Sport evokes emotion, passion and excitement among fans.
Part of this comes from the zest, intensity and enthusiasm of the commentators to draw the viewers in and compelling them to keep watching.
There are many examples where sports commentators are known as the voice of the sport. Murray Walker in Formula One, Martin Tyler in football and Ray Warren in rugby league and swimming are some examples.
Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen are two commentators that are known as the voice of cycling or at least the voice of Le Tour de France.
Liggett and Sherwen have been gracing our TV screens for years. According to the NBC Sports website, Liggett has been reporting on the Tour de France for 41 years. While for Sherwen, 2016 marks the 38th time that he has been in charge of the microphone over the three weeks.
There is a whole generation of cycling fans in Australia that only knows them.
Cyclingtips.com states that Liggett and Sherwen are part of the NBC Sports network to provide commentary for their audience. After an exclusive period ends, Liggett and Sherwen provide commentary for other international networks like SBS.
As part of its 2016 telecast, SBS have added Robbie McEwen and Matthew Keenan to commentate from the moment footage begins to the 50 km mark. Liggett and Sherwen take over from the last 50 kms.
Unfortunately both commentators are getting older and the numbers of commentary errors are increasing each year. Liggett was also very vocal about WADA and USADA pursuit of Armstrong as being a waste of money. Something that may have tarnished his image.
It is difficult to retire from a high profile sport.
Ex-Formula Onecommentator, Murray Walker, after a half a century in the commentary box, said in his press conference:
“I woke up one morning recently and thought: ‘That’s it, the time has come’. I don’t actually want to stop but I’ve always said I will do so when I’m still ahead with the viewers, rather than wait until there’s a general belief that I’m past it. I’ve had a fantastic time. But we are all human, we all wear out and I’m not getting any younger.”
All good things come to an end.
I believe that it is time for SBS to cast Liggett and Sherwen adrift.
England’s ITV television network replaced Liggett and Sherwen this year with their own commentary team this.
SBS would therefore not be the first to cut Liggett and Sherwen.
Matt Keenan and and ex-pro, Robbie McEwen showed during the Giro d’Italia that they are more than capable of filling their shoes.
They bring a fresh and exciting perspective to pro-cycling combining knowledge and racing insights.
It also must be more costly for SBS have Liggett and Sherwen on its roster given they already have Keenan and McEwen in France as part of their team.
It will be difficult for many fans to see Liggett and Sherwen replaced on our screens.
But a quick scroll through different social media channels shows that people want change.
Change is difficult.
But it is now time for SBS to move with the times, refresh its commentary team and drop Liggett and Sherwen.
Debbie
Guest
WHAT a breath of fresh air Matthew and Robbie are - they're SO knowledgeable and don't have little 'digs' at each other like Phil and Paul do - yes, Phil and Paul have done a brilliant job, but let's face it, they're 'past it' now - all my friends here in South Africa just LOVE Matthew and Robbie - we HOPE they'll be fulltime one day SOON.
Vernal
Guest
I enjoy McEwen's commentary. I'm interested in the tactics of the sport and would love to hear his take on what happens during the races. Then there's Matthew Keenan. I am sure he means well and wants to do a good job. I wish him well. I also wish he would take some time to learn (or to find someone to help him learn) the correct pronunciation of the riders' names and the towns they ride through. Please. I beg of you. It's the Tour de France. In France. At least try to get the French names right. McEwen does a better job of that. Why not get some help from him on the spot?
PB
Guest
I don't think wanting to know who's leading the major competitive classifications qualifies as being anal.
Runner
Guest
Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen's commentary make the Tour de France worth watching for those of us that aren't anal about every single detail about cycling and making sure what is said is 100% true. Not all of us are watching it just for the cycling but also for the stunning scenery and the people of France. Over the years it's become more than a bike race and that is thanks to Phil & Paul regardless of the occasional cock up.
Runner
Guest
If you don't like the Australian commentators you can always hit mute!
PB
Guest
I was watching the replay of a stage the other night. Waited til the end to fine out who had green, polka dots and white and no mention at all! Only the GC. That's indicative of coverage that dumbed down to the non-enthusiast viewer.
frederick34
Guest
Matt Keenan spends too much time on history than the race on hand. More explanation of tactics and indepth particulars of the race at hand would be preferable than just mentioning who each rider is and what they did in the past. Maybe Paul and Phil make mistakes but they at least give the layman a far better understanding of of how the race is undertaken. Robbie McKeon is a fantastic addition.
Jim TofT
Guest
Well I have just had the chance to catch SBS coverage of the Tour here in Australia for the first time this year. I can only say the Aussie Commentary are having a go, but from an outsider of the sport, sorry I am not enjoying your commentary. What I have hear in Stage 9, their commentary is not good and their is so much more about the tour when you look at the aspects of what the coverage of the tours. Sorry guys, you have a way to go, even if you don't make mistakes. It does not matter if SBS has no viewers, at the moment you sound like two guys sitting in an OB van in front of a couple of T.V. screens not able to keep up the action as it stream across in front of you. Yep, it's hard to make it sound like you are in the middle of the live action all the time when you are not. It's even harder as the number of cameras has increased over the years with available technology. So it becomes ever harder to keep up with the speed of the vision switching between cameras shots as it comes across your OB monitors. Yep, this mean more pressure and less time to think as the vision is changing more quickly in front of you, so the more mistakes can be made in the commentary, that's the trap for the new comers who think it might be easy.
Roger Newby
Guest
Here in South Africa we still have to listen to Ligett and Sherwin for the last 30 mins of the race with all their inaccuracies and quotes repeated over and over again. Why can't the real experts of Robbie McEwen and Matthew Keenan give us the whole race? Also how come Keenan and McEwen can use international metrics distances whilst Ligett talks only in miles?
Walker
Guest
Too true!
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
Exactly the same as Phil's love of Lance back in the day....
Walker
Guest
Watching the Tour de France in Canada we have to suffer Matt Keenan until the final 50 km of each stage before Phil & Paul take over. Matt Keenan may be Australia's favourite son but his obsession with Richie Porte, who he constantly manages to work into the commentary is too much for non Australians. He should also learn how to pronounce the names of the cyclists and the towns as well.
Lowry
Guest
I find them entertaining, and I would want to be 100 PC sure that any replacements brought a better level of banter and knowledge before giving them the boot
TonyM
Guest
Too many sports commentators and pundits rely on their fame and personality to get them by,we should demand more. As well as entertain they are surely there to inform and in this respect they so often fail simply by lack of preparation and especially lack of attention to what is going on.In cycling that is particularly true,they are not prepared to study the TV pictures and identify the riders or keep up with the action and INFORM.
Ron
Guest
I have worked with Phil and regard him as a friend but he has lost it. One of oz's best ever cyclists (not Mcewen) told me when he retired and started watching races on tv he couldn't believe how inaccurate Phil was just in identifying riders, let alone what they were doing tactically.
PB
Guest
I for one would be happy to see Ligett go. He's a dinosaur who thinks that anything with a tyre wider than 25mm isn't a real bicycle. He's failed to come to terms with the modern developments in the sport of cycling in general and should put himself out to pasture.
Peeeko
Guest
I'm a casual observer and really only know ligetts familiar voice. I assume it's top notch , however I have two mates that are afficenados and they have been saying for 5 years that liggett makes a tone of errors and is really poor