I'm gutted to find that Bravo 2 have pulled the plug on the coverage. Did anyone see the last show today, and does anyone know if there is a chance of a comeback for James and team?
It's still on now. Can't see them coming back for a while - there's just not enough intelligent people out there like us who want to watch calcio Sad state of affairs, but shite like x factor draws the punters in.
I noticed C4 are showing highlights at 4am though - could JR be fronting this?
Well, an article in the Guardian does at least state that James is still interested in reviving the show.
On the assumption that James visits this site from time to time, and may read this, I'd like to say that Football Italia has been the best sports programme on British TV in my lifetime - I'm 33 - and I will miss it horribly. I started watching it as a student when there was no decent British football on terrestrial TV, and and in no time my flatmates and myself - four Forest, Cardiff, West Ham and Tottenham fans - were transformed into Fiorentina, Roma, Milan and Lazio tifosi.
Italian football was so superior technically, so much more colourful...there were real tactics and amazing skills and an incredible intensity among the supporters. If Serie A is an opera, the Premiership is panto.
I will never forget the rain at Perugia or the Roma scudetto, despite the abrupt end to the show.
I have to say I barely saw the show in the Eurosport years, because I didn't have cable, but I got kitted out for the 18 months on Bravo and I was gutted when Gazzetta went. Annoyingly I didn't even know coverge was coming to an end because, like everyone else with NTL, I can't actually receive Bravo 2 yet. (Nor will I want to, now that FI has gone).
For what it's worth, I enjoyed last season's coverage more than any other season I can remember. I hadn't seen Gazzetta for years and loved every minute. There were some stunning games - for me, the Rome derby in particular - and Ron Atkinson and Gabriele Marcotti were quality support in the studio.
Funnily enough I watched Fulham-West Ham on Sky this lunchtime while checking the live Serie A scores on the internet, and I was struck by how much I prefer the Italian style of football. I don't think I saw five consecutive passes from either side in the whole 90 minues at Craven Cottage.
Molto grazie James and team, if you read this, for everything over the last 14 years. Forza Roma, and Forza Football Italia.
I'd like to just underline what my fellow Roma fan has just said. As a "young" Arsenal fan when Football Italia first reared its head on C4, Arsenal was all I knew. I had always been a fan of Roma ever since watching them lose to Grobelaars elastic legs and co in the European Cup final. At last I had a chance to see Italian football regularly and live.
Its a shame that so many fans over here only really have access to The Premiership and its 100 mph style of play. Some of us like the tactical and technical game associated with Serie that certain fans find boring.
Hey, some of us like Chess and some of us like Hungry Hippos. Problem is those that dont wanna watch the Hungry Hippo-esque Premiership dont have much choice anymore...
The writing was on the wall when the coverage got moved to Bravo 2. Gutted about this, especially as this could finally be Inter's year. At least Setanta covers it so I'll still be able to watch most of the action, but between the two of them I've been able to see nearly all Inter's games this season.
Although I must admit if both channels have been showing it I've gone with Setanta's match coverage (better commentators) but Bravo for the studio stuff (James Richardson).
At least we'll be spared Blisset's anti-Inter nonsense from now on. But that is just a very thin silver lining to a massive black cloud.
Campioni d'Italia 06-07
I love Inter for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death us do part.
I have only just found out that theres no more live serie A on Bravo and cant believe it, was it low audiences??? Unbelievable considering the great games we've seen so far this season, the Milan derby, Rome derby, rome-milan etc. Well I've just reluctantly subscribed to Setanta £15 a month but I suppose its surprising its taken this long for us to pay to watch the best league in the world.
i too have just bitten the bullet and subscribed to Setanta.£15 pcm seems a bit steep but ive been going to the pub a lot recently to watch games so i'll save myself on ale money.To be honest,looking at their schedules im as happy as a pig in brown stuff with my new toy-serie A,french,portugese,scottish,german and dutch footy.I can now quite happily become a recluse with a carry out
Originally posted by steviemacd: i too have just bitten the bullet and subscribed to Setanta.£15 pcm seems a bit steep but ive been going to the pub a lot recently to watch games so i'll save myself on ale money.To be honest,looking at their schedules im as happy as a pig in brown stuff with my new toy-serie A,french,portugese,scottish,german and dutch footy.I can now quite happily become a recluse with a carry out
to add to my own post above as i cant seem to edit it-my only concern with setanta is the minimum 12 month contract;not only will i be paying for something i wont watch in the summer,i'm also worried that when they get the rights to show "the greatest league in the history of the universe" matches next season they'll bin everything else(lets face it,if i wanted EPL coverage id have sky sports)
Hey, some of us like Chess and some of us like Hungry Hippos. Problem is those that dont wanna watch the Hungry Hippo-esque Premiership dont have much choice anymore...[/QUOTE]
Absolute classic! For years I've gone on to my mates about the relative benefits of Serie A (Chess) versus Prem(Hungry Hippos). Thank you roma4ever.
I don't want to sound like an excited 6th Former but what do you think about getting one of these email signature things going. I think the TV channels underestimate the amount of interest in this country towards Calcio. Even the smallest town has a bloody italian restaurant in it! Take the italian emmigrant and descendants of emmigrant population, add the current number of temp italian workers predominantly employed in service industries and add to that the UK based calcio afficionados and you have a high potential viewing audience.
I recall we did something along those lines, either when C4 dropped calcio, or when Eurosport did. The problem is that Italian football doesn't seem to appeal to TV in this country (witness Sky's continual Italian team bashing during their CL coverage)
I fear we have more chance of seeing live MLS due to Beckham than we do Serie A in the foreseeable future.
I fear we have more chance of seeing live MLS due to Beckham than we do Serie A in the foreseeable future.[/QUOTE]
i fear youre correct;the tv execs will be looking into the possibility you can be sure of that!Even worse,it could even be paid for using the license fee.No Inter-Roma but plenty of Real Salt Lake vs LA Galaxy on the telly.isnt it bizarre the way celebrity feeds on itself
Originally posted by spagbelli nerrazzuro: I don't want to sound like an excited 6th Former but what do you think about getting one of these email signature things going. I think the TV channels underestimate the amount of interest in this country towards Calcio. Even the smallest town has a bloody italian restaurant in it! Take the italian emmigrant and descendants of emmigrant population, add the current number of temp italian workers predominantly employed in service industries and add to that the UK based calcio afficionados and you have a high potential viewing audience.
What do you think? Shall we start an email chain?
A few of us over on the French football forum sent emails to C4 and C5 after they both dropped their coverage of Ligue 1! Granted, I don't think the numbers were really on our side but surely it's a bit more relevant than Argentine footy? One of themain reasons for watching that is just to see if the crowd kicks off?!?!
Setanta always had the rights, they only gave Bravo a few games to show. Isn't it interesting that they give away free Seria Football (with the old Football Itlaia crew) for half the season, get you hooked again....then drop it, so you end up having to subsribe to their pay channel to see the rest of the season!
Well, Im across in University in Tampa, Florida and I suffer for lack of football. Forget serie A, any football would work for me right now. Yes i get some champions league on ESPN but thats about it, and they always seem to show the most horrible matches. Luckily for me, I found a site, www.free-footy.org which seems to have saved me atleast temporarily. I can stream pretty much any major football game I want at respectable image quality (broadband required). It works for now until I can find some other solution (none coming I fear though)
Anyone have any tips for where I can stream Cricket world cup? Its quite a shame il be missing it especially considering im from Trinidad...
Sad state of affairs, but shite like x factor draws the punters in.
