Research about Match of the Day

For my first main bit of research I had a look at Match of the Day and evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of the the program. In addition, I had a look at other elements of the show such as the target audience of the show. Here is a typical show followed by a fact file. 

Fact File:

• The first show was broadcasted on 22nd August 1964.
• This makes it the longest running football program in the world.
• The first game that was shown on the show was Liverpool vs Arsenal, but only 20,000 people watched the program, therefore there was less than 50% of the attendance of the match, watching at home. 
•  Several clubs in 1965 tried to ban MOTD, as they thought the program would harm their gate receipts. 
• The BBC then promised that they would not reveal what game they'd show until after all the games were played, so the gate receipts would not be effected.
• The first theme tune was wrote by Major Leslie Statham.
• The current tune was composed by Barry Stoller. 
• It is now the most recognisable theme tune in the world.

(10 things you didn't know about Match of the Day, Tom Armstrong, 03/02/17)

• The main presenters were Kenneth Wolstenholme (1964-69), David Coleman (1968-73), Jimmy Hill (1973-88), Des Lynam (1988-99) and Gary Lineker (1999-present). 
• Wolstenholme is a former RAF bomber pilot, flying around 100 missions in World War 2 before the age of 23. He commentated on 23 FA Cup Finals and 5 World Cups and said the phrase, "they think its all over....well it is now". 

(Match of the Day: 50 years of Broadcasting Celebration, BBC, 03/02/17)

• Coleman joined the BBC in 1954 as a sports editor. He made his television debut on a TV show called, "Sportsview". He covered 11 Olympic Games, 6 World Cups as a commentator and 1 as a presenter. 

(Famous Birthdays, 08/02/17)

• Jimmy Hill started out as a professional footballer for teams such as, Brentford and Fulham. He then became a manager with Coventry City in 1961 and after moved into broadcasting and eventually joined Match of the Day in 1973. In addition, he was chairman of Coventry, Charlton and Fulham. 
• Des Lynam started out as a radio journalist and joined Match of the Day in 1988. Not only did he just do MOTD but he also presented World Cups, Olympic Games, Grand Nationals, Wimbledon and other Sport TV shows for the BBC.
• Gary Lineker played for Leicester, Everton, Barcelona, Tottenham and Nagoya Grampus Eight. In Lineker joined Match of the Day in 1999 and is the current presenter. 

(Wikipedia, 08/02/17)

This research was useful because it meant that I could look into MOTD in more detail. By looking at general facts about MOTD, it aloud me to find my subheadings, and I found things that I wanted to look at in more detail. Despite already knowing a lot about MOTD, I didn't really know what MOTD was like when it first started, I only really know what its like in the 2010's, and not everything before that.