November 12th 2024.
The news of Gary Lineker's departure from Match of the Day has caused quite a stir. It's definitely a big moment in the history of British broadcasting, and the confirmation from the BBC has only added to the hype.
It's not often that the phrase "end of an era" feels fitting, but in this case, it truly does. As long as I can remember, Match of the Day has been a highlight of my sporting week and a key point in my own life. As a young boy, I would beg my parents to let me stay up past my bedtime to catch some of the action, even as the 10:30 pm start time crept further and further away. And as I grew older, I felt privileged to sit and enjoy a beer with my own father as we watched the highlights of the Arsenal game.
Of course, as I entered my teenage years and my 20s, the ritual of Saturday night Match of the Day was replaced by the Sunday morning ritual of catching up on what I had missed with a cup of tea and a hangover. But now, as a bit of an older guy with kids of my own, I make it a point to bookend my busy week by pushing past my fatigue and staying up until the blessed time of 10:35 pm to watch Gary's dad-jokes and smile as he introduces the show. I'll watch Arsenal play, and then likely switch off before the final game highlights, which are usually a bit dull.
Honestly, at some point, I probably imagined that my son and I would spend our Saturday nights watching Lineker. He's been a fixture on our screens for years, and while some may say that familiarity breeds contempt, he has managed to maintain his status as Mister Saturday Night. Sure, he has his critics, whether it be for his politics or his scripted jokes, but he's still the go-to host for Match of the Day.
But let's be real, as good as Lineker is, he was never the main star of the show. Football was. We tuned in for the banter and the comforting presence, but ultimately, it was all about the highlights. And even without Lineker, I will one day share that same beer with my son while watching Match of the Day, no matter who is hosting, as long as the BBC doesn't mess with the format.
There's already talk of a "reboot" or "revamp," and that's a cause for concern. Match of the Day isn't broken, so there's no need to fix it. Sure, it may have gotten a bit stale over the years, and it may not be as high-tech or personality-driven as other football shows, but it has always felt quintessentially BBC and British. It's refreshing to see that Match of the Day has stuck with the same formula, down to the iconic theme song. It's what made Lineker the perfect blank canvas for the football itself to take center stage, something that is becoming increasingly rare in the world of sports coverage.
In other spaces, the focus has shifted from the football to the pundits, who have become the stars of the show. Take Micah Richards, for example, one of the names rumored to be in the running to replace Lineker. He's become a household name through his work as a pundit, but it's important to remember that Match of the Day should always be about the football first and foremost.
Gary Neville, the former England full-back, and now a venture capitalist, saw the trend towards longer form content and launched his own YouTube channel, The Overlap. While they do still talk about football, viewers also get to see the pundits eat croissants, try Nandos, discuss fashion, and take Roy Keane on endless adventures, all in an attempt to make him smile.
But as for Match of the Day, there are talks of rotating hosts and changing the format to appeal to a younger audience. It seems like the beloved show is at risk of becoming just another piece of "content." Alan Shearer even joked that if Micah Richards were to take over as host, he would walk away from the show. Of course, Shearer was just kidding, but his joke shines a light on what the future of Match of the Day should be.
And here's a spoiler: the future of Match of the Day should look a lot like its past and present. Any temptation to bring in younger, rotating hosts or change the format to appeal to a specific demographic should be avoided. Sky Sports has tried something similar, bringing in vloggers and influencers into their coverage, and it hasn't gone over well with their core audience of older football fans. Match of the Day should take note of this. When I was young, I watched the show every week because I had to. There was no other way to catch up on the games I had missed. But nowadays, teenagers have access to Twitter, TikTok, and other social platforms that cater to their every need. They can stream live games and watch highlights on their own time. Match of the Day isn't a necessity for them anymore.
But for someone like me, a tired, busy dad who barely has time to watch one game, let alone keep up with them all, Match of the Day is a lifeline. I remember the pundits as players, and I enjoy hearing their insights on the day's events. And I know there are millions of other sad, tired football fans like me who feel the same way. We don't just want Match of the Day, we need it. It's all we have left.
So please, BBC, consider what works about Match of the Day already - the chemistry, the banter, the fact that it doesn't try to appeal to the youth, but rather to us knackered old dads who push ourselves to stay up until 10:30 pm, wishing we were at the pub, but instead living vicariously through the middle-aged men on our screens. Don't try to change it, no matter who is hosting. Young people have their own platforms for football content; let Match of the Day be for us, the sad old men.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
