Jacqui Oatley

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PGage

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Dec 2, 2022, 6:21:49 PM12/2/22
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Wow, I have really been digging Oakley’s work on the World Cup broadcasts. Is she as highly regarded in the UK as she now is in my house? I would nominate her for sure to call the Finals.--
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Adam Bowie

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Dec 2, 2022, 8:14:57 PM12/2/22
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A lot of our commentators are effectively freelance and do different things for different channels. Jacqui Oatley used to do a lot of radio for BBC Radio Five Live. These days she’s lead commentator on Sky Sports for the Women’s Premier League. She sometimes covers the men’s Championship (level below EPL) for Quest (a Discovery channel that has the rights). And the she’s also lead darts commentator for ITV!

In truth, if Fox hadn’t got her for the World Cup, she’d have been on ITV to some degree, but wouldn’t have been their lead commentator. Both BBC and ITV cover the World Cup in the UK, splitting matches between them. But both broadcasters will have commentators at each fixture even if only for a highlights show later  it the evening. The BBC also has separate radio folk with Talkspprt also having radio rights.


Adam

On Fri, 2 Dec 2022 at 23:21, PGage <pga...@gmail.com> wrote:
Wow, I have really been digging Oakley’s work on the World Cup broadcasts. Is she as highly regarded in the UK as she now is in my house? I would nominate her for sure to call the Finals.--
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PGage

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Dec 2, 2022, 8:23:21 PM12/2/22
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And now I am searching for how to watch UK Darts coverage…

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Adam Bowie

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Dec 2, 2022, 8:33:28 PM12/2/22
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Ha ha. Well the most recent ITV darts coverage was hosted by the excellent News Boulting who these days mostly does cycling and is lead ITV commentator for the Tour de France. That was because it clashed with the World Cup 

The next big darts in the UK is the PDC World Championship which is on Sky and runs over Christmas and New Year. Oatley doesn't get to do that.

If you've never watched British/European darts tournaments you're in for a shock. Basically they're seen as opportunities for large numbers of people to drink voluminous quantities of beer, whilst wearing fancy dress and holding up 'witty' signs for the cameras.

That all said, I once went to a session at the Ally Pally (aka Alexandra Palace in North London, and once home to the BBC's first TV studios - bringing things back to being vaguely on topic), and it was enormous fun!


Adam

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JW

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Dec 3, 2022, 5:10:55 AM12/3/22
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> And now I am searching for how to watch UK Darts coverage…

Back before the pandemic, we would go to a pub on Thursday nights that happened to tune into something called Premier League Darts on BBC America. (Ms. Oatley wasn't part of this.) I have no idea if that series, or any other, still runs.

Adam Bowie

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Dec 3, 2022, 8:19:39 AM12/3/22
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We are now reaching the edge of my knowledge in the arcane world of televised darts.*

Premier League darts is a weekly tournament that airs on Sky Sports in the UK. So no Jackie Oatley. Sky and ITV share PDC darts rights in the UK, with Sky getting the really big World Championship.

Weird that it was airing on BBC America, but then I've really never understood the purpose of that channel. As far as I can make out it airs Graham Norton, Top Gear, Doctor Who, and mostly endless reruns of Star Trek, The X Files and movie marathons. With Who heading off to Disney+ that's one fewer reason for its existence. But I digress...


Adam


* Favourite fact: the sound you hear on TV of a dart hitting the board is fake! Well sometimes. Basically there are contact mics on the back of the board, and the sound gets enhanced with drum noise... 

On Sat, 3 Dec 2022, 10:10 JW, <redb...@gmail.com> wrote:
> And now I am searching for how to watch UK Darts coverage…

Back before the pandemic, we would go to a pub on Thursday nights that happened to tune into something called Premier League Darts on BBC America. (Ms. Oatley wasn't part of this.) I have no idea if that series, or any other, still runs.

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Bob Jersey

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Dec 3, 2022, 5:07:51 PM12/3/22
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There is a Twitter account @DartsBBCA, but its last post was in October 2020. Figure it out.

BBCA general manager Blake Callahan told Indiewire (kin to Variety) earlier this year his network is not lacking for content nor going away any time soon... https://www.indiewire.com/2022/10/bbc-america-future-after-losing-doctor-who-1234776145/ (link)
B

Dave Sikula

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Dec 4, 2022, 4:24:20 AM12/4/22
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I have to say (with no irony or sarcasm) that I find darts more exciting and having more action than any soccer game.

--Dave Sikula

PGage

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Dec 4, 2022, 2:26:42 PM12/4/22
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I would have written the exact same until about 10-12 years ago. Slowly I have begun to appreciate some of the nuances of the game, and I have watched every single WC Match ( well, could not watch some of the simultaneous matches, though did a couple of times have one on my TV and the other on my IPad). And have had genuine gasps and exclamations of joy and despair. It helps that my daughter is into it, so it gives me something to discuss with her.

I have found some UK darts streaming, but alas nine with my girl Jacqui. Also failed to find any darts on ESPN+


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Tom Wolper

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Dec 7, 2022, 9:56:26 AM12/7/22
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In the long history of this group we have never told each other which sports to like or dislike and I hope we’re not starting now.

I remember growing up with the same disdain for soccer. In 1982 I accidentally came across a daily World Cup wrap up on the local PBS station. Brazil had a legendary team that year and the thing that got my attention was their fans in the stands. People in the US going to games weren’t wearing team jerseys or colors yet or painting their faces and the Brazil supporters were. They showed a level of emotional commitment I had never seen before. Plus they had samba bands in the stands that would play whenever the team scored.

One problem with getting Americans to follow soccer is that it was difficult or expensive to watch the best teams play. Before the internet it was nearly impossible to stay up to date on the European leagues and World Cup matches were mostly relegated to cable.

PGage

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Dec 7, 2022, 10:21:02 AM12/7/22
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To clarify, I would never do that, having suffered through literally decades of being harangued by friends to fall in love with both soccer and hockey. Simply testifying to the fact that, while three intentionally attempts to get it on with ice hockey have failed, I am on the verge now after a long slow courtship of falling for soccer.

Tom Wolper

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Dec 7, 2022, 2:28:31 PM12/7/22
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I’m not looking to place blame. I’ve known Dave long enough to know you won’t change his mind and FIFA isn’t going to change the rules to try and get those people to like the game.

daves...@gmail.com

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Dec 7, 2022, 5:26:54 PM12/7/22
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I hope I didn't come across as saying that those who enjoy soccer are wrong to do so. I do not understand the game and see no reason to increase my knowledge.

Some people find baseball boring. I don't. Many find basketball and soccer exciting. I find them tedious. I'm not wrong and neither are they.

--Dave Sikula

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PGage

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Dec 7, 2022, 9:14:11 PM12/7/22
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Right. But my clarification is that I was not attempting to change his mind. Just observing that I had changed my mind, but totally understand why people find soccer excruciatingly boring.

But, as my wife constantly reminds me, there really is no need for me to express every thought that passes through my head.

Kevin M.

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Dec 7, 2022, 9:26:12 PM12/7/22
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The debate over whether baseball is more boring than soccer is only slightly less boring than baseball and soccer. 

But I watch cycling. So there’s that. 

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PGage

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Dec 8, 2022, 10:21:20 PM12/8/22
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I still haven’t given up on darts!

PGage

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Dec 14, 2022, 9:38:40 AM12/14/22
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So, I guess I am in the minority on Jacqui; my girl has not called a match since the Group stage, and I guess is unlikely to do one of the remaining matches. They have really featured an American broadcasting pair, who I suppose must be the primary soccer team for Fox Sports. They are not horrible, but not in my personal top three from this WC. Somehow I feel more confident in having my soccer described and explained by British voices…

On Fri, 2 Dec 2022 at 3:21 PM PGage <pga...@gmail.com> wrote:
Wow, I have really been digging Oakley’s work on the World Cup broadcasts. Is she as highly regarded in the UK as she now is in my house? I would nominate her for sure to call the Finals.--
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Tom Wolper

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Dec 14, 2022, 2:22:28 PM12/14/22
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As Adam wrote previously, in the group stage with 4 games a day it makes sense to bring on freelancers. When it comes down to one game a day Fox will use their top team.

I think the Fox team of John Strong, Stu Holden, and Jenny Taft are okay. Like you, I prefer a British broadcast team. The best thing NBC did when they landed the Premier League was to bring in experienced British announcers and not try to explain every little detail to viewers.

Peter Drury is now calling the NBC 12:30 ET game and I love his descriptions of delightful strikes, delicious goals, and naughty fouls.

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PGage

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Aug 3, 2023, 9:11:09 AM8/3/23
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Just wanted to again shout out Oatley’s  work, this time in the Women’s WC. Her call of the Jamaica-Brazil match was  just stellar (“And still Jamaica has not conceded”).

I have now watched a lot more soccer, having seen every one of Arsenal’s PL matches this season, and still feel she is the best. I’m hoping for the WWC she will be doing the Finals.

On Fri, 2 Dec 2022 at 3:21 PM PGage <pga...@gmail.com> wrote:
Wow, I have really been digging Oakley’s work on the World Cup broadcasts. Is she as highly regarded in the UK as she now is in my house? I would nominate her for sure to call the Finals.--
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Tom Wolper

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Aug 3, 2023, 3:14:57 PM8/3/23
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John Strong and Stu Holden were the top announcing team for the men’s World Cup. When I looked at the teams for the women’s tournament they weren’t working together.

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PGage

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Aug 3, 2023, 8:17:12 PM8/3/23
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I followed her on Instagram, and saw that she posted she is working through the quarter finals then done. That is an improvement over Men’s WC, but would like to see her do two more games.

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