Clarets ITV ban - your views

Last updated : 15 August 2002 By Tony Scholes

The decision has caused great debate with the club certainly hitting the headlines across football over the past few days. No other club has come out as yet and joined us although Barnsley admitted that they considered it before deciding not to.

There was some confusion initially as to whether the club had stopped cameras coming in but this was cleared up by the club’s Marketing Manager Edoardo Abis who told Clarets Mad,

"The ban that was handed out by ourselves was for the goals rush program which is aired on ITV on Saturday afternoons, which is an update program rather like the one that SKY do with the pundits.

"It was not for TV cameras as they are not allowed in anyway at the moment as they do not have a deal with the Football League. As you know the only cameras that currently come into the ground are the SKY cameras.

"If the Football league sign an agreement with ITV or the BBC for that matter we will comply with their request to allow entry to however wins the rights to show the highlights, no matter how much they sign the deal for. We are a Football League club and hence we comply with their requests."

We asked you for your views on the club’s decision and they are a mixed bunch with everyone though having some sympathy for the club. See below for what you had to say,

Phil Wright

I’m not sure going out on a limb is the right thing to do but I can’t believe that every single club in the football league hasn’t already done the same. There is no doubt in my mind that Granada and Carlton tv cameras shouldn’t be allowed inside our grounds.

Craig Abrey (Watford fan)

Well done the Clarets. If all clubs in the division did this they'd realise the damage they have
done. I shall be posting a message on the Watford message board requesting fans get behind this action.

Steve Haithwaite

I was there in 1966 when BOB through the cameras out. He was proven to be right. We became a strong & respected club afterwards. Dont let TV rule, stick up for our rights & dignity.

Simon Kenyon

I agree with Burnley's stance, and also agree that if every club did it, then Carlton and Granada would really get the message. Whether they would do anything about it is doubtful, but at least it shows they are willing to make a stance against these people, who don't have a care for the clubs, just money.

Ian Halstead

The club's Marketing/PR department has developed a bunker mentality about the ITV Digital collapse. The constant moaning - and the bizarre decision of the club's web site journalist to announce that the team was up for sale - has destroyed morale, among supporters and within the squad.


Even for a PR team that has specialised in own goals over the last two to three years, the banning of ITV's cameras was a classic gaffe. If Nationwide clubs (or even just a large number of Div One clubs) decide to take such action, that can be presented as a collective decision, taken as a bargaining move in the ongoing argument about Carlton and Granada's actions. To act as the club did, especially following the humiliation by Brighton, makes us look both petulant and isolated.

Stephanie Grant

I think Burnley need to do what many other clubs have done and stop talking about the ITV Digital fiasco. Everybody understands (or should) by now that we're missing a big chunk of money that we need, but that money isn't suddenly going to appear by banning ITV cameras from Turf Moor.

It can't be good for the players to only hear about the money we've lost and the players we haven't been able to sign - not when every fan knows that this is basically the same team that came so close to the play-offs last season. There must be a reason for the team playing like they did, and I think it's the doom and gloom stories that the club keeps feeding to the media.

Paul Whiteside

All Nationwide clubs should be following Burnley's lead, ITV may have acted according to the law but in no way has justice been done.

Lesley Das

It would worthwhile only if every other Football League club followed suit. On our own we would be seen as though we had taken our proverbial ball home. With hindsight or should that be foresight ? we should not have allowed players to negotiate outrageous wages/contracts on the promise of future riches when to anybody with an inkling of business acumen would have realised the t.v. companies involved were in far above their heads.

Football has its self to blame, the real shame is that if they expect the fans like myself who prefer live football to bail the overstretched clubs out by constantly increasing admission/season ticket prices or even worse to subscribe to a poor "official"website in order to access news available elsewhere They may get a nasty shock when we refuse to stump up.

Andrew Malcolm

It appears to me that many people are now beginning to question the whole approach of the club management towards the current problems.

I am by no means a 'board-knocker' at all and I am fully aware of the great service that certainly Barry Kilby has performed for the club. However their overall approach to this issue and the issues concerning their communication and consultation with the fans leaves something to be desired.

I note with interest that on such as the Radio Lancashire phone-in there appears to be a general feeling by purveyors of the news that it is some form of heresy to criticise the board or the club. This cannot be allowed to stifle debate - Feedback must be constructive.

Matthew Stansfield

I think Burnley are right to do what they have and I think that the only time there will be any action will be if the clubs in the league refuse the cameras entry.

It is time that all the clubs came together including the Premier League and took some worthwhile action. You only have to look at the clubs that have come down this year to see that the Premier League is not a closed shop and any team could easily be sucked into this mess. I myself expect Sunderland and Villa to struggle this year and if they do how would they cope over the next couple of seasons???

In so far as making too much of it is concerned, I agree and disagree with your comments. Burnley have a right to be aggrieved as I think with the money this would have been a big year for BFC. On the other hand they are in the same boat as everyone but for a select few in the division and should from the last two seasons evidence be a play off team. Why should it affect us more than others?

Barrie Charnley

I think the stance taken by BFC is absolutely right. I can't believe the sheer audacity of ITV actually turning up and expecting to get in, nor can I believe that other clubs will let them in

either.

ITV are simply taking the p*** out of the Football League Clubs if they expect to carry on as normal.

Additionally, the majority of football fans have access to Sky TV these days, which means that that not being able to see a mediocre highlights programme from a channel that employs Jim Beglin is hardly a loss.

Dave Roberts

For the football league to even contemplate selling their highlights package to ITV is frankly laughable and I sincerely hope that this is someone's idea of a joke.

There are times when the pound is not king, and if the league had accepted Sky's marginally inferior bid to show matches instead of going all out for OnDigital / ITV Digital's higher (but ultimately unsound) bid prior to last season then the league and clubs would not be in the predicament that they find themselves in now.

The league has already shown that it was totally inept in its handling of the Ongital / ITV Digital deal, and their agreement to go back to the table with the ITV network now, if this is indeed true, is surely a comedown and a smack in the face for the sport.

I stand behind Burnley FC's decision to ban the ITV cameras earlier in the week, and think that the football league should not even be considering taking the pin money that is being offered by ITV for the current highlights package. This merely puts the clubs in a position that they should not have to deal with, and leaves all involved with this so-called deal with copious amounts of egg on their faces.

Grahame Singleton

I think it is a very good idea by the club to ban ITV and wish other clubs would follow suit. The measly 2 million offered by ITV for the rights to show highlights is a joke and if the league cannot see this they are even more of a joke.

It means that instead of having to pay 300+ million for the rights to show 1 or 2 games per week they only have to pay 2 million and they can show parts from every game as many times a week as they want.

Burnley FC should continue with the ban and other clubs should follow, ITV are just trying to make a mockery out of the football league and all the clubs in it.

Sharon Saunders

I think you are right to ban ITV from Turf Moor, it’s only highlights we are missing anyway. Don't let them in.

David Jesson

If all the clubs in the Football League banned the ITV from their grounds, BBC sport only (all sports) on every football fans tv, this will hit them hard.

Susan Moore

Here, here to the Clarets’ decision to ban the cameras. How can any club or the FA even consider striking a deal with ITV after they have destroyed much of football for the clubs. I'd rather they gave it away free or for a much reduced fee to the BBC or some other channel.

This goes to show how fickle clubs and the Football League when it comes to a small amount of money. Lets stick to our principles at the Turf, what’s another £50k going to do anyway, I'd rather stand our ground and have a clear conscience.

Tim Bradley

I think BFC are absolutely right to ban the cameras, though I don't think there is much point in harping on about the lost money, we all know the details and understand the moral issues by now.

I think it is entirely the correct stance to hold out against the tv companies, and if they get a highlight package for £2m (an absolute and desperate sell out), then the football league deserve all that they get and have learned nothing from the events of recent months. If you work at ITV you would be laughing all over your face.

TV money has been like a cancer on football in this country and the current talk about taking the game back to the fans sound like sick hypocrisy to me, it has a distinctly hollow ring. The greed and self interest which brought about and perpetuates the Premier League has been at the expense of the club supporters, especially a club like ours that was in the wrong (very) place at the wrong time. I almost look forward to the day the TV money falls away there to watch the club executive explain their collapse to their supporters and investors at the stock exchange.

Maybe I am just too cynical these days. I think Barry Kilby has done an amazing job at Burnley and he is right with this one too. It is going to be a long season, though as always.

Andrew Tomlinson

I think your reference to Norwich is spot on. They have already commenced a number of initiatives to deal with the shortfall but have not put their team up for sale in fact they have strengthened their squad and talk positively have having another go for promotion this year.

Whereas at Burnley I do believe the board’s approach is in danger of creating an attitude of why bother this year amongst the fans and players.

Dwindling attendances and a relegation fight could just be behind the corner. Interesting that Millwall’s approach which has been similar to Burnley’s and Norwich’s were all reflected in the first days results.

Neil Gelder

I think that all the football clubs in the 1st division should ban itv from there grounds as the first division are the football highlight that they are mainly after. If all the clubs stick together then itv will be forced to pay a much higher amount for the highlights with the argument that a lot of viewers that support clubs that are not in the premier div will then swap to bbc to watch highlight and all football related programmes.

This would therefore make advertisers think before advertising with them and due to the news where the highlights are generally shown being at 6:00pm which is prime and expensive catchment and sales time for the channel this would then cause them to think. I hope that the Clarets and other clubs stick at it and give them a taste of what is like not to get there own way.

Liam Veitch

I think the club has shown an enormous amount of courage by banning ITV from the Turf. I praise the club for taken these actions because if you consider the circumstances, there is a possibility of a negative impact.

Say for example ITV do show league highlights, but only offer a nominal amount, and the stance remains Also taking into consideration all other clubs have not publicly announced the same actions, pointing towards them agreeing a deal.

This would mean that the Highlights programme would not show Burnley games. Subsequently "armchair" or "quid a kid" fans who don't realise the situation, and the steps Burnley have taken, will be very unhappy, this will rub off on other fans surely... and who will they blame??? Edoardo Abis?? Andrew Watson?? NO! they'll blame the chairman.

Will he be able to carry much more on those "Broad Shoulders" of his? I appreciate what Burnley are doing but with other clubs evidently not taking steps in the same directions, they may ultimately feel the wrath of the boo boys.

Ian Warburton

Absolutely right. It's just a pity more football clubs aren't prepared to have the courage of their convictions.

Tim Cartmell

What do you think of having banners behind the goals that would clearly be seen by any highlights package. Perhaps 'DON'T WATCH ITV' or whatever, I don't think the club would support this but would they stop it?

Nick Holt

Despite being "Done" by the 2 TV Companies it seems to me to be premature for the Club to be banning ITV. Surely, any publicity is good publicity. Bob Lord banned the press and ever since we have struggled to get the recognition we have deserved.

It also seems to me that The Management (at all levels) is seriously lacking in "PR" skills; a little thought prior to engaging the mouth is required.

Norman

Just get on with it. we're currently 2nd bottom (after only 1 game I know) so Stan & the Board should stop using this as a smokescreen and get working with what we have. Seems these players don't need much of an excuse to turn in below par performances anyway, look at results since Xmas-or are they just not that good anyway?