The BBC is set to revamp its flagship football programme Match of the Day following Gary Lineker’s announced departure after 25 years as presenter.
Lineker, who will leave at the end of this season, addressed the change on his podcast The Rest is Football, saying: “All things have to come to an end. I think the next contract, they’re looking to do Match of the Day slightly differently.”
Behind the scenes, the broadcaster is developing plans for a digitally focused version of the programme, with top executives seeing “untapped potential” in the brand.
The transformation comes as the BBC seeks to adapt to a changing media landscape where younger football fans increasingly consume content through social media and online platforms.
From 2025, the BBC will benefit from new digital rights for its online platforms as part of a recently signed deal.
While the broadcaster isn’t expected to compete directly with Sky Sports for rapid highlights on social media, the agreement is believed to include clips of all goals for the BBC website.
Gary Lineker will leave his role at the end of the season
Reuters
The corporation plans to expand the Match of the Day brand across the weekend with additional written content and analysis.
“The BBC isn’t worrying about Match of the Day being less relevant because of how people consume modern media, there is actually an opportunity here to exploit that change,” a senior BBC source told The Guardian.
The source added that they’re “not looking at retrenchment of the brand, but growth.”
Media analyst Adam Dalrymple of Enders Analysis noted that the programme already has an advantage, saying: “Match of the Day has a head start because it already has a digital home.”
The BBC’s confidence in Match of the Day’s future appears well-founded, with impressive viewing figures backing their digital expansion strategy.
Last season, the programme achieved 247bn viewing hours across all platforms, representing half of Sky’s 501bn hours for live coverage, but at a significantly lower cost.
Media analyst Alex DeGroote described the BBC’s deal as “pretty cheap” compared to Sky’s investment.
“There’s a bit of downside risk when the new presenter takes over, but I think its future is relatively secure,” DeGroote noted.
The show has demonstrated remarkable resilience in a challenging broadcast environment, with sports viewing down just 3% since 2015, compared to a 26% drop in overall broadcast TV figures.
As the BBC prepares for this transition, sources at the broadcaster emphasise that football expertise will remain the core criterion for selecting the new presenter.
Gary Lineker spent 25 years in his role at Match of the Day
Reuters
Mark Chapman, who currently hosts MOTD2, is considered the frontrunner for the position.
Alex Scott, the Football Focus presenter, and BBC sports presenter Gabby Logan are also reportedly being considered for the role.
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Mark Chapman is one of the frontrunners for the job
PA
“Match of the Day will continue to be about football,” a BBC source with knowledge of the show’s future direction told The Guardian.
“It will have people on it who know about football, talking about football. That’s the criteria.”
The emphasis on football expertise comes as the programme aims to maintain its traditional appeal while embracing digital innovation.
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