One of the more ludicrous TV promos for radio in recent years featured the BBC Radio 5 Live football commentators Jonathan Pearce and Alan Green in a nightclub performing their commentaries DJ style before an audience of rapturous young people. I think it was inspired by Eminem’s movie 8 Mile as a way to attract a different, younger listenership to the network, although it probably was about as successful as a 1960s vicar trying to lure teenagers with the promise of the New Seekers.
Now we have a serious attempt to broaden the audience for audio football with Kickin’ Off With Nihal. Launching today at 3pm on the digital BBC Asian Network, the programme aims to show that Asian football fans are just as passionate and opinionated about the Premiership as anybody else.
“Asians support teams and are really into football,” points out the DJ and Tottenham Hotspur fan Nihal, who fronts the show, “but there is still a distinct lack of Asians actually going to the games and feeling like they would be made welcome. It’s a barrier that we want to overcome.”
Apparently the programme is aiming for a “hyper-interactivity” between the presenter and audience via phone calls, texts and e-mails, as well as “the best Asian beats”. Not exactly Test Match Special, then, which sometimes is so marvellously old school that you half expect Neville Chamberlain or Archie Andrews (ask your dad) to make an appearance.
I hope Nihal’s show gets the right balance of coverage and entertainment to connect with its audience. Too much levity can easily alienate hardcore fans. Personally, I think it’s always a mistake to try to mix good-natured fun with sport, whether it be the Harlem Globetrotters or Radio 1 DJs in a charity football match. Such an approach often ends up satisfying neither those who want to watch and talk sport or those simply up for a bit of a laugh.
Advertisement
“This show isn’t about ‘Oh, let’s kick racism out of football’,” Nihal says. “It’s about loving and enjoying football. We’re not going to be moaning, we’re celebrating football.” Tune in this afternoon to see if the programme deserves promotion or relegation. Either way, it’s got to be better than Gary Lineker’s scripted ad-libs on Match of the Day.