It’s the end of the line for Soccer AM as the iconic Saturday morning football show prepares for its final episode.
Sky announced earlier this year that after nearly 30 years on the air, the company was moving on and looking in a new direction.
But its time is at an end, and the conclusion of the 2022/23 season brings down the curtain on a show that started in 1995 and provided some memorable moments.
It also helped launch the careers of several broadcasters, including talkSPORT’s Andy Goldstein and Max Rushden.
Why has Soccer AM been cancelled?
Ultimately, there are many reasons why Sky have decided to consign it to the history books.
The final episode is set to be held on Saturday, May 27, but it remains to be seen exactly what they have planned for the last show.
But it will be replaced in its usual 10:30 am spot by Saturday Social.
The hope is that Saturday Social will attract younger audiences because the current cast consists of football YouTubers and content creators.
And that’s one of the reasons the show has been canned because a lot of the original audience are older, and Sky need to find a way to keep young people interested.
There were also large elements of the show that became outdated and were removed.
The ‘Soccerettes’ section, which wasn’t appropriate involved women wearing their team’s football kit and answering innuendo-strewn questions while being cheered on by male guests and audience.
This was binned in 2015, while the show also had to be put on a ten-second broadcast delay to account for swearing and rude comments.
In its latest version, with Jimmy Bullard and John Fendley, the comedy has remained and the show has adapted to the changing times.
But not enough, and the growth of YouTube and ever-changing public perceptions have led to the show’s demise.
There is also a belief within the PR world that its decline started once Tim Lovejoy and Helen Chamberlain left.
Plus, given its previous reputation, many celebrities were afraid of appearing on Soccer AM and having their standing tarnished.
Ultimately, the Saturday morning staple couldn’t shake off its ‘Lad Mag’ past or deal with competition from YouTube.
However, the show will leave a lot of lasting memories for people of certain age up and down the country.
Source: Talk Sport
