{"id":19046,"date":"2021-09-03T15:02:49","date_gmt":"2021-09-03T14:02:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ounews.co\/?p=19046"},"modified":"2021-09-03T15:02:49","modified_gmt":"2021-09-03T14:02:49","slug":"new-ou-bbc-co-pro-charts-the-rise-of-the-premier-league","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/around-ou\/tv-radio\/new-ou-bbc-co-pro-charts-the-rise-of-the-premier-league\/","title":{"rendered":"New OU\/ BBC co-pro charts the rise of the Premier League"},"content":{"rendered":"

As English football entered the 1990s, the game was in crisis. The golden days of the post-war era had long gone. Attendances were in decline and England\u2019s best talent was moving abroad in search of better football and better pay. Something needed to be done, and fast.<\/p>\n

That something was the birth of the Premier League in 1992 when five clubs audaciously broke away from the Football League \u2013 starting a 30-year-long soap opera that continues to enthral an audience of nearly five billion people around the world.<\/p>\n

Now, this remarkable sporting story is the subject of a new four-part series co-produced by the BBC and The Open University (OU). Fever Pitch: The Rise of the Premier League<\/em><\/strong><\/a> starts on Monday 6 September<\/strong> on BBC Two <\/strong>at 9pm<\/strong> and reveals the definitive insiders\u2019 story of how successive groups of business brains, players, agents, and journalists transformed English football.<\/p>\n

\"Former

Former professional footballer and manager, Sir Kenny Dalglish. Photo credit: Story Films.<\/p><\/div>\n

The series explores the extraordinary experience of those central to the rapid evolution of the high-profile and lucrative sporting competition, including Eric Cantona, Vinnie Jones, Alan Shearer, and David Beckham; and charts the story of how English football was transformed from a sport into a business, literally overnight.<\/p>\n

One of the programme\u2019s academic consultants, <\/strong>Dr Alex Twitchen<\/strong><\/a>, Senior Lecturer in Sports Coaching Practice and Learning at the OU, said:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Premier League has become the richest and most popular football league in the world. Fever Pitch: The Rise of the Premier League tells a unique and compelling story of its early history by focusing on the experiences of those who were there at the start. It captures fascinating insights that present a different perspective on the league\u2019s first few seasons.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Senior Lecturer in Sport and Fitness at the OU and fellow academic consultant on the show, <\/strong>Simon Rea<\/strong><\/a>, says the formation of the new league wasn\u2019t without controversy, but that it has benefited clubs lower down the football pyramid. Rea commented: <\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough the Premier League was formed against the wishes of the Football League, many current Football League clubs have benefitted from its impact. The involvement of Sky trailblazing televising the Premier League, led to many of the lower leagues being broadcast too. As a consequence, Premier League clubs and other UK leagues now have outstanding stadiums, a larger, more engaged fan base, and significant financial investment. It\u2019s done wonders for the sport.\u201d <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Fever Pitch: The Rise of the Premier League<\/em><\/strong><\/a> airs on Monday 6 September<\/strong> on BBC Two <\/strong>at 9pm<\/strong>, with the following three episodes on at the same time each Monday. The complete series will also be available to watch on BBC iPlayer<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Find out more<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This series was commissioned by\u00a0Broadcast and Partnerships<\/a>\u00a0and is supported by the\u00a0Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies<\/a>, with particular relevance to:<\/p>\n