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For BBC Sport in particular, it does occasionally feel like that some hiring decisions have been made less on ability and more on social engineering.
But I'd be surprised if it was Alex Scott. Her contract is up at the end of the season and there are no doubt other possibilities for her.
Football Focus is an unwatchable shell of the programme it once was. It's become a bland chatty One Show based around football with little focus.
Viewing numbers dropped by a third from 849,000 in 2019 to 564,000 in 2023.
https://deadline.com/2023/09/football-focus-dan-walker-alex-scott-clash-audience-dip-1235554351/
In fairness to Scott, the falling numbers can't be all attributed to her as she only took over from Dan Walker in 2021.
A former defender on the pitch, her reaction to Walker's tweet of last year about the falling numbers reveal a little of her circle the wagons mindset:
Walker: “It’s hard to see Football Focus struggling. I loved it growing up and it was an honour to present it and I still miss it. We poured everything into that show every week and worked hard to keep it relevant. I hope it stays part of the TV landscape.”
Scott: “Interesting.”
Walker: “I’m not saying you haven’t Alex. It’s a saturated market and it’s hard work every week. I hope you have a good show today."
Scott: "We have big interviews with Ange Postecoglou and Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard coming up on the ‘Award’ winning Football Focus tomorrow. Make that a headline.”
Though she's been unfairly and snobbily criticized for her accent, Scott's been promoted well above her formulaic wooden presenting ability.
The fact that she's being linked with the BBC flagship football show is a concern for those of us who love the format just as it is.
If Scott takes it on and viewing numbers fall significantly as with FF, you can be sure that it'll somehow be our inflexible, unaccepting fault, not hers.
Move away from the key viewing demographic at your own risk, BBC Sport. You learned that the hard way with A Question of Sport.
60 years is a lot to lose.
But I'd be surprised if it was Alex Scott. Her contract is up at the end of the season and there are no doubt other possibilities for her.
Football Focus is an unwatchable shell of the programme it once was. It's become a bland chatty One Show based around football with little focus.
Viewing numbers dropped by a third from 849,000 in 2019 to 564,000 in 2023.
https://deadline.com/2023/09/football-focus-dan-walker-alex-scott-clash-audience-dip-1235554351/
In fairness to Scott, the falling numbers can't be all attributed to her as she only took over from Dan Walker in 2021.
A former defender on the pitch, her reaction to Walker's tweet of last year about the falling numbers reveal a little of her circle the wagons mindset:
Walker: “It’s hard to see Football Focus struggling. I loved it growing up and it was an honour to present it and I still miss it. We poured everything into that show every week and worked hard to keep it relevant. I hope it stays part of the TV landscape.”
Scott: “Interesting.”
Walker: “I’m not saying you haven’t Alex. It’s a saturated market and it’s hard work every week. I hope you have a good show today."
Scott: "We have big interviews with Ange Postecoglou and Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard coming up on the ‘Award’ winning Football Focus tomorrow. Make that a headline.”
Though she's been unfairly and snobbily criticized for her accent, Scott's been promoted well above her formulaic wooden presenting ability.
The fact that she's being linked with the BBC flagship football show is a concern for those of us who love the format just as it is.
If Scott takes it on and viewing numbers fall significantly as with FF, you can be sure that it'll somehow be our inflexible, unaccepting fault, not hers.
Move away from the key viewing demographic at your own risk, BBC Sport. You learned that the hard way with A Question of Sport.
60 years is a lot to lose.
