Fans lose out with changing channels

THIS week’s Champions League Quarter-finals will be thrilling.

All four ties remain in the balance, with holders Manchester City’s clash with Spanish giants Real Madrid the pick of the bunch following an enthralling 3-3 draw in the first leg.

The standard of play is incredible — while once the World Cup was the pinnacle of the Beautiful Game, there’s little doubt the latter stages of the Champions League is now the zenith of world football.

But for all that, how many people will actually watch these games live on television in the United Kingdom?

Not many — according to BARB, rights-holder TNT Sports 1 averaged just a 0.54 per cent share of the viewing figures in March. It’s a far-cry from the heyday of ITV’S Champions League coverage in the ’90s and ’00s. The

Wednesday night match was essential viewing for football fans, even if it involved two teams from outside the UK. Teams like AC Milan, Ajax and Juventus were playground favourites.

And when Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United were in their swaggering pomp, it felt like the entire nation stopped to watch David Beckham and co take on the best in Europe. Hated or adored, those United games were never ignored.

But now the Champions League is tucked away on a relatively obscure subscription channel, the competition has lost its cultural cut through.

While the billions keep rolling in I doubt the likes of Uefa and the super clubs will lose any sleep over this, but it’s a dreadful shame that so many young fans don’t have access to the world’s best football.