BBC Athletics commentary is dire because.......

[Pipsquiggle]

Of the crowd noise!

Trying to hear Gabby, Denise, Jess & Michael but it sounds like they are in the crowd - lots of clapping and cheering, you can't hear them speak.

The sound department need to sort this out ASAP. It's really ruining the programme.

It's the commentators talking to the athletes after they have competed I get irritated by, if I hear 'Talk us through.....' or 'sum up what this means.....' one more time I'll scream.

Errrrrm...Denise Lewis, Olympic Champion. Jess Ennis Hill....Olympic Champion. Michael Johnson, one of greatest athletes of all time. Yeah pretty mediocre.

Totally agree. The quality of BBC production staff continues to nosedive as the BBC looks to cut costs. The BBC news is a total fault fest. I remember when you had to be the best of the best to get a job at the BBC. Now they take on any numpty provided they tick the right boxes. The only box they don’t tick is competence.

They don't seem to have addressed the crowd noise issues from last night

Crowds too loud.

Commentary is good.

Not sure about the journalists interviewing the athletes post event.

’I’ll give you a moment to compose yourself’ immediately after losing a chance of winning an Olympic medal and shoving a microphone in their face

Steve Cram is a patronising arse with an awful voice but have to admit does know his stuff. But that nasally whine <shudder>

The gymnastic commentators I feel like have been around forever, I'm sure I heard that woman's voice when I was a kid and I'm in my 50's now. They don't explain anything, just throw out these long name terms as if we will all know what that move means. Just awful. Time to get new ones for this section definitely, who can actually communicate to an audience that may only watch this once every 4 years.

Gabby Logan is dead behind the eyes. I met her once. She pulled the "don't you know who I am" card and was a complete mardy awful cow. Kenny, who was the nicest chap ever, looked mortified.

I rather like Becky Adlington, she's bringing enthusiasm and background knowledge to the swimming.

I was just going to say I'm really enjoying Rebecca Adlington talking about swimming and training.

I love watching Becky Adlington (and love her dresses) in fact all the swimming commentators are brill and really bring the sport alive. I love Christine on the gymnastics commentary…she’s great and really interesting. The one I find really painful to listen to (sorry) is Beth Tweddle, she should give up commentary and stick to talking in the studio…

I noticed this background noise drowning out the presenters when watching the athletics today, and it was especially bad during the ladies 100m final.

Re sitting in the crowd, it looked like the presenters were not in a specialist studio, but in some sort of room with an open air roof/wall into the public arena. Whoever thought it up needs to think up a fix quickly, as it's not working very well.

I also thought it looked like the BBC team were sitting in an area that was open to the crowd so whoever thought that was a good idea needs to seriously reconsider.

@Tumblingjungleofchaos I totally agree with you about the gymnastics commentators. They just drone on with endless lists of each move the competitor is doing which mean nothing to the average viewer. Plus the woman is hypercritical. I don't think either of them has a pleasant voice to listen to.

I think what a person's voice actually sounds like should be taken into consideration. You may be a great coach or former athlete, but they don't always make the best commentators.

Very true @RaraRachael they are not pleasant to listen to

They are all unacceptable because they are not Andrew Cotter (of Olive and Mabel fame alongside his more conventional commentating career) and they are taking up airtime that could usefully be given to him instead of themselves.

I want Andrew Cotter to commentate on absolutely everything always.

I love listening to Andrew Cotter too!

Probably going against the grain here - but I am loving it. Loving the sport, the atmosphere, the crowd noises! I think the commentators are great especially the swimming and athletics! 😀😀

Granted I only watch it in the evening - but the sport has been exceptional- even found myself watching the golf today!!

The main issue is that they talk too much in the studio and don't show the live coverage. It is infuriating.

Discovery plus for the win!

I wish they wouldn't do interviews with the athletes just after they've finished a race - especially if they've had a disappointing result.

I find them really cringey. Same questions every time.

Maybe the BBC and others don't get much priority or support, Discovery+ is the official broadcaster. Apart from the commentators who have valid backgrounds, I think they try people out and find out who does a good job. That Mika bloke who is on the football a lot is a good example. I don't remember him as a footballer but he's brilliant value in the studio

That’s really harsh. I’m sure they were tested/interviewed for their suitability for commentating and they all seem pretty good and have a good rapport with each other.

And on your point about them being irrelevant and unimportant because they once won a low-ranking medal in a niche event (which is a pretty big assumption to make…), for them to have even got to the Olympics - let alone to win a medal - is an incredible achievement.

At the risk of being sarky, I don’t think you have the right to judge them until the day when you qualify for your first Olympics and win your first medal. And then, by all means, have an opinion.

I agree - he’s an excellent pundit.

Yes agree - I especially love the swimming punditry! I think Clare Balding, Rebecca Adlington and Mark Foster pitch their conversations perfectly, so I always find what they have to say engaging. And their rapport has a lovely, wholesome vibe.

The commentary booths are all open - if they chose to the commentators could climb over a low barrier and interrupt another countries broadcasting. That's why its so noisy.

It's a shame the BBC don't have the rights anymore as now we can only view what they are permitted to show live but that's the way the world is going - pay to view....

Some of the "heartstring" packages - Adam Peaty and Max Whitlock - were too much. Just show the sport.

Matt Baker did compete in gymnastics so I think he's qualified to talk about it.

I bet they try and get Becky doing something like The One Show.

Far too many statements of the bleeding obvious and stuff that is completely meaningless

E.g

"He's just got to run his own race"
"It's going to be really tough"
" they've got to bring their best performance to win a medal"

Well yes, durrrrr!

The best commentators have done deep research on the athletes and can give proper insight, not just statements of the obvious.

Would you be able to explain the purpose of having the commentary booths open like that, please?

I've never seen that at a live broadcasting event with a stadium audience previously, and I can see why they don't usually!

This racket behind them is ridiculous