Lineker Faces a Long, Live Switch-off

When Gary Lineker says goodbye to viewers after either Portsmouth or Cardiff lift the FA Cup he will bring the curtain down on live domestic football on the BBC for more than a year. Today's final marks the last act of the BBC's four-year contract to show live FA Cup matches and England's home internationals, which it lost in controversial circumstances last March, leaving it with no live football next season.

A new deal with the Football League to show 10 live games from the Coca- Cola Championship, plus the Carling Cup semi-finals and final, does not begin until autumn 2009. While it will show this summer's Euro 2008 tournament and its Match of the Day highlights deal has two more seasons to run, the loss of live domestic football will be keenly felt.

There are BBC executives and presenters who still feel bitter about the manner in which ITV and Setanta won the rights. They claim the BBC was not given a chance to re-enter the bidding and that it was unfairly maligned when the FA hinted the presentation style of Lineker, Alan Hansen et al may have been a factor.

The BBC is generally considered to have done a good job in helping to rebuild the reputation of the FA Cup, drawing large audiences not only for games involving Premier League teams but also potential giant-killings. From a low of 6.3m in 2004, the last three finals have all averaged over 9m viewers.

From next season ITV will bill itself as the free-to-air home of live football. As well as shelling out £275m for its share of a joint £425m deal with Setanta to show live FA Cup action and England internationals, it paid £160m to secure live rights to the Champions League for another three years. Some have questioned whether the BBC has wasted licence fee-payers' money in tying Lineker and Hansen to long-term contracts. ITV is looking to expand its presentation team, though failed with a bid to lure Adrian Chiles from the BBC.