Sky Sports axes 'The Football Show' to attract younger viewers, Jurgen Klopp's favourite show 'Ref Watch' to air in new format
AP Confetti falls as Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, left, and teammates advance on the team bus during the Premier League winners parade in Liverpool, England, Monday, May 26, 2025. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP) Sky Sports' "The Football Show," a long-running program aired every Monday, has been scrapped ahead of next season. The decision has reportedly dismayed staff and comes as Sky aims to attract younger viewers through YouTube influencers and social media personalities. Hosted by Rob Wotton alongside co-hosts Stephen Warnock and Sue Smith, the show dissected Premier League weekend events and featured Dermot Gallagher's "Ref Watch" segment.The "Ref Watch", a favourite of former Liverpool manager and regular viewer Jurgen Klopp, will continue in a new format. According to Sky Sports, the changes are intended to make the channel more agile and the new developments will ensure the channel concentrates on breaking news stories, but decision has reportedly left Sky Sports staff "dismayed."Dermot Gallagher hosted "Ref Watch" dissected controversial refereeing decisions from the weekend.Channel officials are hoping to attract more YouTube influencers and fans with big social media followings with Sky switching up the way it approaches its shows.It is believed the changes will make the channel "more agile and able to concentrate on breaking news stories".
Some staff members have been left "bewildered" by the decision making process. This follows a number of chopping and changing in recent years.Sky already axed a number off fan-favourite presenters on their Soccer Saturday panel show. The channel later gave it a new look. The long-running Soccer AM was scrapped in 2023.Sky was recently involved in a row with Nottingham Forest. This occurred after pundit Gary Neville was banned from their final day clash with Chelsea. The ban stemmed from Neville's controversial comments about the club's owner, Evangelos Marinakis.Neville said he was forced to withdraw from the coverage after failing to receive accreditation from Forest. "I've had no choice but to withdraw from the coverage. I've dished out my fair share of criticism and praise in the last 14 years of doing this job and have never come close to this unprecedented action."
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