IT used to be only a couple of cameramen at most, Archie Macpherson in his camel coat and a rickety old gantry nailed the top of a stand.
This is how football matches were covered back in the day. Talk to the guys involved and all admit there was an element of flying by the seat of their pants at a time when even the most up to date equipment was at best temperamental, at worst broken.
My, how times change.
BT Sport were kind enough to give myself a behind the scenes look at how they cover a Champions League match – fortunately for me it was the Celtic-Manchester City classic of a few weeks ago – and it was in interesting to see how everything clicked into place.
From the famous faces who actually get on the telly to those who do the catering, there were 100 people involved in broadcasting the match not only across Europe but to all four corners of the world.
All from a compound in the east end of Glasgow.
We meet Grant Phillips, the executive producer, in what is called the match truck, the main hub if you like.
“We cover the match from the team arriving until they go home,” said Grant as he takes us through his routine. “We have responsibility as the host broadcaster for the world feed, so if you are watching the game anywhere around the world then it all comes from this truck.
“We have 16 cameras inside and outside the stadium, and about 20 screens in here where we can watch everything. We have a running order which is delivered by UEFA and we have to stick to it within an inch of its life. The match then comes and whatever happens, happens, and we have to try to deal with it the best we can.
“What we do is as frantic as we want to make it. I try very hard to be as calm as possible because it gives everyone a chance to respond.
“One of the great challenges of covering a major sporting even such as this one is they (the players) don’t wait so we have time to show replays. We have to gauge when there is a wee lull in the game so we can replay and incident.”
There is a whole room and staff dedicated just to showing replays. Every person, there must be a dozen at least, were in charge of their own area of the pitch. A machine called the EVS has the ability to show an incident the moment after it happens.
It is a job with a lot of pressure but looks like fun. You can’t help but be impressed.
One of the pundits on the night is Rio Ferdinand who steps out of a plush and posh trailer into the Glasgow rain wearing the whitest most ironed shirt I have ever seen in my life. This fact is of no relevance whatsoever but it was important to get it out there.
“I love this place. I had a great time playing here – although we never won – but I enjoyed the atmosphere, the people, the intensity of the crowd," he said. "This is a proper football stadium, do you know what I mean, it’s one of the best in Europe.
“Even when the weather is xxxx like it is tonight, there aren’t many stadiums left where you get a feel for the history of the place and evokes memories of years gone by. I am absolutely sincere where I say that.”
Big Rio, a man who has won this tournament, gets a selfie with the help of fellow pundit Richard Dunne at the side of the pitch.
We are then taken up the steps of the Lisbon Lions stand at the area where the away supporters sit, and there are already a few City fans inside wondering what Ferdinand is doing among them, along a corridor to the baking hot studio – I’m wearing ten layers and a mountain jacket – to meet Mr Gary Lineker who is the host and is running through his lines when we interrupt him.
“I love coming here,” he says looking over his shoulder at the stadium. “This is one of a few stadiums in Europe where the atmosphere is as good as it’s always been. I love this part of the job. It’s just like playing – kidding – but it’s a good second best.”
It is all something to see. For everything to work, so many components have to be perfect, nobody can have an off night, the poor camera people have to sit outside in all weather and as I saw for myself, everyone is determined the coverage is as good as it can be.
As Grant said: “A massive part of what we are trying to achieve is to give the players a sense they are watching the match in the best spot that isn’t in the stadium. We want to give people a sense they are at the game.”
Of course it does help when the game they are covering has six goals.
BT Sport is your home of unmissable live football from the UEFA Champions League, SPFL and BetFred League Cup. Watch Celtic v Borussia Monchengladbach in the UEFA Champions League exclusively live on BT Sport ESPN tonight from 7pm.
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