Harsh.
1 Like
You see demotion, I see playing a role for one of his employers.
And by network hack do you mean 10 or 7?
1 Like
Interesting comments from Adam Gilchrist here.
2 Likes
I don’t think Andy’s been on contract at Ten since 2011.
A mutual agreement between Seven & Ten no doubt and it seems to work well.
It’s called freelancing
4 Likes
It’s probably more to do with the fact that Mel Jones is far more suited to be their ‘3rd choice’ commentator compared to Maher
1 Like
Begs the question why use him for 4 seasons then?
Things change.
Because the others (Gilchrist/Jones) weren’t confident enough (or Ten weren’t confident enough in them) to lead commentaries, match in match out, presumably.
I felt the games he did last couple of years he didn’t add a lot, whereas Mark Howard gets the discussion going and knows how to push conversation or what will get his experts talking.
2 Likes
Also, when Ten restarted their T20 coverage, they were as skint as they were a few months ago. They needed someone cheap who had been in the family for a while. Hence Mark Howard (who had been sitting around doing not much since the AFL programming wound up) and Andy Maher, who was in the same boat.
It’s somewhat remarkable they only had a presenting team of around 9 people covering 30+ games back then, although they had low expectations and no WBBL to worry about back then.
3 Likes
Howie has become absolutely fantastic for Ten, astonishing how he went from Ten News Melbourne fluffy reports in the early 2000s, to then heading overseas working on the F1s, to returning to Ten on V8s to 9am with David and Kim and Ten News again to his niche now as roving sport presenter / reporter on so many telecasts and programs to a cricket caller on TV and radio.
He’s quick witted, natural, like OnAir said knows how to get a converstaion started or keep it flowing and topical.
I’ve always liked Andy too, he’s been around a lot longer and more well known (particularly to AFL folk, similar to Howie) but have to agree, hasn’t worked out as well perhaps as Ten had thought. He could still do BBL, but yep, better choices.
He’s good on WBBL though with Mel and Lisa and hopefully we’ll continue to see him do some BBL boundary.
1 Like
Gilly:
“Thanks for watching and we know it’s very early in some parts of the country, so an even bigger thank you”
Yep, that’s me, 1:06am AEDT 
Message to CA: Try to start coverage for double headers 1-2 hours earlier, 4 or 5pm? Start it on ONE and shift to main channel after news? Just a suggestion.
1 Like
4pm would be a bit too early for workers to make it down to the ground in time to see much of it. Some of the wouldn’t be able to make it down until 5:30 or 6, by which time it would be half over or more,
5pm is not a bad idea, not sure how TEN feels about BBL cricket being on ONE at the same time as their 5pm News, and I can’t imagine TEN not screening news on a weekday,
Avoiding the summer heat is another consideration if it turns out to be a really hot day.
2 Likes
This is going to sound like I’ve taken something, but stay with me.
Rather than a double header back to back, they should try BBL for Breakfast. Not every day but once or twice a summer when they have an extra game to get away. I wouldn’t do it this week as people are going back to work but perhaps the week after Christmas or NYD.
So you’d have one game in the morning (perhaps start at 8:30 and finish by midday). The game will be played out of the real heat of the day, mostly. Could play it at a holiday hotspot or something. For Ten (if they had the rights) they would knock over Sunrise and Today for the morning you’d think plus advertisers would want to get on board. If 9 has the rights (or Seven but unlikely), then do Today live from the ground and make it an event.
That would remove the late finish plus if they do it once or twice a summer people are likely to get on board.
5 Likes
Why have double headers anyway? Why not spread the games out over more days?
1 Like
Perth won’t get any evening games then, they’ll all be afternoon ones and also they need a few double ups to fit in the season with the other cricket forms and before the grounds need to be converted back to AFL grounds.
3 Likes
Double headers are good for a Friday or Saturday night, but last night was a real struggle. Not sure why they are scheduling these on work nights.
2 Likes
Don’t forget it’s the normal time in Perth, so on a work day, Perth fans can do things like go to work and not knock early do it fits in the eastern TV timeslot.
2 Likes
Yes and it works in Perth (and helps Ch 10 / ONE’s late night shares on the east coast), but it’s 3 hours later on the east coast which are the biggest markets, of which one of last night’s team’s is from one of those markets.
It’s a tough ask for viewers, it was a thrilling game (both were) too.
CA couldn’t start last night’s doubleheader earlier than 6pm eastern incase day five of the Sydney test went all day - they avoid having international cricket and the BBL clashing with each other
4 Likes
Ten Perth are the only market not to broadcast a news bulletin yesterday. Didnt even produce a quick half hour bulletin for after or during cricket!
3 Likes