It is sometimes thought that football games which aren’t televised live can often be a better watch for the spectators in attendance.
There are a number of reasons for this, but in today’s world so many football clubs love to have their games televised, so much so that for an Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester City or United fan it is almost possible for them to watch their team in action every week, regardless of where they live.
When it comes to the games themselves, with the TV cameras in attendance it can bring pressure to the fore in two different ways.
Players such as Wayne Rooney or Eden Hazard are so used to the cameras being at their games that they can thrive off it, with Rooney and Hazard, amongst others, providing plenty of entertainment down the years in live games.
Some debutants and lesser lights have even flourished under the auspices of Sky Sports or the BBC showing their game, with memorable moments coming in the FA Cup when Warrington Town won a game against Exeter with their captain Craig Robinson getting the goal.
It was the perfect storm in a way, and the FA Cup this season should once again give punters a great chance to bet on the televised matches with Coral as it’s a tournament that offers shocks galore, no more so than when a underdog hosts one of the big guns.
However, the mantra that a game not on television can offer better entertainment still stands true, because as mentioned, the likes of Rooney, Hazard and a raw exception such as Warrington may exceed when the cameras are in town but not every player or club likes it.
Often it can bring unwanted attention to a team struggling, and put unwanted pressure on a side full of players embarrassed to be watched by their own fans, let alone millions on TV.
The 3 o’clock kick-off was once a staple of Premier League football in England but these days things have changed. Games are swapped around at will for Sky Sports and other satellite channels, but often the best matches you hear about are the ones the cameras sidestep.