This week saw the introduction of Sky Digital’s interactive Champions League football coverage, but the leap in viewing choice may not be best for the beautiful game…
The viewer had the ability to choose which match to watch out of a possible six on Tuesday night and eight on Wednesday night.
Being an avid football fan I couldn’t wait until seven o’clock on Tuesday when it all kicked off.
I began to watch Manchester United versus Panathanaikos on ITV1- incidentally ITV have two live matches broadcast at the same time as Sky – but then my mind started to drift to other parts of Europe.
Real Madrid were playing Marseille, so I flicked over to see this on Sky Digital, then I remembered Chelsea in Sparta Prague, this took up the next three minutes of my attention.
I then couldn’t resist looking to see the score between Ajax and AC Milan in Amsterdam.
As I slowly lost interest in this match, I decided to get back to Manchester and good old ITV and Manchester United.
To my horror, United were now winning 3-0 and I had missed all the goals.
This isn’t going to happen again I thought, as I’ve missed the action here I’d better watch Rangers versus Stuttgart properly.
Rangers were losing 1-0 to a goal I had missed, again.
Within minutes, my mind started to wander… Wouldn’t it be interesting to see how David Beckham is doing at Real Madrid?
Madrid were winning 3-1, the last time I flicked over they were 1-0 down. Typical, but according to Martin Tyler the commentator, David Beckham was playing well – which was nice to know.
Frustrated with my lack of goal viewing I decided I would become more focused and watch the whole of the second half of the Manchester United versus Panathanaikos match, resisting any further channel-hopping.
United had scored four in the first half, so at least I would see some goals now.
The match finished 5-0 to Manchester United, I had witnesses one goal the whole evening and it was hardly spectacular: a tap in from Eric Djemba Djemba.
All that choice and I saw one goal and in truth a boring second half display from both teams.
Concentrating on one match all the way through is what I will be doing in future, it is far simpler and takes a lot less energy.
To think setting down in front of the television used to be my way of relaxing!
