Andrew Bullock: 2014: A year of bad sports TV

Andrew on the highs and lows of small screen sports

Sports TV isn’t my thing. When offered Sky Sports in my television package for an extra fiver, I stressed that I’d rather spend that money on a jaunty wristband from TopMan. This is not to say I’m not a sporty guy. I run a couple of half marathons every year, I used to be a junior black belt in karate (which came about because I wanted to be a Power Ranger), I am obsessed with skiing and I do love a game of tennis, despite having an appalling serve. Watching sport, though, is just a totally blasé experience for me. Clearly, I’d rather watch Power Rangers.

“I couldn’t fathom choosing not to go out over a load of men kicking a ball”

That being said, there are some sports that I will go out of my way to follow on TV. Ski Sunday is my idea of heaven. And tennis; I try to go to Wimbledon every year. Whilst certain events like rowing and horse-racing have lost their sense of heritage and refinement, Wimbledon never has. Perhaps the £70 you’ll likely spend on strawberries, cream and Pimms has something to do with this (I bring my own!). I am always glued to Wimbledon over the summer when it’s on, and follow it avidly.

Except for this year.

There’s something about 2014 that has proven to be utterly lacklustre when it comes to thrilling sporting television. I think that Great Britain, as a nation, worked its enthusiasm muscles so hard for London 2012 that the couple of years since have been rather flat. Again, the Olympics have never excited me in the past, but London 2012 was incredible. I went to an event, I watched it on TV, London was literally buzzing and to top it all off it ended with Spice Girls on taxis.

But aside from a moderate interest in this year’s winter Olympics (again, because winter sports is more “my thing”), I have felt so disappointed by the performance of England/the UK/Team GB/whatever this year that I simply can’t be bothered. During the last World Cup, I had a debate with some of my friends because a couple of matches clashed with social plans we had, which they wanted therefore to reschedule. I explained that I couldn’t fathom choosing not to go out over a load of men kicking a ball. This year I took a fresh approach – I was going to be patriotic. I couldn’t watch the first match because I was out, and couldn’t watch the second because I was at Ascot (watching a different sport I might add). And then the next thing I know, we are out of the tournament quicker than a fly to an open pot of marmalade.

To rub salt into the wound, Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams all played dreadfully at Wimbledon and they took an early exit. For the first time in years I didn’t bother watching the Wimbledon final.

I think that both the World Cup and Wimbledon became tiresome. There’s a lower level of anticipation in the air this year anyway, which I can’t explain. Even Sochi 2014 was tainted by the bigotry that slithers through Russia. And to top it off, I heard that there was a riot in Argentina after they lost the World Cup to Germany on Sunday. This made me roll my eyes, and flip the channel over to The Hoarder Next Door.

Andrew’s blog can be read at drewjbullock.wordpress.com
Follow me: @andrewjbullock