the racing was...

 

Cook was winning by the length of the straight from the rider bringing up the rear........

 

Simply due to the terrible track I am sure as most riders were probably more focused on staying on rather than setting up overtaking manoeuvres, but not great as an advert for the Sport...

 

Let's hope for better going forward...

 

It had nothing to do with the track... it was due to the fact that we mix riders who've got years of racing experience, with children who've only been riding speedway bikes for a year or two and that the best riders in the world don't even bother with Britain anymore.

 

There will be absolutely no better going forward. It will consistently go down hill. It blows my mind how many fans online are genuinely stumped as to what is wrong with the league!

 

Let me spell it out for you... dinosaur promoters making no effort to understand the modern climate, charging over the odds prices for a lackluster product.

[mikebv 10,373]

It had nothing to do with the track... it was due to the fact that we mix riders who've got years of racing experience, with children who've only been riding speedway bikes for a year or two and that the best riders in the world don't even bother with Britain anymore.

 

There will be absolutely no better going forward. It will consistently go down hill. It blows my mind how many fans online are genuinely stumped as to what is wrong with the league!

 

Let me spell it out for you... dinosaur promoters making no effort to understand the modern climate, charging over the odds prices for a lackluster product.

Agree with most of that however...

 

When I started watching Speedway 2 point men every week raced against 11 point men so the disparate ability level was far wider than it is today..

 

Put those same riders last night at the NSS and that track would lend itself to much closer racing regardless of age...

 

Same riders, MUCH closer racing..

 

The different level of ability in races does impact the racing quality no doubt but sub standard tracks like last night just lowers the standard even more...

[SPEEDY69 1,277]

Must admit don't like the camera angles, something you could not complain about with Sky

 

I see what you're saying as they are different - lower down I think and it gave a different view of the Poole track. I got to like it at the end as it was almost like the view from the terraces.

[ytsejam 312]

BT must be thinking what have they let themselves in for after that complete load of rubbish last night!!!

Have to say that I don't think the camera work and certainly the camera angles, were up to SKY's standard although the fact that we only had to hear Pearson and not actually see him, was a bonus!! (would be even better still if we didn't have to hear him too though!).

Liked the lack of inane interviews between EVERY race and Natalie's presentation was good too.

After that drivel last night, things can only get better for BT and their coverage, although I don't hold out much hope for their next league meeting as that will be a big disappointment too (for different reasons though i.e. the score line!)

Edited June 27, 2017 by ytsejam

[Star Lady 5,400]

Big bonus has to be BT Sport posting lots about the meeting on twitter, something Sky didn't bother with.

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

Not sure why but yet again after last week BT sports and their OB partner CloudBass have put a camera right at the back of the main stand.

 

This means that you keep getting shots of the stand beams and stand roof which is poor on one of your main cameras this needs to be corrected for future weeks.

I think you'll agree though that the home straight stand doesn't lend itself to good camera placement. With the roof being pretty inaccessible it really needs a permanent platform built underneath it but clear of the crowd, as at many football grounds.

 

Many meany years ago we tried to tackle the problem by putting up a scaffolding tower to cover an England v USA test match but rather than accept the slight inconvenience and moving for one week to a different seat the home supporters kicked up a fuss. We were allowed by Reg Fearman to continue only if I agreed to do the commentary lying-down, this after previously agreeing to the tower. It was of tubular scaffolding structure so hardly a solid block!

 

Anyway I tried to deliver a decent job lying down, then the ITV crew arrived. It was just one camera plus minimal ITV support, which for them was about a dozen support staff. A couple of them mounted the tower to share with us. The crowd started baying for blood. Reg Fearman climbed the tower, asked "whose tower?" My producer confirmed it was ours so he threw ITV out.

 

As the cameraman climbed down to be 'greeted' by the hostile locals he was shoutingf back "Well, it won't be on World of Sport now!".

 

England were hammered 39-69 in a dull match. When we reported back to our client, the series sponsor, they were far from impressed and after some disgusting behaviour by the then Belle Vue promotion to them in another test for some odd reason pulled the plug on speedway sponsorship for good.

 

In more recent times a low level view has had to be used. I can see why BT tried this back of stand option but as flagrag says the roof and stanchions being in shot made it the same bad choice that made us a hire a tower 35 years ago....

 

They're hopefully learning from their errors. Once again though the quality of interview and pit analysis was worlds away from "so, what changes are you going to make" x14. Steve Brandon's interview drawing out just how affected Hans Andersen was superb as was Natalie and Kelvin's conversation with Lemon and Cook post match.

 

I've noticed Kelvin's analysis and composure away from the commentary box has matured superbly in recent seasons and he seems to be fully 'flowering' under the new regime.

 

As for in the box, old Sky habits need to be forgotten by both him and his partner. This is a very different approach.

 

Shame about the track. I hadn't realised standards ant Poole had slumped to such depths.

[flagrag 706]

Having been down to Poole a couple of times I know the problems that can occur with the stands and views.

 

Sky's coverage used to be done by platform from the grandstand roof without problems. The same camera angle was used at Belle Vue last week too so does seem more of a choice issue I do wonder if BT have done any site visits to check out camera angles and facilities available.

 

The actual on screen production is ok but last night with the bright sunlight it showed up the older kit that is being used this year.

 

From what I know CloudBass who are BTs OB partner for Speedway British league is using the same truck and equipment that used to be used for Sky's coverage back in 2009 so obviously technology has advanced a lot in this time.

 

You will notice a big difference on Saturday where BT are the host broadcaster for BSI with a full UHD production so will be more than what has been expected

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

Having been down to Poole a couple of times I know the problems that can occur with the stands and views.

 

Sky's coverage used to be done by platform from the grandstand roof without problems. The same camera angle was used at Belle Vue last week too so does seem more of a choice issue I do wonder if BT have done any site visits to check out camera angles and facilities available.

 

The actual on screen production is ok but last night with the bright sunlight it showed up the older kit that is being used this year.

 

From what I know CloudBass who are BTs OB partner for Speedway British league is using the same truck and equipment that used to be used for Sky's coverage back in 2009 so obviously technology has advanced a lot in this time.

 

You will notice a big difference on Saturday where BT are the host broadcaster for BSI with a full UHD production so will be more than what has been expected

Thanks for the information. Regarding the stadium roof it's a question of budgets. I note the clips of other meetings provided on the BSPA website are from a low angle. I didn't bother to watch a great deal of Sky's matches from Poole so obviously the memory's failed me re a low angle in that case. Would there be significant savings from putting the camera at the back of the stand rather than on a roof platform?

 

It's also fascinating to know the age of the equipment in use and does emphasise the 'low cost' approach to this half-season. Thankfully the on-screen talent are helping to compensate. It does suggest the heights that a proper permanent deal could achieve if they can still put together a decent programme this year with limited facilities (and a track that killed the racing).

 

Technicalities aside, I thought it a very good move to try to show exactly how much the low sunlight affected the riders' line of sight.

 

At least Poole managed to get a reasonable crowd into the place for the cameras.

Edited June 27, 2017 by Rob McCaffery

[Grand Central 2,654]

I know I am a bit weird ... but can't agree on the camera angle issues here.

 

Just had a quick look back at last years Sky coverage from Wimborne Road and they seem to use a camera angle from the home straight that is way too high.

So looked back at many previous years and realised that Sky always seemed to have that angle far too high. And yet I never noticed it.
It gives you a very artificial view that 'takes you away from the action'.

And I absolutely hate the high crane that they use on the first bend at some tracksthat gives a view that 'flattens' the action in a quite bizarre way.

 

I'm all for the way BT are covering it.

Only problem - I admit - is the stand roof in picture.

 

But so far, so much better for me all round.

Edited June 27, 2017 by Grand Central

[Halifaxtiger 5,318]

 

It had nothing to do with the track... it was due to the fact that we mix riders who've got years of racing experience, with children who've only been riding speedway bikes for a year or two and that the best riders in the world don't even bother with Britain anymore.

 

There will be absolutely no better going forward. It will consistently go down hill. It blows my mind how many fans online are genuinely stumped as to what is wrong with the league!

 

Let me spell it out for you... dinosaur promoters making no effort to understand the modern climate, charging over the odds prices for a lackluster product.

 

Of course it was to do with the track. It was bloody awful.

 

As to children, I suppose that might refer to Dan Bewley (although its a nonsense to suggest that Bewley wasn't competitive), Jack Smith and James Shanes. What about the other 10 ?

 

When I first went to speedway in 1982, Wimbledon had Dave Jessup, Malcolm Simmons and..................Alan Mogridge. The next season they had a child called Kelvin Tatum. Its always been like that.

 

I doubt if there are many who would disagree that there is a degree of complacency within the sport but that had nothing whatsoever to do with just how poor that meeting was.

[BobC 664]

BT must be thinking what have they let themselves in for after that complete load of rubbish last night!!!

Have to say that I don't think the camera work and certainly the camera angles, were up to SKY's standard although the fact that we only had to hear Pearson and not actually see him, was a bonus!! (would be even better still if we didn't have to hear him too though!).

Liked the lack of inane interviews between EVERY race and Natalie's presentation was good too.

After that drivel last night, things can only get better for BT and their coverage, although I don't hold out much hope for their next league meeting as that will be a big disappointment too (for different reasons though i.e. the score line!)

Good job you didnt see him. Matchstick white legs in shorts. Good grief, even HalifaxTiger doesnt look that bad!

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

I know I am a bit weird ... but can't agree on the camera angle issues here.

 

Just had a quick look back at last years Sky coverage from Wimborne Road and they seem to use a camera angle from the home straight that is way too high.

So looked back at many previous years and realised that Sky always seemed to have that angle far too high. And yet I never noticed it.

It gives you a very artificial view that 'takes you away from the action'.

And I absolutely hate the high crane that they use on the first bend at some tracksthat gives a view that 'flattens' the action in a quite bizarre way.

 

I'm all for the way BT are covering it.

Only problem - I admit - is the stand roof in picture.

 

But so far, so much better for me all round.

The problem with the stand camera was that intrusion of roof and stanchions. I didn't have a problem with the actual angle.

 

Wimborne Road is the only track likely to feature in this year's coverage with one of these old football-style stands, unlike the modern-style cantilever (e.g. NSS or Peterborough) so the problem is unlikely to recur. I'd say it's the only stand where you could shoot from the back even if that was the director's preference.

 

Even in Poland where high budgets rule camera views are often obscured by lighting or speaker poles.