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Post by rubcale on Sept 12, 2012 18:44:40 GMT 1
From today's DAILY TELEGRAPH
BBC SHAKES UP SPORTS PERSONALITY SHORTLIST
The list of contenders for BBC Sports Persdonality of the Year is to be extended for the 2012 edition of the programme, to take account of the unprecedented success of British athletes this summer.
The multiple triumphs of Britain's Olymoic and Paralympic athletes and the achievements of the new US Open champion Andy Murray, Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins and US PGA champion Rory McIlroy have prompted a rethink of the BBC's flagship programme.
With so many potential winners the format of a 10-person shortlist is expected to be revised, with a longer list of candidates selected at the start of what is likely to be a two-stage process.
The final numbers are yet to be finalised but as many as 20 athletes will be selected for the long list in a poll of national newspaper sports editors and other media figures.
The longer list should ensure that all the Olympic and Paralympic multiple medallists are recognised as being in contention, along with non-Olympic winners such as MvIlroy.
This list will be whittled down to a final field of contenders by an expert panel. The shortlist of candidates, which is not certain to be the traditional 10, will be put to a public vote during the programme, which will be staged in front of an audience of more than 15,000 people at the Excel Arena on Dec 16.
The shortlisting process proved controversial last year, when not a single woman received enough votes to make the list of 10. This process is designed to prevent a repeat.
The expert panel will add rigour and provide the BBC with a safety net so that it is not embarrassed again in the most high-profile year for its flagship sports programme.
Any suggestion of a separate award for female athletes has been rejected, and with such contenders as Jessica Ennis, double gold-medallists Laura Trott and Charlotte Dujardin, Nicola Adams and Victoria Pendleton among the stars of the summer, there is no chance of an all-male list. The format of other awards such as Team of the Year may also be tweaked, and London 2012 chairman Lord Coe appears certain to receive the Lifetime Acjievemnet Award.
The competitivenss of the main award is demonstrated by the odds offered for some of the stars of 2012. Sir Chris Hoy, who won two gold medals to surpass Sir Steve Redgrave as Britain's most decorated Olympian, was available at 100-1 yesterday. Ben Ainslie who won his fourth gold nedal was a 200-1 shot.
The format of the programme is also likely to change to reflect the unprecedented events of the past nine m onths. In recent years the programme has focused on the stories of the 10 candidtaes, but it is understood the programme will be closer to the original "review of the year" format, reflecting the unprecedented number of stories thrown up by London 2012.
A BBC spokesman confirmed that there would be changes for 2012, but stressed that it would be a case of "evolution rather revolution".
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Post by rubcale on Sept 12, 2012 18:46:35 GMT 1
Odds for SPOTY as at September 12 (courtesy of misterhamster):
5/4 Bradley Wiggins
5/2 Andy Murray
3/1 Mo Farah
12/1 Jessica Ennis
25/1 David Weir
80/1 Ellie Simmonds
100/1 Chris Hoy
150/1 Rory McIlroy
150/1 Sarah Storey
150/1 Johnnie Peacock
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Post by rubcale on Sept 12, 2012 18:57:45 GMT 1
I don't know why they want to mess about with this at all - there wasn't much wrong with the current sustem apart from a couple of the sources they accepted nominations from.
Interesting that they say the final list might "not" be 10. For me that was going to be the most exciting part.
I hate when they bring in "experts". If they're anything like Five Live's football pundits they are useless. It looks to me as if the final ten will now be pretty predictable.
In Five Live's phone-in yesterday morning there were a surprising number of people who actually wanted no competition this year but a joint presentation to everyone.
At least they've resisted that.
I always though Bradley Wiggins was too short a price and am not really surprised he has lost his odds-on status although he probably still is the favourite.
Had someone given you a peak of the future a few months back and showed you Jess Ennis winning the gold in the Heptathlon you would have almost put your mortgage on her winning it but she will do well to be in the top 5 now.
If Charlotte Dujardin is in the final 10 (unlikely) I will be torn between voting for her and Andy Murray.
However my hunch is that Mo Farah may very well be the winner.
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Post by Maximo Mark on Sept 12, 2012 19:08:38 GMT 1
It's impossible to pick 10 from a list containing these names:
Alistair Brownlee
Andy Murray
Ben Ainslie
Bradley Wiggins
Charlotte Dujardin
Chris Hoy
David Weir
Ellie Simmonds
Greg Rutherford
Hanna Cockroft
Jason Kenny
Jessica Ennis
Jonnie Peacock
Katherine Grainger
Laura Trott
Mo Farah
Nicola Adams
Rory McIlroy
Sarah Storey
Sophie Christiansen
Tom Daley
Victoria Pendleton
That's discounting the 'usual' names like Ronnie O'Sullivan, AP McCoy and Phil Taylor who've also had great years again and would probably normally be nominated.
+ with the Ryder Cup, World Title Fight and F1 title wrap up these can be added possibilities.
Carl Froch
Graham McDowell
Justin Rose
Lewis Hamilton
Luke Donald
My top 3 would be Wiggins, Weir, Murray
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Post by greendemon on Sept 12, 2012 20:55:31 GMT 1
If Charlotte Dujardin is in the final 10 (unlikely) I will be torn between voting for her and Andy Murray. my feelings exactly. i'd actually love mo to get it, but i think it would surprise me. |
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Post by Panda on Sept 13, 2012 0:09:11 GMT 1
I don't know why they want to mess about with this at all - there wasn't much wrong with the current sustem apart from a couple of the sources they accepted nominations from. Interesting that they say the final list might "not" be 10. For me that was going to be the most exciting part. I hate when they bring in "experts". If they're anything like Five Live's football pundits they are useless. It looks to me as if the final ten will now be pretty predictable. In Five Live's phone-in yesterday morning there were a surprising number of people who actually wanted no competition this year but a joint presentation to everyone. At least they've resisted that. I always though Bradley Wiggins was too short a price and am not really surprised he has lost his odds-on status although he probably still is the favourite. Had someone given you a peak of the future a few months back and showed you Jess Ennis winning the gold in the Heptathlon you would have almost put your mortgage on her winning it but she will do well to be in the top 5 now. If Charlotte Dujardin is in the final 10 (unlikely) I will be torn between voting for her and Andy Murray. However my hunch is that Mo Farah may very well be the winner. I'd have no problem with them extending the shortlist beyond 10 this year just because it's been an exceptionally strong year. 12-15 would seem right. I agree about the "expert panel" to a certain degree but I was never totally happy about leaving it in the hands of a bunch of Fleet Street sport journos. Bradley Wiggins would still get my vote but I have a feeling Andy Murray could win it now. The Scottish vote will help, as will the BBC's tennis obsession and the fact it's the most recent of this year's notable achievements. Although the so-called "housewives' choice" has been less of a factor since they did away with the postal vote, it could still help Murray more than any of the other contenders. If I had to predict the final 10, I would say: Wiggins Murray Farah Ennis Weir Hoy Storey Simmonds McIlroy Ainslie |
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Post by suedehead on Sept 13, 2012 0:30:08 GMT 1
I can see a reason for extending the list to 12 or 15 or whatever but it's not going to make any difference to the top places.
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Elmer
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Posts: 7,318
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Post by Elmer on Sept 13, 2012 1:32:23 GMT 1
Looks like Wiggins, Farah and Murray in no particular order. Shame for Jess but I feel she will miss out on the top 3 but their achievements even outclass what she did !!
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Post by Shireblogger on Sept 13, 2012 10:59:42 GMT 1
One thing to factor in is how the votes will split.
For example, Wiggins will lose some "cyclist" votes to Hoy.
People who want to vote for a paralympian will have a very wide choice, which will adversely impact Weir, Cockcroft, Peacock, Storey, Simmonds, etc.
Split voting is less likely to work against Murray, Dujardin, any golfers who make the shortlist, etc.
If it is determined by telephone voting on the day, then who gets interviewed early in the show will have an advantage. For example, an early chat with the relentlessly bubbly Jessica Ennis will massively enhance her chances. Conversely, a late interview by satellite for dour Mr Murray would work against him.
So, the upshot is, I think it is the most open race for years, and some of those odds are very appealing.
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Sept 13, 2012 11:21:38 GMT 1
Murray has the advantage of the Scots vote, we've seen the effects of that in the past with Leon Jackson and some other bloke whose name I can't remember. And Michelle McManus. And, indirectly, Gemini. Certainly these votes can only rationally be explained as out-and-out nationalism.
Wiggins ought to win. To win the TdF, ostensibly the cleanest one for a while, is unparallelled in British sporting history. That in itself ought to be enough.
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Post by Shireblogger on Sept 13, 2012 12:38:18 GMT 1
Wiggins ought to win. To win the TdF, ostensibly the cleanest one for a while, is unparallelled in British sporting history. That in itself ought to be enough. I agree. But, despite the surge in popularity of cycling recently, I still don't think the majority of likely SPOTY voters appreciate what an incredible achievement it was. It cannot be ignored that SPOTY is a prime time entertainment show, not a serious and considered review of sporting prowess. |
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Post by rubcale on Sept 13, 2012 15:12:54 GMT 1
It seems to me that a lot of Bradley Wiggins support is from younger people - are they the sort that will necessarily vote?
At the risk of raising Manic's and Ramz's wrath the Scots (and the Northern Irish) tend to be rather insular and also more "enthusiastic" i.e. will vote multiple times (I think this is possible in SPOTY).
Therefore this certainly won't harm AndyM's chances - I think they will tend to go for him rather than Sir Chris Hoy. I can't see that Rory McIlroy is in with a chance though.
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Post by Maximo Mark on Sept 13, 2012 19:12:49 GMT 1
Wiggins ought to win. To win the TdF, ostensibly the cleanest one for a while, is unparallelled in British sporting history. That in itself ought to be enough. I agree. But, despite the surge in popularity of cycling recently, I still don't think the majority of likely SPOTY voters appreciate what an incredible achievement it was. It cannot be ignored that SPOTY is a prime time entertainment show, not a serious and considered review of sporting prowess. Although I agree with what you've put cyclists have won two of the last four... |
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Post by Maximo Mark on Sept 13, 2012 19:14:31 GMT 1
Therefore this certainly won't harm AndyM's chances - I think they will tend to go for him rather than Sir Chris Hoy. I can't see that Rory McIlroy is in with a chance though. Not at the moment perhaps, though there's a great chance he'll be in the final 10. But the Ryder Cup is in a fortnight, and that could certainly increase his exposure and chances. |
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 13, 2012 19:53:06 GMT 1
Murray has the advantage of the Scots vote, we've seen the effects of that in the past with Leon Jackson and some other bloke whose name I can't remember. And Michelle McManus. And, indirectly, Gemini. Certainly these votes can only rationally be explained as out-and-out nationalism. Wiggins ought to win. To win the TdF, ostensibly the cleanest one for a while, is unparallelled in British sporting history. That in itself ought to be enough. I agree with all of this. I also wonder how whether the Lance Armstrong blood doping scandal may detract people from voting for Bradley Wiggins. Whilst if Murray goes on to win the ATP World Tour Finals in November then it could make him more popular than he is now. Neither would I be surprised if David Weir emulates Tanni Grey-Thompson's 3rd place finish in 2000. One thing is certain this is almost certainly the greatest year ever for British Sport since the BBC Sports Personality Of The Year was first started in 1954. Especially when you consider as recent as 2009 Ryan Giggs won the Award for playing half a season at Manchester Utd (personally he was more deserving of a Lifetime Achievement Award than David Beckham, but that's another matter) whilst maintaining a wholesome family man orientated image when he was shagging the ex-Miss Wales who had appeared on Big Brother; beating F1 World Champion (by default of driving by far the best car on the grid that year, and beating his team-mate Rubens Barrichello) Jenson Button into second place ahead of world heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis in third. |
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Sept 13, 2012 20:09:03 GMT 1
Giggs again though got the advantage of the Celtic fringe voting. Plus masses of support from Man U fans in Surrey.
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Post by rubcale on Oct 1, 2012 19:09:57 GMT 1
For me while the Ryder Cup was a great team performance and while Ian Poulter was the best of the Europeans he didn't force his way into my top 10 list for the year.
If in fact the final list is 10 mine would be:
Nicola Adams
Ben Ainslie
Charlotte Dujardin
Jessica Ennis
Mo Farah
Sir Chris Hoy
Jade Johnston
Andy Murray
David Weir
Bradley Wiggins
Gender wasn't a consideration and what will appeal to me as "personality" is, of course, subjective.
Of those I would confidently expect Ennis, Farah, Murray Weir and Wiggins to make the official final list but the other fice could be any from a large number of contenders. Hoy and Ainslie would be the most likely of my other 5 to make it.
On the basis that Charlotte Dujardin is unlikely to be in there my vote will go to Andy Murray.
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Post by rubcale on Oct 1, 2012 19:11:08 GMT 1
Quite interesting that in a current Internet Poll Wiggins is more than double the number of votes ahead of his nearest challenger - Murray.
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Post by rubcale on Oct 19, 2012 13:54:02 GMT 1
BBC has decided that there will be a final list of 12 persons for the public ti vote from.
These will be chosen by a panel of 12 "experts" which include Sir Steve redgrave, Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, Denise Lewis, UK Spoprt chairman Baroness Sue Campbell and the sports editors if The Sun, The Observer and The Daily Mail.
This panel will also select the winners of the International Sports Personality of the Year, Coach of the Year and Team of the Year.
Heaven preserve us from experts.
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Post by suedehead on Oct 19, 2012 14:11:56 GMT 1
I can see the case for increasing the short list to 12 for this year. On the other hand, all it does is add two extra people with no chance of winning.
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