Max Rushden, a broadcaster with a history of making both good and bad TV programmes, has reviewed Disney+'s opening night coverage of the Women's Champions League. The show, called 'The Hangout', was hosted by Alex Scott alongside former England international Lianne Sanderson, content creators Tyra Mills and Alex Bailess, and a golden retriever named Barley Boy.
Unusual segments and immediate backlash
The broadcast included a quiz about Italy, featuring guess the Italian name for football and identifying the pasta being cooked by a reporter in Milan. A still image showed the panel staring at farfalle on a big screen typically used for team lineups or key match incidents. The immediate reaction from seasoned followers of the women's game was a mix of bewilderment and fury.
Kathryn Batte wrote a critique for the Telegraph, and broadcaster Flo Lloyd-Hughes posted on X: "Disney's new UWCL coverage is the closest we've seen to CBBC football (derogatory). I wouldn't be surprised if we see someone gunged for making a wrong prediction or perhaps Raven will make a cameo. Keep stopping to remind myself this isn't a dream."
Different standards for men's and women's football
The criticism highlighted that the men's Champions League would never be covered in the same way. Broadcaster Marva Kreel articulated one issue on X: "I think a lot of the problem with the debates in women's football broadcasting over analysis and punditry v content creation and gimmicky fun, is that in men's football you can get both – and in different shows. In women's football you get one show, and so they try to do it all."
Rushden, who has hosted pre-match shows where a dog would not be out of place, noted that the Disney show is technically harder to produce than traditional coverage, but that does not mean it was the right choice. He understands the thinking behind trying to attract a younger audience, a directive he has received himself, and acknowledged that most criticism likely came from older viewers, not young people.
Host's role and the future of coverage
Rushden felt for Scott, who often finds herself in the middle of a culture war, and referenced the troubling discourse around the end of Football Focus, where some suggested the show went woke when she was appointed. He noted that Scott may not have suggested having a dog in the studio or the pasta quiz, but as a host, she has to do what she is told with conviction.
The dog did not return for the second night of coverage, suggesting a subtle shift towards a more traditional setup. Rushden concluded that while you cannot magic up an audience, you can make people feel you respect the game and entertain without introducing animals, and they will come back.
